Ill. Admin. Code tit. 83, § 280.70 – Preferred Payment Date

a) Intent: An eligible residential customer who is billed monthly and who can demonstrate that his or her primary source of income is derived from a benefit that is received during the 10 day period after the customer's regular due date shall be entitled to a preferred payment date to enable the customer to submit timely payments.
b) Notification: When a customer pays late two times in a 12 month period, the utility shall notify the customer of the availability of a preferred payment date. The utility shall make a record on the customer's account of the notification, and notification shall be made by any of the following methods:
1. 1) Message included in the customer's bill;
2. 2) Separate written communication; or
3. 3) Verbal communication.
c) Eligibility: Residential customers shall be eligible for a preferred payment date if they are included in any one of the following:
1. 1) Customers receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) or Aid to the Aged, Blind and Disabled (AABD);
2. 2) Customers receiving benefits from General Assistance or Supplemental Security Income;
3. 3) Customers receiving income from Social Security benefits or Veterans benefits; or
4. 4) Customers receiving unemployment compensation benefits.
d) Options: The utility shall inform an eligible customer of the following options from which the customer may choose:
1. 1) Enter into a budget payment plan with a preferred payment date that is not more than 10 days after the customer's regular billing date and is agreed upon by the customer and the company; or
2. 2) Establish a preferred payment date that shall not be more than 10 days after the customer's regular billing date.
e) Removal: If the customer fails to pay on or before the preferred payment date more than four times in a 12 month period, the utility may remove the customer's account from the preferred payment date and return the customer to the regular bill due date. After the removal of a customer, the utility shall not be obliged to offer the preferred payment date to that same customer for a period of 12 months.