Extension to Illinois utility assistance program heads to Pritzker’s desk
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA) — A proposal in the Illinois statehouse to make sure a program that helps people with their power bill doesn’t go away now awaits a signature from the Governor.
It’s the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, and it’s designed to help lower income people pay for energy services like their heat bill. Advocates say if it’s cut, thousands with lower incomes will suffer.
State funds for the program are set to sunset on January 1, 2025. If that were to happen, the Champaign County Regional Planning Commission says more than 174,000 homes across the state would be impacted. 30,000 people on a plan under this program would also lose all their benefits.
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But House Bill 4471 would get rid of the sunset clause, allowing the state funding for the program to continue.
“Without it, there would have been a lot of our vulnerable community members that didn’t have access to heat or air conditioning, and so it’s very critical and really important to make sure that they’re protected,” State Senator Paul Faraci (D – Champaign) said.
The program has been a big help to people in Champaign County. The county’s regional planning commission said they allocated more than $6 million dollars to nearly 9,000 households between 2023 and 2024.
The bill is very close to becoming law, passing the Senate last week.
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