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"This additional funding
will go a long way in helping thousands of families who otherwise
couldn't pay their utility bills," Blagojevich said. "This extra
funding means that families, especially those facing disconnection,
won't have to choose between putting food on their tables or paying
their utility bills." The law will transfer $5.2 million from the
General Revenue Fund to the Supplemental Low-Income Energy
Assistance Fund. The revenue is from taxes paid by low-income
households that received energy assistance benefits during the 2005
winter heating season. The legislative effort was led by state Rep.
Marlow Colvin, D-33, and sponsored in the state Senate by Sen. Kwame
Raoul, D-13. The law amends the Illinois Energy Assistance Act to
allow the Supplemental Low-Income Energy Assistance Fund to receive
an additional $5.2 million immediately.
"Households across Illinois are facing the added additional
burden of utility bills that have increased by more than 30 percent
this winter," Colvin said. "These additional funds will be critical
to helping families keep their heat on and their loved ones safe. I
am proud to have introduced this important legislation, and I
commend Governor Blagojevich for signing it quickly, so the funds
can get to the families as soon as possible."
"With energy costs continuing to climb, this additional funding
is of even greater importance," said Raoul. "This increased
assistance has been a long time coming, and I appreciate the
governor's quick approval."
LIHEAP is a
state- and federally funded energy assistance program that assists
households with incomes of up to 150 percent of the federal poverty
level. A single-person household can qualify with a monthly income
of up to $1,196, a two-person household up to $1,604, and a family
of four can earn up to $2,420. Benefits are paid directly to the
household's appropriate utility.
The LIHEAP program makes utility bill payments on behalf of
low-income households, including seniors, the disabled, families
with very young children, those without home heating due to service
disconnections and people with medical conditions that would be
aggravated by severe temperatures. The Department of Healthcare and
Family Services continues to accept new LIHEAP applications, and it
has distributed over $182 million to 350,000 households this past
year.
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 Energy grant applications are processed through a network of 35
Community Action agencies around the state. These agencies accept
applications on a first-come, first-served basis from eligible
households until funding for the winter heating program is
exhausted. Community Action agencies start accepting applications
from all income-eligible households every year on Nov. 1.
The LIHEAP beneficiaries receiving a supplemental benefit have
already applied and received a LIHEAP benefit this past year and
will not need to visit a LIHEAP office to receive the additional
credit. The supplemental payments will be applied automatically to
primary utility accounts that have remained active since LIHEAP
payments were applied earlier. The supplemental payments will be
made in the amount of $50, $75 or $100, depending on household
income and size.
At the governor's request, Illinois utility companies agreed to
suspend disconnections between Nov. 1 and March 31. In April, the
utility companies began disconnecting households that are seriously
delinquent in paying their utility bills. Low-income households that
are facing imminent disconnection and have not already received a
benefit to have their service restored can apply for extra help at
LIHEAP offices throughout the state.
Earlier this year, the governor sent a letter to the Illinois
members of the U.S. House of Representatives, urging them to vote
for the Low Income Energy Assistance funding bill and send it to the
president's desk. The bill shifted $1 billion in energy assistance
funding from fiscal 2007 to fiscal 2006, increasing the amount of
federal funding available to $3.1 billion total, including an
additional $74 million in funding for Illinois.
Blagojevich launched the comprehensive Keep Warm Illinois
campaign in response to the spike in energy prices that affected
consumers statewide. Agencies across Illinois government have teamed
to coordinate resources to ensure state residents have the
information and resources necessary to better manage their home
energy costs. Efforts include the Keep Warm Illinois website,
www.keepwarm.illinois.gov,
which offers energy-saving tips, a Web-based tool to conduct home
energy audits, important information on energy assistance programs
and additional resources. A Keep Warm Illinois toll-free line, 1
(877) 411-WARM [9276], is another resource available as Illinois
residents continue to learn about how to save energy, apply for
energy assistance and deal with seasonal needs through warming
centers, clothing drives, energy savings workshops and winter
assistance days.
[News release from the governor's
office] |
