Lower and middle-class Illinoisans may soon receive much-needed assistance in paying unusually high utility bills, thanks to a lawmaker's proposal, WAND reported.
Illinois Sen. Sally Turner, a Republican, introduced a bill designed to establish a home utility rebate program for households that don't qualify for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program but still struggle to afford the increasing cost of electricity in the U.S.
In an interview with WAND, Turner said she views energy rebates as a matter of fairness.
"This is for people that can't afford the bills, but yet they don't have any state help," she said. "Some of them aren't even paying their utility bills because they can't afford it. It's either food and medicine, or I pay my electric bill. So, it's up to us to figure out ways, and this is just one way to help people in the lower middle class pay their bills."
If the bill is approved, households earning between 100% and 500% of the federal poverty guideline would be able to apply for an energy rebate. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the median household income in 2022 was $77,540. In the same year, the federal poverty guidelines for the continental U.S. were $13,590 for one person and $27,750 for four people, per the Department of Health and Human Services.
The proposed rebate fund would total $500 million, with the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity in charge of distributing the benefits.
Turner is confident the bill could receive bipartisan support, thanks to rates going up for Democrats and Republicans alike.
"I'm in the super-minority, and those bills don't always get called," Turner explained to WAND. "What I can do is work across the aisle and talk to them and say, 'I think this would really be a great fit.' I think this is something we could do for all Illinoisans."
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If that's true, Turner's bill could provide welcome relief for residents who face the difficult choice between putting food on the table and paying for utilities.
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