(305 ILCS 20/2) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 1402)
Sec. 2. Findings and Intent.
(a) The General Assembly finds that:
(1) the health, welfare, and prosperity of the
| people of the State of Illinois require that all citizens receive essential levels of heat and electric service regardless of economic circumstance; | |
(2) public utilities and other entities providing |
| such services are entitled to receive proper payment for services actually rendered; | |
(3) variability of Federal low income energy |
| assistance funding necessitates a State response to ensure the continuity and the further development of energy assistance and related policies and programs within Illinois; | |
(4) energy assistance policies and programs in |
| effect in Illinois have benefited all Illinois citizens, and should therefore be continued with the modifications provided herein; and | |
(5) low‑income households are unable to afford |
| essential utility services and other necessities, such as food, shelter, and medical care; the health and safety of those who are unable to afford essential utility services suffer when monthly payments for these services exceed a reasonable percentage of the customer's household income; costs of collecting past due bills and uncollectible balances are reflected in rates paid by all ratepayers; society benefits if essential utility services are affordable and arrearages and disconnections are minimized for those most in need. | |
(b) Consistent with its findings, the General Assembly declares that it is the policy of the State that:
(1) a comprehensive low income energy assistance |
| policy and program should be established which incorporates income assistance, home weatherization, and other measures to ensure that citizens have access to affordable energy services; | |
(2) the ability of public utilities and other |
| entities to receive just compensation for providing services should not be jeopardized by this policy; | |
(3) resources applied in achieving this policy |
| should be coordinated and efficiently utilized through the integration of public programs and through the targeting of assistance; and | |
(4) the State should utilize all appropriate and |
| available means to fund this program and, to the extent possible, should identify and utilize sources of funding which complement State tax revenues. | |
(Source: P.A. 96‑33, eff. 7‑10‑09.) |
(305 ILCS 20/5) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 1405)
Sec. 5. Policy Advisory Council.
(a) Within the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity is created a Low Income Energy Assistance Policy Advisory Council.
(b) The Council shall be chaired by the Director of Commerce and Economic Opportunity or his or her designee. There shall be 20 members of the Low Income Energy Assistance Policy Advisory Council, including the chairperson and the following members:
(1) one member designated by the Illinois Commerce
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(2) one member designated by the Illinois Department |
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(3) one member designated by the Illinois Energy |
| Association to represent electric public utilities serving in excess of 1 million customers in this State; | |
(4) one member agreed upon by gas public utilities |
| that serve more than 500,000 and fewer than 1,500,000 customers in this State; | |
(5) one member agreed upon by gas public utilities |
| that serve 1,500,000 or more customers in this State; | |
(6) one member designated by the Illinois Energy |
| Association to represent combination gas and electric public utilities; | |
(7) one member agreed upon by the Illinois Municipal |
| Electric Agency and the Association of Illinois Electric Cooperatives; | |
(8) one member agreed upon by the Illinois |
| Industrial Energy Consumers; | |
(9) three members designated by the Department to |
| represent low income energy consumers; | |
(10) two members designated by the Illinois |
| Community Action Association to represent local agencies that assist in the administration of this Act; | |
(11) one member designated by the Citizens Utility |
| Board to represent residential energy consumers; | |
(12) one member designated by the Illinois Retail |
| Merchants Association to represent commercial energy customers; | |
(13) one member designated by the Department to |
| represent independent energy providers; and | |
(14) three members designated by the Mayor of the |
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(c) Designated and appointed members shall serve 2 year terms and until their successors are appointed and qualified. The designating organization shall notify the chairperson of any changes or substitutions of a designee within 10 business days of a change or substitution. Members shall serve without compensation, but may receive reimbursement for actual costs incurred in fulfilling their duties as members of the Council.
(d) The Council shall have the following duties:
(1) to monitor the administration of this Act to |
| ensure effective, efficient, and coordinated program development and implementation; | |
(2) to assist the Department in developing and |
| administering rules and regulations required to be promulgated pursuant to this Act in a manner consistent with the purpose and objectives of this Act; | |
(3) to facilitate and coordinate the collection and |
| exchange of all program data and other information needed by the Department and others in fulfilling their duties pursuant to this Act; | |
(4) to advise the Department on the proper level of |
| support required for effective administration of the Act; | |
(5) to provide a written opinion concerning any |
| regulation proposed pursuant to this Act, and to review and comment on any energy assistance or related plan required to be prepared by the Department; | |
(6) to advise the Department on the use of funds |
| collected pursuant to Section 11 of this Act, and on any changes to existing low income energy assistance programs to make effective use of such funds, so long as such uses and changes are consistent with the requirements of the Act. | |
(Source: P.A. 94‑793, eff. 5‑19‑06.) |
(305 ILCS 20/6) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 1406)
Sec. 6. Eligibility, Conditions of Participation, and Energy Assistance.
(a) Any person who is a resident of the State of Illinois and whose household income is not greater than an amount determined annually by the Department, in consultation with the Policy Advisory Council, may apply for assistance pursuant to this Act in accordance with regulations promulgated by the Department. In setting the annual eligibility level, the Department shall consider the amount of available funding and may not set a limit higher than 150% of the federal nonfarm poverty level as established by the federal Office of Management and Budget; except that for the period ending June 30, 2012, or until the expenditure of federal resources allocated for energy assistance programs by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, whichever occurs first, the Department may not establish limits higher than 200% of that poverty level.
(b) Applicants who qualify for assistance pursuant to subsection (a) of this Section shall, subject to appropriation from the General Assembly and subject to availability of funds to the Department, receive energy assistance as provided by this Act. The Department, upon receipt of monies authorized pursuant to this Act for energy assistance, shall commit funds for each qualified applicant in an amount determined by the Department. In determining the amounts of assistance to be provided to or on behalf of a qualified applicant, the Department shall ensure that the highest amounts of assistance go to households with the greatest energy costs in relation to household income. The Department shall include factors such as energy costs, household size, household income, and region of the State when determining individual household benefits. In setting assistance levels, the Department shall attempt to provide assistance to approximately the same number of households who participated in the 1991 Residential Energy Assistance Partnership Program. Such assistance levels shall be adjusted annually on the basis of funding availability and energy costs. In promulgating rules for the administration of this Section the Department shall assure that a minimum of 1/3 of funds available for benefits to eligible households with the lowest incomes and that elderly and disabled households are offered a priority application period.
(c) If the applicant is not a customer of record of an energy provider for energy services or an applicant for such service, such applicant shall receive a direct energy assistance payment in an amount established by the Department for all such applicants under this Act; provided, however, that such an applicant must have rental expenses for housing greater than 30% of household income.
(c‑1) This subsection shall apply only in cases where: (1) the applicant is not a customer of record of an energy provider because energy services are provided by the owner of the unit as a portion of the rent; (2) the applicant resides in housing subsidized or developed with funds provided under the Rental Housing Support Program Act or under a similar locally funded rent subsidy program, or is the voucher holder who resides in a rental unit within the State of Illinois and whose monthly rent is subsidized by the tenant‑based Housing Choice Voucher Program under Section 8 of the U.S. Housing Act of 1937; and (3) the rental expenses for housing are no more than 30% of household income. In such cases, the household may apply for an energy assistance payment under this Act and the owner of the housing unit shall cooperate with the applicant by providing documentation of the energy costs for that unit. Any compensation paid to the energy provider who supplied energy services to the household shall be paid on behalf of the owner of the housing unit providing energy services to the household. The Department shall report annually to the General Assembly on the number of households receiving energy assistance under this subsection and the cost of such assistance. The provisions of this subsection (c‑1), other than this sentence, are inoperative after August 31, 2012.
(d) If the applicant is a customer of an energy provider, such applicant shall receive energy assistance in an amount established by the Department for all such applicants under this Act, such amount to be paid by the Department to the energy provider supplying winter energy service to such applicant. Such applicant shall:
(i) make all reasonable efforts to apply to any other |
| appropriate source of public energy assistance; and |
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(ii) sign a waiver permitting the Department to |
| receive income information from any public or private agency providing income or energy assistance and from any employer, whether public or private. |
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(e) Any qualified applicant pursuant to this Section may receive or have paid on such applicant's behalf an emergency assistance payment to enable such applicant to obtain access to winter energy services. Any such payments shall be made in accordance with regulations of the Department.
(f) The Department may, if sufficient funds are available, provide additional benefits to certain qualified applicants:
(i) for the reduction of past due amounts owed to |
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(ii) to assist the household in responding to |
| excessively high summer temperatures or energy costs. Households containing elderly members, children, a person with a disability, or a person with a medical need for conditioned air shall receive priority for receipt of such benefits. |
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(Source: P.A. 96‑154, eff. 1‑1‑10; 96‑157, eff. 9‑1‑09; 96‑1000, eff. 7‑2‑10.) |
(305 ILCS 20/7) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 1407)
Sec. 7. State Weatherization Plan and Program.
(a) The Department shall, after consultation with the Policy Advisory Council, prepare and promulgate an annual State Weatherization Plan beginning in the year this Act becomes effective. To the extent practicable, such Plan shall provide for targeting use of both State and federal weatherization funds to the households of eligible applicants pursuant to this Act whose ratios of energy costs to income are the highest. The State Weatherization Plan shall include but need not be limited to the following:
(1) a description of the demographic characteristics |
| and energy use patterns of people eligible for assistance pursuant to this Act; | |
(2) the methodology used by the Department in |
| targeting weatherization funds; | |
(3) a description of anticipated activity and |
| results for the year covered by the Plan, including an estimate of energy cost savings expected to be realized by the weatherization program; and | |
(4) every third year, beginning in 2002, an |
| evaluation of results from the weatherization program in the year preceding the plan year, including the effect of State Weatherization Program investments on energy consumption and cost in the population eligible for assistance pursuant to this Act, and the effect of targeted weatherization investments on the costs of the energy assistance program authorized by this Act. | |
(b) The Department shall implement the State Weatherization Plan by rule through a program which provides targeted weatherization assistance to eligible applicants for energy assistance pursuant to this Act. The Department may enter into such contracts and other arrangements with local agencies as may be necessary for the purpose of administering the weatherization program.
(Source: P.A. 92‑690, eff. 7‑18‑02.) |
(305 ILCS 20/8) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 1408)
Sec. 8. Program Reports.
(a) The Department of Natural Resources shall prepare and submit to the Governor and the General Assembly reports on September 30 biennially, beginning in 2003, evaluating the effectiveness of the energy assistance and weatherization policies authorized by this Act. The first report shall cover such effects during the first winter during which the program authorized by this Act, is in operation, and successive reports shall cover effects since the issuance of the preceding report.
(1) Reports issued pursuant to this Section shall be
| limited to, information concerning the effects of the policies authorized by this Act on (1) the ability of eligible applicants to obtain and maintain adequate and affordable winter energy services and (2) changes in the costs and prices of winter energy services for people who do not receive energy assistance pursuant to this Act. | |
(2) The Department of Natural Resources shall by |
| September 30, 2002, in consultation with the Policy Advisory Council, determine the kinds of numerical and other information needed to conduct the evaluations required by this Section, and shall advise the Policy Advisory Council of such information needs in a timely manner. The Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, the Department of Human Services, and the Illinois Commerce Commission shall each provide such information as the Department of Natural Resources may require to ensure that the evaluation reporting requirement established by this Section can be met. | |
(b) On or before December 31, 2002, 2004, 2006, and 2007, the Department shall prepare a report for the General Assembly on the expenditure of funds appropriated for the programs authorized under this Act.
(c) On or before December 31 of each year in 2004, 2006, and 2007, the Department shall, in consultation with the Council, prepare and submit evaluation reports to the Governor and the General Assembly outlining the effects of the program designed under this Act on the following as it relates to the propriety of continuing the program:
(1) the definition of an eligible low income |
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(2) access of low income residential customers to |
| essential energy services; | |
(3) past due amounts owed to utilities by low income |
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(4) appropriate measures to encourage energy |
| conservation, efficiency, and responsibility among low income residential customers; | |
(5) the activities of the Department in the |
| development and implementation of energy assistance and related policies and programs, which characterizes progress toward meeting the objectives and requirements of this Act, and which recommends any statutory changes which might be needed to further such progress. | |
(d) The Department shall by September 30, 2002 in consultation with the Council determine the kinds of numerical and other information needed to conduct the evaluations required by this Section.
(e) The Illinois Commerce Commission shall require each public utility providing heating or electric service to compile and submit any numerical and other information needed by the Department of Natural Resources to meet its reporting obligations.
(Source: P.A. 95‑331, eff. 8‑21‑07; 96‑154, eff. 1‑1‑10.) |
(305 ILCS 20/10) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 1410)
Sec. 10. Energy Assistance Funds.
(a) The AFDC Energy Assistance Fund is hereby created as a special fund in the State Treasury.
The AFDC Energy Assistance Fund is authorized to receive whether by appropriation, transfer, statutory deposit or fund transfer, all amounts appropriated from State funds to the Department of Human Services (acting as successor to the Illinois Department of Public Aid under the Department of Human Services Act) specifically for energy assistance payments for persons and families receiving assistance pursuant to Section 4‑1 of the Illinois Public Aid Code and subsection (c) of Section 6 of this Act, and any administrative expense related thereto.
(b) Subject to appropriation by the General Assembly, the Department is authorized to expend monies from the AFDC Energy Assistance Fund for the following purposes:
(1) for energy assistance payments to or on behalf |
| of individuals or families who receive assistance pursuant to Section 4‑1 of The Illinois Public Aid Code in accordance with the provisions of Section 6 of this Act; and | |
(2) for the necessary and contingent expenses of the |
| Department incurred in the administration of that portion of the Act described in paragraph (1) of this subsection. | |
(c) The AFDC Energy Assistance Fund shall be inoperative after September 30, 1991.
(d) Subject to appropriations made by the General Assembly, the Department is authorized to expend monies from the Low Income Energy Assistance Block Grant Fund for the purpose of providing assistance pursuant to Section 6 of this Act.
(Source: P.A. 89‑507, eff. 7‑1‑97.) |