Sen. Sue Rezin

Filed: 2/16/2022

 

 


 

 


 
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1
AMENDMENT TO SENATE BILL 1479

2    AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend Senate Bill 1479 by replacing
3everything after the enacting clause with the following:
 
4    "Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Home
5Heating Relief Act of 2022.
 
6    Section 5. Findings. The General Assembly finds that:
7        (1) Nearly half of U.S. households that heat with
8    natural gas are projected to spend 30% more than they did
9    last winter on average, according to the Winter Fuels
10    Outlook 2021 report from the U.S. Energy Information
11    Administration. The 41% that heat with electricity are
12    expected to spend 6% more. Propane users will spend 54%
13    more this winter, while heating oil users could see bills
14    go up 43%, according to the report.
15        (2) Energy prices were up 29.3%, according to the
16    December 2021 consumer price index from the U.S. Bureau of

 

 

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1    Labor Statistics. Furthermore, fuel oil is roughly 40%
2    more expensive than last year, electricity is up 6.3%, and
3    natural gas market prices rose by more than 24%.
4        (3) These scenarios are tough on household budgets as
5    families deal with inflation. The State should do more in
6    addition to the Illinois Low Income Home Energy Assistance
7    Program to help offset some of these high energy prices
8    during the winter months of 2022.
 
9    Section 10. Home Heating Rebate Program.
10    (a) As soon as practicable, the Department of Commerce and
11Economic Opportunity shall create a Home Heating Rebate
12Program to provide rebates to households that use natural gas
13or propane gas for heating purposes and that have a median
14household income between 200% and 400% of the poverty
15guidelines updated periodically in the Federal Register by the
16U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under the
17authority of 42 U.S.C. 9902(2). Eligible households shall
18receive the rebates as soon as practicable after
19implementation of the program. The Department shall, by rule,
20establish qualifications for program participation, which may
21include requirements that apply under the Energy Assistance
22Act and other requirements.
23    (b) Rebates provided under the program shall be funded
24through appropriations made from the Home Heating Rebate
25Relief Fund created under Section 15. The State Comptroller

 

 

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1shall direct and the State Treasurer shall transfer
2$500,000,000 from the General Revenue Fund to the Home Heating
3Rebate Relief Fund to provide rebates to qualifying households
4for State fiscal years 2022 and 2023. Any funds left over at
5the end of the second month following implementation of the
6Home Heating Rebate Program may be awarded to certain
7qualifying first-time small business owners as determined by
8the Department.
9    (c) The Department shall adopt emergency rules in
10accordance with the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act to
11implement the Home Heating Rebate Program.
 
12    Section 15. Home Heating Rebate Relief Fund. The Home
13Heating Rebate Relief Fund is created as a special fund in the
14State treasury. The Fund shall consist of any moneys deposited
15into the Fund as provided under subsection (b) of Section 10.
16Moneys in the Fund shall be expended for the Home Heating
17Rebate Program as provided under Section 10 and for no other
18purpose. All interest earned on moneys in the Fund shall be
19deposited into the Fund.
 
20    Section 90. The Illinois Administrative Procedure Act is
21amended by adding Section 5-45.21 as follows:
 
22    (5 ILCS 100/5-45.21 new)
23    Sec. 5-45.21. Emergency rulemaking; Home Heating Rebate

 

 

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1Program. To provide for the expeditious and timely
2implementation of the Home Heating Rebate Program authorized
3under the Home Heating Relief Act of 2022, emergency rules
4implementing the Home Heating Rebate Program may be adopted in
5accordance with Section 5-45 by the Department of Commerce and
6Economic Opportunity. The adoption of emergency rules
7authorized by Section 5-45 and this Section is deemed to be
8necessary for the public interest, safety, and welfare.
9    This Section is repealed one year after the effective date
10of this amendatory Act of the 102nd General Assembly.
 
11    Section 95. The State Finance Act is amended by adding
12Section 5.970 as follows:
 
13    (30 ILCS 105/5.970 new)
14    Sec. 5.970. The Home Heating Rebate Relief Fund.
 
15    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
16becoming law.".