HR0605 LRB095 12733 DRJ 38080 r

1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, The purpose of the Low Income Home Energy
3 Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is to assist low income citizens by
4 offsetting the rising cost of home energy (principally heating)
5 through direct financial assistance, energy counseling,
6 outreach, and education; and
 
7     WHEREAS, Because of the electric rate increase that took
8 effect on January 1, 2007, after a 10-year rate freeze, many
9 individuals and families in Illinois were overwhelmed with much
10 higher electric utility bills; and
 
11     WHEREAS, Because many Illinois individuals and families
12 were unable to cope with those suddenly higher electric utility
13 bills, moneys appropriated for LIHEAP were quickly used up in
14 many communities throughout the State; and
 
15     WHEREAS, Based on the availability of limited funds, a
16 LIHEAP Summer Energy Assistance Program will be implemented in
17 the summer of 2007; a total amount of $6 million from state and
18 federal funding sources will be allocated to local agencies for
19 the summer program; due to the limited funding, and the brevity
20 of the program, the provision of fans and air conditioners or
21 air conditioner repair will not be done; and
 

 

 

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1     WHEREAS, Because of the limited funding for the summer
2 program, many households who need assistance will be unable to
3 get it and will therefore incur substantial health risks; and
 
4     WHEREAS, An emergency transfer of moneys is necessary to
5 enable LIHEAP to serve households throughout the State who
6 desperately need assistance to keep their homes cool this
7 summer; and
 
8     WHEREAS, Sales taxes generated from sales of motor fuel in
9 Illinois are available to enable the LIHEAP Summer Cooling
10 Program to serve more households and fund more services;
11 therefore, be it
 
12     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
13 NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
14 urge the Governor, the State Comptroller, the Governor's Office
15 of Management and Budget, and the General Assembly to move with
16 all deliberate speed to transfer $50,000,000 from the sales tax
17 line item from sales taxes received on sales of motor fuel to a
18 LIHEAP account and to arrange for the release of those moneys
19 to certified community-based organizations for use in the
20 LIHEAP Summer Cooling Program; and be it further
 
21     RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
22 delivered to the Governor, the State Comptroller, the Director

 

 

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1 of the Governor's Office of Management and Budget, the Director
2 of Healthcare and Family Services, and the President and the
3 Minority Leader of the Senate.