Modest-Income Seniors’ Home Energy Assistance Protected from Inflation Pressures Under New Hernandez Bill

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – State Rep. Elizabeth 'Lisa' Hernandez, D-Cicero, is working to secure vital home energy assistance for seniors on fixed incomes, advancing legislation to expand access to a utility bill assistance program.

“When temperatures plummet and heating your home becomes more costly, seniors often are having to make painful decisions between which bills to pay and how to best stretch their social
security dollars,” Hernandez said. “Working your whole life only to risk your retirement benefits is just not right, so I am working to change that. My legislation would raise the property tax exemption for lifesaving home energy assistance at the same rate as our seniors' Social Security and SSI benefits, allowing them to keep their hard earned dollars, their energy assistance and their peace of mind.”

Hernandez secured committee passage of House Bill 1867 which raises the income threshold for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and prevents seniors from being
kicked out of the program due to rising cost of living. Furthermore, Hernandez would raise the threshold for LIHEAP eligibility to 150% the fed poverty line or the combined value of the preceding year’s eligibility in addition to the cost of living adjustments made for SSI or Social Security benefits. Eligibility would be reassessed every year to keep pace with market trends and how far seniors’ dollars are going.