Illinois Rep. Dias’s energy discount rate bill for low-income households passes House and Senate

Newly passed bill authored by State Rep. Laura Faver Dias aims to authorize low-income discount rates for utility customers and adjust funding rules for energy assistance programs, according to the Illinois General Assembly.

In the House, 74 Democrats voted in favor of the bill, while 37 Republicans opposed it.

Meanwhile, in the Senate, 40 Democrats and two Republicans voted in favor of the bill, while 17 Republicans voted against it.

Dias introduced the bill in the Illinois House on Jan. 15, 2026 during the 104th session.

The legislation, known as HB4456, was passed on May 19, 2026 during the general assembly session 104.

According to the Illinois General Assembly site, the legislature summarized the bill’s official text as follows: “Amends the Public Utilities Act. In provisions concerning nondiscrimination, provides that the Commission is authorized to approve a low-income discount rate for residential electric and natural gas customers that applies to the entirety of a qualifying customer’s bill, including, but not limited to, a qualifying customer’s delivery service charges and energy supply charges. Provides that an electric or natural gas utility may fund low-income discount rates through a surcharge on customers’ electric and natural gas bills. Provides that the changes to the Act apply retroactively on and after January 1, 2023. Amends the Energy Assistance Act. In provisions concerning eligibility under the Act, provides that, in setting the annual eligibility level for the use of State funds from the Supplemental Low-Income Energy Assistance Fund, the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity shall consider the amount of available funding and may not set a limit higher than 300% of the federal nonfarm poverty level. In provisions concerning the Supplemental Low-Income Energy Assistance Fund, provides that the yearly administrative expenses of the Fund may not exceed 15% (rather than 13%) of the amount collected during that year, except when unspent funds from the Fund are reallocated from a previous year. Provides that any unspent balance of the 15% administrative allowance may be utilized for administrative expenses in the year they are reallocated. Provides that, of the 15% administrative allowance, no less than 9% (rather than 8%) shall be provided to Local Administrative Agencies for administrative expenses. Provides that, beginning January 1, 2027, the Base Energy Assistance Charge shall be $0.80 per month for each utility that is required by the Illinois Commerce Commission to implement a low-income discount rate and shall be $0.40 per month for each utility that is not required to implement a low-income discount rate and that contributes to the Supplemental Low-Income Energy Assistance Fund. Makes other changes.”

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, this bill authorizes the Illinois Commerce Commission to approve low-income discount rates for residential electric and natural gas customers that cover the entire bill, including delivery and supply charges, and allows utilities to fund these discounts through bill surcharges. It defines qualifying customers as those eligible for LIHEAP or with household incomes up to 300% of the federal poverty level and applies the discount-rate authority retroactively to Jan. 1, 2023. The bill raises the maximum share of the Supplemental Low-Income Energy Assistance Fund that may be used for administration to 15%, with at least 9% going to local agencies, and clarifies that unspent administrative and weatherization funds may be reallocated. Beginning Jan. 1, 2027, it sets the base monthly Energy Assistance Charge at 80 cents for utilities required to implement a low-income discount rate and 40 cents for those that are not but contribute to the fund.

The bill was sponsored by Sen. Adriane Johnson (Democrat-30th District), Rep. Barbara Hernandez (Democrat-50th District), and Rep. Dagmara Avelar (Democrat-85th District), along with seven other sponsors.

Bills in Illinois follow a multi-step legislative process, beginning with introduction in either the House or Senate, followed by committee review, floor debates, and votes in both chambers before reaching the governor for approval or veto. The General Assembly operates on a biennial schedule, and while typically thousands of bills are introduced each session, only a fraction successfully pass through the process to become law.

You can read more about bills and other measures here.

Dias graduated from Indiana University with a BS.

Dias, a Democrat, was elected to the Illinois State House in 2023 to represent the state’s 62nd House District, replacing previous state representative Sam Yingling.

Lawmakers listed as “Not Voting” were present for the vote but did not cast a vote. Those marked as having an “Excused Absence” were not present and formally provided a reason for their absence, which was accepted.