---
type: "Bill"
title: "LIHEAP-ENERGY ASSISTANCE"
description: "Amends the Energy Assistance Act. Provides that the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity may not set the annual eligibility level for energy assistance higher than 60% of the State median income as established by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Requires the Department to ensure that households with children under the age of 6 years old are offered a priority application period. Provides that the Supplemental Low-Income Energy Assistance Fund is not subject to sweeps, administrative charge-backs, or any other fiscal or budgetary maneuver that would in any way transfer any amounts from the Supplemental Low-Income Energy Assistance Fund into any other fund of the State. Contains provisions concerning certain unspent funds being utilized for weatherization expenses; allowances to Local Administrative Agencies for administrative expenses; incremental changes to the monthly energy assistance charges billed to utility customers; Department reports on monies collected and allocated to utilities for implementation of their Percentage of Income Payment Plans; and other matters. Provides that all energy assistance programs under the Act shall be available to eligible residents regardless of immigration status."
jurisdiction: "us/states/il"
legislature: "Illinois General Assembly"
session: "102nd"
identifier: "SB 265"
citation: "Illinois SB 265 (102nd)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: []
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: ["Barbara Hernandez", "Michael E. Hastings"]
version_count: 5
action_count: 65
vote_count: 3
first_action: "2021-02-17"
last_action: "2021-07-29"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/2d1f425d-6e3f-4a33-b8b3-133a72003424"
source_url: "https://ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?DocNum=265&GAID=16&DocTypeID=SB&LegId=131194&SessionID=110&GA=102"
source_hash: "2dc340800177de0f6e4fa6514878967da3f8c6131b5750f1b691e0516b5755b1"
vintage: "2026-07-01"
source_snapshot: "https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-06"
confidence: "reported"
tags: ["legislation", "bill", "us-il"]
---

# Illinois SB 265 (102nd) — LIHEAP-ENERGY ASSISTANCE

Amends the Energy Assistance Act. Provides that the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity may not set the annual eligibility level for energy assistance higher than 60% of the State median income as established by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Requires the Department to ensure that households with children under the age of 6 years old are offered a priority application period. Provides that the Supplemental Low-Income Energy Assistance Fund is not subject to sweeps, administrative charge-backs, or any other fiscal or budgetary maneuver that would in any way transfer any amounts from the Supplemental Low-Income Energy Assistance Fund into any other fund of the State. Contains provisions concerning certain unspent funds being utilized for weatherization expenses; allowances to Local Administrative Agencies for administrative expenses; incremental changes to the monthly energy assistance charges billed to utility customers; Department reports on monies collected and allocated to utilities for implementation of their Percentage of Income Payment Plans; and other matters. Provides that all energy assistance programs under the Act shall be available to eligible residents regardless of immigration status.

## Version chain

The bill's text revisions, in order — the diff chain from filing to enrollment.

1. **Introduced** (filed) — [source](https://ilga.gov/legislation/102/SB/PDF/10200SB0265.pdf)
2. **Engrossed** (committee substitute) — [source](https://ilga.gov/legislation/102/SB/PDF/10200SB0265eng.pdf)
3. **House Amendment 001** (committee substitute) — [source](https://ilga.gov/legislation/102/SB/PDF/10200SB0265ham001.pdf)
4. **Senate Amendment 001** (committee substitute) — [source](https://ilga.gov/legislation/102/SB/PDF/10200SB0265sam001.pdf)
5. **Enrolled** (enrolled) — [source](https://ilga.gov/legislation/102/SB/PDF/10200SB0265enr.pdf)

## Votes

- Concurrence — **36–17** (pass) · upper
- Third Reading — **71–46** (pass) · lower
- Third Reading — **44–15** (pass) · upper

## Sponsors

- Barbara Hernandez — primary (person)
- Michael E. Hastings — primary (person)
- Aaron M. Ortiz — cosponsor (person)
- Adriane Johnson — cosponsor (person)
- Carol Ammons — cosponsor (person)
- Celina Villanueva — cosponsor (person)
- Christopher Belt — cosponsor (person)
- Cristina Castro — cosponsor (person)
- Delia C. Ramirez — cosponsor (person)
- Doris Turner — cosponsor (person)
- Edgar Gonzalez, Jr. — cosponsor (person)
- Elgie R. Sims, Jr. — cosponsor (person)
- Elizabeth Hernandez — cosponsor (person)
- Jacqueline Y. Collins — cosponsor (person)
- Kambium Buckner — cosponsor (person)
- Karina Villa — cosponsor (person)
- Laura M. Murphy — cosponsor (person)
- Robert F. Martwick — cosponsor (person)
- Robert Peters — cosponsor (person)
- Robert Rita — cosponsor (person)
- Sara Feigenholtz — cosponsor (person)
- Steve Stadelman — cosponsor (person)

## Timeline

The legislative action history — every referral, reading, and vote.

- **2021-02-17** Filed with Secretary by Sen. Michael E. Hastings `filing`
- **2021-02-17** First Reading `reading-1`
- **2021-02-17** Referred to Assignments `referral-committee`
- **2021-02-24** Assigned to Energy and Public Utilities `referral-committee`
- **2021-03-24** Added as Chief Co-Sponsor Sen. Jacqueline Y. Collins
- **2021-03-30** Added as Co-Sponsor Sen. Robert Peters
- **2021-04-07** Do Pass Energy and Public Utilities; 012-003-000 `committee-passage`
- **2021-04-07** Placed on Calendar Order of 2nd Reading April 13, 2021
- **2021-04-08** Senate Floor Amendment No. 1 Filed with Secretary by Sen. Michael E. Hastings `amendment-introduction`
- **2021-04-08** Senate Floor Amendment No. 1 Referred to Assignments `referral-committee`
- **2021-04-13** Senate Floor Amendment No. 1 Assignments Refers to Energy and Public Utilities
- **2021-04-13** Added as Chief Co-Sponsor Sen. Christopher Belt
- **2021-04-14** Added as Co-Sponsor Sen. Karina Villa
- **2021-04-14** Added as Co-Sponsor Sen. Adriane Johnson
- **2021-04-15** Senate Floor Amendment No. 1 Recommend Do Adopt Energy and Public Utilities; 018-000-000
- **2021-04-16** Added as Co-Sponsor Sen. Laura M. Murphy
- **2021-04-16** Added as Co-Sponsor Sen. Sara Feigenholtz
- **2021-04-20** Senate Floor Amendment No. 1 Adopted; Hastings `amendment-passage`
- **2021-04-20** Second Reading `reading-2`
- **2021-04-20** Placed on Calendar Order of 3rd Reading April 21, 2021
- **2021-04-20** Added as Co-Sponsor Sen. Celina Villanueva
- **2021-04-21** Third Reading - Passed; 044-015-000 `passage, reading-3`
- **2021-04-21** Added as Co-Sponsor Sen. Steve Stadelman
- **2021-04-21** Added as Co-Sponsor Sen. Robert F. Martwick
- **2021-04-21** Added as Co-Sponsor Sen. Cristina Castro
- **2021-04-22** Arrived in House `introduction`
- **2021-04-22** Chief House Sponsor Rep. Delia C. Ramirez
- **2021-04-23** First Reading `reading-1`
- **2021-04-23** Referred to Rules Committee `referral-committee`
- **2021-04-28** Assigned to Executive Committee `referral-committee`
- **2021-04-28** Added Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Kambium Buckner
- **2021-04-28** Added Alternate Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. Carol Ammons
- **2021-04-28** Alternate Chief Sponsor Changed to Rep. Barbara Hernandez
- **2021-04-28** Added Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Delia C. Ramirez
- **2021-04-28** Alternate Co-Sponsor Removed Rep. Delia C. Ramirez
- **2021-05-10** House Committee Amendment No. 1 Filed with Clerk by Rep. Barbara Hernandez `amendment-introduction`
- **2021-05-10** House Committee Amendment No. 1 Referred to Rules Committee `referral-committee`
- **2021-05-11** House Committee Amendment No. 1 Rules Refers to Executive Committee
- **2021-05-11** Added Alternate Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. Robert Rita
- **2021-05-11** Added Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Edgar Gonzalez, Jr.
- **2021-05-12** Added Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Elizabeth Hernandez
- **2021-05-12** House Committee Amendment No. 1 Adopted in Executive Committee; by Voice Vote `amendment-passage`
- **2021-05-12** Do Pass as Amended / Short Debate Executive Committee; 009-006-000 `committee-passage`
- **2021-05-12** Placed on Calendar 2nd Reading - Short Debate
- **2021-05-19** Second Reading - Short Debate `reading-2`
- **2021-05-19** Placed on Calendar Order of 3rd Reading - Short Debate
- **2021-05-20** Third Reading - Short Debate - Passed 071-046-000 `passage, reading-3`
- **2021-05-20** Added Alternate Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. Delia C. Ramirez
- **2021-05-20** Added Alternate Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. Aaron M. Ortiz
- **2021-05-21** Secretary's Desk - Concurrence House Amendment(s) 1
- **2021-05-21** Placed on Calendar Order of Concurrence House Amendment(s) 1 - May 24, 2021
- **2021-05-24** Added as Co-Sponsor Sen. Elgie R. Sims, Jr.
- **2021-05-24** House Committee Amendment No. 1 Motion to Concur Filed with Secretary Sen. Michael E. Hastings `filing`
- **2021-05-24** House Committee Amendment No. 1 Motion to Concur Referred to Assignments `referral-committee`
- **2021-05-25** House Committee Amendment No. 1 Motion to Concur Assignments Referred to Energy and Public Utilities `referral-committee`
- **2021-06-01** House Committee Amendment No. 1 Motion to Concur Referred to Assignments `referral-committee`
- **2021-06-01** House Committee Amendment No. 1 Motion to Concur Be Approved for Consideration Assignments
- **2021-06-01** Added as Chief Co-Sponsor Sen. Doris Turner
- **2021-06-01** House Committee Amendment No. 1 Senate Concurs 036-017-000
- **2021-06-01** Senate Concurs
- **2021-06-01** Passed Both Houses
- **2021-06-30** Sent to the Governor `executive-receipt`
- **2021-07-29** Governor Approved `executive-signature`
- **2021-07-29** Effective Date June 1, 2022
- **2021-07-29** Public Act . . . . . . . . . 102-0176 `became-law`

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/2d1f425d-6e3f-4a33-b8b3-133a72003424`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official Illinois legislature records).