Bill Text: IL HR0724 | 2015-2016 | 99th General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: Urges housing authorities and landlords statewide not to evict tenants based on an inability to pay utilities alone in light of the State budget impasse and cuts to the LIHEAP program.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 5-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2015-09-02 - Referred to Rules Committee [HR0724 Detail]
Download: Illinois-2015-HR0724-Introduced.html
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1 | HOUSE RESOLUTION
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2 | WHEREAS, Housing authorities and landlords can legally | ||||||
3 | evict tenants if they do not pay their utilities, regardless of | ||||||
4 | rent payment; and
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5 | WHEREAS, The Supplemental Low Income Home Energy | ||||||
6 | Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is designed to help individuals | ||||||
7 | survive extreme summer and winter temperatures - it prevents | ||||||
8 | deaths and excessive emergency room hospitalizations and other | ||||||
9 | public health costs often associated with heat-related | ||||||
10 | illnesses; over 171,000 Illinois households rely on LIHEAP to | ||||||
11 | provide them with adequate levels of heating and cooling; and
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12 | WHEREAS, Governor Rauner has issued a directive to suspend | ||||||
13 | the expenditure of State funds under LIHEAP; this directive is | ||||||
14 | dangerous and prohibited under Illinois law; the Governor's | ||||||
15 | actions will not save the State any money and could, in fact, | ||||||
16 | significantly increase preventable public health costs; and
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17 | WHEREAS, Without the aid of LIHEAP, many families and | ||||||
18 | seniors will be unable to pay their utility bills and could be | ||||||
19 | subject to eviction based on the legal protection for | ||||||
20 | landlords; and
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21 | WHEREAS, Further confusing the situation, LIHEAP is |
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1 | federally funded and that funding may not be distributed by | ||||||
2 | Illinois State agencies without a State budget in place; and
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3 | WHEREAS, Cuts to LIHEAP put Illinois citizens in danger | ||||||
4 | during extreme weather conditions and evicting them during this | ||||||
5 | time puts them in further danger; therefore, be it
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6 | RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE | ||||||
7 | NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we | ||||||
8 | urge housing authorities and landlords statewide not to evict | ||||||
9 | tenants based on an inability to pay utilities alone in light | ||||||
10 | of the State budget impasse and cuts to the LIHEAP program; and | ||||||
11 | be it further
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12 | RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be | ||||||
13 | delivered to all housing authorities throughout the State.
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