Chambana Sun

A new bill authored by State Rep. Deering in the Illinois House aims to establish a utility rebate program to assist households with electricity costs within specific income levels, according to the Illinois State House.

The bill, introduced as HB4147 on Oct. 9, 2025, during the general assembly session 104, was summarized by the state legislature as follows: "Creates the Home Utility Relief Act. Requires the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to create, as soon as practicable, a Home Utility Rebate Program to provide rebates to households that use electricity and that have a median household income between 100% and 500% of the poverty guidelines updated periodically in the Federal Register by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Provides that eligible households shall receive the rebates as soon as practicable after implementation of the program. Requires the Department to, by rule, establish qualifications for program participation which may include requirements that apply under the Energy Assistance Act and other requirements. Provides that rebates provided under the program shall be funded through appropriations made from the Home Utility Rebate Relief Fund created under the Act. Requires the State Comptroller to direct and the State Treasurer to transfer $500,000,000 from the General Revenue Fund to the Home Utility Rebate Relief Fund to provide rebates to qualifying households for State fiscal years 2026 and 2027. Provides that any funds left over at the end of the second month following the conclusion of payments to households in a fiscal year may be awarded to certain qualifying first-time small business owners as determined by the Department. Requires the Department to adopt emergency rules in accordance with the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act to implement the program. Amends the State Finance Act to include the Home Utility Rebate Relief Fund as a special fund. Effective immediately."

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

In essence, this bill establishes the Home Utility Relief Act, directing the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to create a Home Utility Rebate Program for households using electricity with a median income between 100% and 500% of federal poverty guidelines. The program will be funded by transferring $500 million from the General Revenue Fund to the newly created Home Utility Rebate Relief Fund for fiscal years 2026 and 2027. Any remaining funds after household payments in a fiscal year may support first-time small business owners. The Department must adopt emergency rules for implementing the program, which takes effect immediately upon becoming law.

Deering has proposed another nine bills since the beginning of the 104th session.

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.

Deering graduated from Duke University in 1997 with a BS.

Deering, a Republican, was elected to the Illinois State House in 2025 to represent the state's 88th House District, replacing previous state representative Dan Caulkins.

Bill Number	Date Introduced	Short Description
HB4147	10/09/2025	Creates the Home Utility Relief Act. Requires the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to create, as soon as practicable, a Home Utility Rebate Program to provide rebates to households that use electricity and that have a median household income between 100% and 500% of the poverty guidelines updated periodically in the Federal Register by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Provides that eligible households shall receive the rebates as soon as practicable after implementation of the program. Requires the Department to, by rule, establish qualifications for program participation which may include requirements that apply under the Energy Assistance Act and other requirements. Provides that rebates provided under the program shall be funded through appropriations made from the Home Utility Rebate Relief Fund created under the Act. Requires the State Comptroller to direct and the State Treasurer to transfer $500,000,000 from the General Revenue Fund to the Home Utility Rebate Relief Fund to provide rebates to qualifying households for State fiscal years 2026 and 2027. Provides that any funds left over at the end of the second month following the conclusion of payments to households in a fiscal year may be awarded to certain qualifying first-time small business owners as determined by the Department. Requires the Department to adopt emergency rules in accordance with the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act to implement the program. Amends the State Finance Act to include the Home Utility Rebate Relief Fund as a special fund. Effective immediately.
HB4097	08/18/2025	Amends the Public Higher Education Act, the Board of Higher Education Act, and the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. Provides that a resident of the State who is not lawfully present in the United States is not eligible, on the basis of residence within the State, for any postsecondary educational benefit unless a citizen or national of the United States is eligible for such a benefit without regard to whether the citizen or national is such a resident. Provides that any benefit conferred to a nonresident of the State who is lawfully present in the United States may not be lesser in amount, duration, or scope than the benefit conferred to a State resident who is unlawfully present in the United States.
HB3543	02/07/2025	Creates the Cost of Living Task Force Act to analyze driving factors in Illinois that may increase the costs of living, including stagnant unemployment, costs of groceries, rising consumer prices, housing, health care, utilities, transportation, and taxes. Sets forth provisions concerning membership of the Task Force. Provides that the Task Force shall elect a chairperson from among its membership and any other officer it deems appropriate. Requires the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to provide technical support and assistance to the Task Force and to implement the provisions of the Act. Provides that members of the Task Force shall receive no compensation for their services on the Task Force. Requires the Task Force to meet at least once per quarter beginning as soon as practicable after the effective date of the Act. Requires the Task Force to submit a report to the General Assembly and the Governor no later than November 1, 2028 that includes legislative reforms; private sector incentives; regulatory reforms; new funding avenues; reducing taxes; and identifying current barriers and factors hurting the cost and affordability of doing business in Illinois. Dissolves the Task Force upon filing of the report.
HB3792	02/07/2025	Amends the Budget Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that, beginning with budgets prepared for fiscal year 2027, revenue estimates shall be based solely on receipts from taxes, fees, and federal transfers and shall not include debt incurred, existing debt refinanced, or additional funds appropriated, assigned, or transferred from another fund. Provides that appropriations for a fiscal year shall not exceed revenue estimated by the General Assembly to be available during that year. Provides that, except for deficiency or emergency appropriations, all appropriations are expendable only during the fiscal year for which they were appropriated, except that the General Assembly may provide for appropriations from the Budget Stabilization Fund in excess of revenue estimated by the General Assembly to be available during that year by adoption of a resolution approved by a record vote of three-fifths of the members of each chamber. Provides that the excess appropriations may not exceed the total amount available in the Budget Stabilization Fund. Provides that no public money shall be expended except pursuant to appropriations made by law. Provides that expenditures for any fiscal year shall not exceed the State's revenues and reserves in the general funds, including proceeds of any debt obligation, for that year. Provides that no debt obligation, except as shall be repaid within the fiscal year of issuance, shall be authorized for the current operation of any service or program, nor shall the proceeds of any debt obligation be expended for a purpose other than that for which it was authorized. Provides that any law requiring the expenditure of funds shall be null and void unless, during the session in which the Act receives final passage, an appropriation is made for the estimated first year's funding. Effective immediately.
HB3236	02/06/2025	Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Creates an income tax credit in an amount equal to 10% of the manufacturing capital expenditures incurred by the taxpayer during the taxable year or, if the taxpayer is located in a rural or economically challenged area, 15% of the manufacturing capital expenditures. Provides that the total amount of credits awarded under those provisions may not exceed $10,000,000 for any particular taxpayer in any taxable year, except that, if the capital investment is made in a rural or economically challenged area, then the maximum amount of the credit shall be $20,000,000. Effective immediately.
HB2916	02/05/2025	Amends the Snow and Ice Removal Act. Includes within the protection of the Act a person in charge of any business who attempts to remove snow or ice from sidewalks and parking areas abutting the business. Prohibits liability unless the removal of the snow and ice was done in a willful or wanton manner. Provides that attorney's fees may be awarded to a defendant who is protected under the Act from liability if the court determines the that action against the defendant is frivolous.
HB1735	01/24/2025	Amends the Election Code. Provides that, except as otherwise provided by federal law, any person who is not a citizen of the United States and who knowingly registers to vote or knowingly votes in an election, including a municipal election, shall be guilty of a Class 3 felony. Provides that, except as otherwise provided by federal law, any person who knowingly registers a person to vote who is not a citizen of the United States shall be guilty of a Class 3 felony. Effective immediately.
HB1117	01/09/2025	Amends the Interscholastic Athletic Organization Act. Provides that any athletic team or sport that is under the jurisdiction of an association or entity that provides for interscholastic athletics or athletic competition among schools and student must be expressly designated as (i) a male athletic team or sport, (ii) a female athletic team or sport, or (iii) a coeducational athletic team or sport. Provides that an athletic team or sport designated as being female is available only to participants who are female, based on their biological sex. Requires a school district or nonpublic school to obtain a written statement signed by a student's parent or guardian or the student verifying the student's age, biological sex, and that the student has not taken performance enhancing drugs; provides for a penalty for false or misleading statements. Prohibits a governmental entity or an association or entity that provides for interscholastic athletics or athletic competition among schools and students from entertaining a complaint, opening an investigation, or taking any other adverse action against a school district or nonpublic school for maintaining athletic teams or sports in accordance with these provisions.
HB1118	01/09/2025	Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. Allows a lapsed Professional Educator License to be immediately reinstated upon payment to the State Board of Education by the applicant of the lesser of a $50 penalty or a $10 penalty for each year the license has lapsed. Effective immediately.
HB1119	01/09/2025	Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. Provides that a candidate for a State educator license who is either a former or active first responder or a military service member shall receive a refund for any costs associated with completing a test of content area knowledge or a teacher performance assessment. Provides that no former or active first responder or military service member may be charged an application fee under provisions regarding a Professional Educator License, an Educator License with Stipulations, a Substitute Teaching License, and a Short-Term Substitute Teaching License. Effective July 1, 2025.