HB3650eng 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB3650 Engrossed LRB104 09396 AAS 19455 b

AN ACT concerning regulation.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Public Utilities Act is amended by adding Article XXV as follows:

(220 ILCS 5/Art. XXV heading new)

ARTICLE XXV. STATE NAVIGATOR PROGRAM LAW

(220 ILCS 5/25-101 new)

Sec. 25-101. Short title. This Article may be cited as the State Navigator Program Law. References in this Article to "this Act" mean this Article.

(220 ILCS 5/25-102 new)

Sec. 25-102. Intent. The General Assembly finds that improving the energy efficiency of, and reducing the greenhouse gases from, residential buildings are critical to meeting the State's adopted climate goals in Public Act 102-662.

The General Assembly recognizes that making information about energy efficiency and weatherization programs, electrification services, skilled contractors, and federal and State electrification incentives available to State residents will assist the State in meeting its adopted climate goals in Public Act 102-662. Further, the General Assembly recognizes that establishing a comprehensive statewide navigator program is essential to ensuring equitable access to electrification and energy efficient services. This program requires the Administrator to help educate residents on how to combine local, State, federal, and utility services related to electrification, energy efficiency, and the reduction of energy burdens to maximize electrification and energy efficiency in this State.

(220 ILCS 5/25-103 new)

Sec. 25-103. Definitions. As used in this Article:

"Administrator" means an entity, including, but not limited to, a nonprofit corporation or community-based organization. "Administrator" does not include an energy utility.

"Customers" means residents, tenants, homeowners, and building owners.

"Department" means the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.

"Electrification services" includes energy audits, assistance converting to on-site renewable energy, electric load service center upgrades, new electric wiring, installing electric heat pumps and heat pump water heaters, cooking equipment, clothes dryers, and other electric appliance replacement, financing, energy efficiency, weatherization, health and safety improvements, and any energy upgrade services and work.

"Equity investment eligible communities" has the meaning given to that term in Section 5-5 of the Energy Transition Act.

"Income-qualified households" means those whose annual incomes are at or below 80% of area median income.

"Navigator Working Group" means representatives appointed by the Department who represent members from either the electrician trades, construction industry, community organizations that work in energy burdened communities, community organizations who have experience with weatherization programs, members from equity investment eligible communities or the Illinois Commerce Commission or staff, electric utilities, and other stakeholders deemed necessary by the Administrator.

(220 ILCS 5/25-104 new)

Sec. 25-104. Creation of State navigator program.

(a) The Department may establish and oversee a statewide building energy upgrade navigator program. The purpose of the navigator program is to provide a statewide resource to assist building owners and building renters with accessing information about electrification services, energy efficiency services, programs, funding, and any other assistance that will result in aiding the State in meeting its adopted climate goals in Public Act 102-662. This includes, but is not limited to, utility programs, the weatherization assistance program, solar for all, federal funding and financing, and State and local funding and financing.

(b) The Department must coordinate and collaborate with the navigator working group on the design, administration, and implementation of the navigator program.

(c) The Department must ensure that all State residents have equitable access to the navigator program.

(d) The Department may consult with other programs, entities, and stakeholders as the Department determines to be appropriate on the design, administration, and implementation of the navigator program. The department must solicit public feedback on design and implementation decisions from stakeholders.

(e) Third-Party Administrator.

(1) The Department may contract out this program to the Administrator. Subject to the following requirements:

(A) The Administrator must be selected through a competitive process.

(B) The Administrator must have experience with running statewide programs related to energy efficiency, electrification services, or weatherization programs.

(C) The Administrator must have experience working with multifamily building owners and renters.

(D) The Administrator must have experience assisting people with low incomes or energy burdened households.

(E) The Administrator must have experience running programs in both urban and rural parts of the State, including covering a range of geographic and community diversity.

(2) If the Department decides to hire an Administrator, they must enter into a contract within a year of the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 104th General Assembly.

(3) If the Department decides to hire an Administrator, the contract expires after 4 years. After 4 years, the Department can renew the contract or select a different Administrator. If the Administrator is not meeting the requirements of the program and its participants, the contract may be terminated early, and a new Administrator may be hired.

(4) The Administrator shall have the same responsibilities as the Department in creating, overseeing, and implementing the programs in the navigator program.

(f) The Department or Administrator of the navigator program must:

(1) provide outreach to:

(A) owner occupied and rental residences; and

(B) single-family and multifamily dwellings;

(2) provide coverage for all geographic regions in the State;

(3) create strategies to ensure that the navigator program prioritizes outreach in equity investment eligible communities;

(4) create a strategy for how the navigator program will equitably assist residents in accessing rebates and incentives in the federal Inflation Reduction Act;

(5) create a strategy for how the navigator program will assist customers in accessing State funding opportunities available to access electrification services;

(6) create a strategy to stack funding from all available incentives and tax rebates that may leverage existing State software where possible with the goal of creating a single interface for clients to access information about weatherization, energy efficiency, and electrification services;

(7) support the integrated implementation of all relevant clean building programs funded in the State budget, including, but not limited to:

(A) the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program; and

(B) the Illinois Home Weatherization Assistance Program; and

(8) maintain a recommended contractor list.

(220 ILCS 5/25-105 new)

Sec. 25-105. Education materials and outreach. The Department or Administrator shall:

(1) create educational materials, which must include:

(a) information about all relevant funds and financial assistance available from federal, State, local, and energy utility programs, including, but not limited to, incentives, rebates, tax credits, grants, and loan programs; and

(b) information for households on the economic, health, climate, and safety benefits of eligible retrofits.

(2) support and connect community-based organizations in their region to training programs in areas of electrification, energy efficiency, building envelope, and installation technical assistance, and other relevant areas; and

(3) ensure the education and outreach work is coordinated with other State energy efficiency, weatherization, electrification, and related programs and providers.

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.