Elizabeth Hernandez, State Representative for 2nd District | Ballotpedia
Elizabeth Hernandez, State Representative for 2nd District | Ballotpedia
According to the Illinois General Assembly site, the legislature summarized the bill's official text as follows: "Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that the maximum income limitation under the Low-Income Senior Citizens Assessment Freeze Homestead Exemption shall be adjusted each year by the annual cost of living increase, if any, in Social Security and Supplemental Security Income benefits that took effect during the immediately preceding calendar year. Amends the Energy Assistance Act. Provides that eligibility limits under the energy assistance program may not exceed the greater of (1) 150% of the federal nonfarm poverty level as established by the federal Office of Management and Budget or 60% of the State median income for the current State fiscal year as established by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, whichever is higher; or (2) the eligibility limit for the immediately preceding calendar year, increased by the annual cost of living increase, if any, in Social Security and Supplemental Security Income benefits that took effect during the immediately preceding calendar year. 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 introduces amendments to the Illinois Property Tax Code and the Energy Assistance Act, effective immediately. It adjusts the maximum income limitation for the Low-Income Senior Citizens Assessment Freeze Homestead Exemption based on annual cost-of-living increases in Social Security and Supplemental Security Income benefits. Additionally, it revises eligibility limits for the energy assistance program to consider the higher of 150% of the federal nonfarm poverty level or 60% of the state median income, or the previous year's eligibility limit increased by the same cost-of-living adjustments. This bill aims to ensure financial assistance measures reflect inflation and changing economic conditions, enhancing support for low-income senior citizens and households requiring energy assistance.
Hernandez graduated from Morton College in 2001 with an AA and again in 2014 from Northeastern University with a BA.
Elizabeth "Lisa" Hernandez is currently serving in the Illinois State House, representing the state's 2nd House District. She replaced previous state representative Theresa Mah in 2023.
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.
| Bill Number | Date Introduced | Short Description |
|---|---|---|
| HB1867 | 01/29/2025 | Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that the maximum income limitation under the Low-Income Senior Citizens Assessment Freeze Homestead Exemption shall be adjusted each year by the annual cost of living increase, if any, in Social Security and Supplemental Security Income benefits that took effect during the immediately preceding calendar year. Amends the Energy Assistance Act. Provides that eligibility limits under the energy assistance program may not exceed the greater of (1) 150% of the federal nonfarm poverty level as established by the federal Office of Management and Budget or 60% of the State median income for the current State fiscal year as established by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, whichever is higher; or (2) the eligibility limit for the immediately preceding calendar year, increased by the annual cost of living increase, if any, in Social Security and Supplemental Security Income benefits that took effect during the immediately preceding calendar year. Effective immediately. |
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