Bloomington City Council backs moratorium on utility shutoffs during pandemic

Posted on April 27, 2021

BLOOMINGTON – The Bloomington City Council is unified on the idea that utility companies should not turn off the lights or shut off gas for people struggling to pay their bills during the pandemic.

The council voted unanimously Monday night for a resolution calling on Gov. JB Pritzker to enact a 30-day moratorium on utility disconnections for non-payment of bills.

The resolution states that utility shutoffs are a pandemic safety risk, and it calls on the Illinois Senate to pass legislation (HB2877) already approved by the House sending federal dollars to housing and utility providers.

“That bill is important because it gives money directly to utilities, to landlords, cutting out a step in the process which may lessen the need for shutoffs,” said Alderman Jeff Crabill, who introduced the council’s resolution.

According to the council’s resolution, utilities were cut off to over 581 households in areas with City of Bloomington zip codes from September 24 through November of last year.

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