Sen. Adriane Johnson (D-Gurnee) pitches plan to expand access to solar panels. | Photo Courtesy of Adriane Johnson website
Sen. Adriane Johnson (D-Gurnee) pitches plan to expand access to solar panels. | Photo Courtesy of Adriane Johnson website
If lawmakers approve legislation sponsored by a Gurnee official, residents would be allowed to install solar panels on homes part of condominiums or homeowners associations' rules blocking such projects.
The proposal would amend the Homeowners' Energy Policy Statement Act to prevent property owners from creating policies that prohibit the installation of solar panels for residents on buildings under 60 feet high, a release from bill sponsor Sen. Adriane Johnson's (D-Gurnee) office said. Currently, the Homeowners’ Energy Policy Statement Act only covers buildings that are 30 feet high.
"Every Illinoisan deserves to be able to contribute to our community’s clean energy future," Johnson said in an April 26 Facebook post. "Solar panels are a greener, more affordable energy alternative that should be available to anyone who wants to install them."
As part of Johnson's plan, and SB 215, the timeline for property owners to respond to solar energy panel installation applications would also be shortened so to allow panel construction to happen quicker.
“We should be encouraging people to reduce their environmental footprint any way they can,” Johnson said. “If a homeowner wants to ‘go green’ by switching to solar energy, there’s no reason why they should be held back.”
SB 215 has already passed the Senate, and will now go on the House for consideration.
Alerts Sign-up