Lawmakers Wednesday approved funding to help ensure heating assistance programs have enough money to get through the winter.
Lawmakers approved $17 million combined for two programs that help low-income households with their heating bills.
“There are people out there struggling. We’re hearing reports of lots of people out there running their ovens to heat their homes or using space heaters, racking up their electric bills,” said Sen. Matt Lesser, D-Middletown.
The funding offsets a drop in federal aid for the programs.
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Connecticut usually receives $110 million in federal funding for heating assistance programs. The state only received $85 million for this winter.
Lawmakers were hoping Congress would provide additional aid, but that money never came.
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“We're seeing greater and greater demand, so it was disappointing to see the federal government reduce this,” said House minority leader Vincent Candelora, R-North Brandford.
The Department of Social Services said 74,748 applications for heating assistance had been approved as of Feb. 10, an increase of 6.5% from this time last year.
“There are folks who have already ran out of their benefits and so we want to ensure folks remain warm through April,” said Rep. Jillian Gilchrest, D-West Hartford.
Many lawmakers said they hope Congress will provide more funding again for next winter, but some say Connecticut should be ready to provide funding going forward.
“I think as long as we have people in need in Connecticut, Connecticut's government needs to address and respond to his needs,” said Senate minority leader Kevin Kelly, R-Stratford.
