AARP today commended the Illinois House of Representatives for its unanimous passage of House Bill 5086, which will increase protections for consumers by preventing utility companies from shutting off cooling service if the temperature is forecasted to reach 95 degrees or above. HB 5086, sponsored by State Representative Bob Flider (D-Decatur), passed the House unanimously on Thursday. It will now move to the State Senate under the sponsorship of Sen. Mike Jacobs (D-Moline). The legislation provides cooling disconnection protection to residential customers, for non payment of bills, if the temperature is forecasted to reach 95 degrees or above, on any day when the National Weather Service has predicted that temperature for the following 24 hours; it also prevents disconnection on any day preceding a holiday or weekend when the forecast indicates that a temperature of 95 degrees or above will be reached during the holiday or weekend.