When families sit down at the kitchen table to open their monthly bills, too often the energy bill is the one that causes the most anxiety. For many New Yorkers, it’s no longer just another expense—it’s a source of real fear. That reality is what brought Assemblyman Scott Bendett (R,C-Sand Lake) to Albany today for a press conference unveiling the conference’s “Lights On With Energy Relief” (LOWER) legislative package.

At a time when grocery prices are up, housing costs are out of control and families are already stretched thin, New Yorkers are paying nearly 50% more for electricity than the national average. Millions are falling behind on their utility bills, with more than a billion dollars in unpaid energy costs statewide, forcing families into impossible choices.

“I hear from parents who are cutting back on groceries to cover their electric bill, seniors who are afraid to turn on the heat in the winter and small business owners who don’t know how much longer they can keep their doors open.”

The LOWER legislative package was created with those families in mind. It offers a true all-of-the-above energy approach that focuses on affordability, reliability and common sense. The plan includes income-based rebate checks to put money back into family budgets, utility bill reductions to bring immediate relief and policies to bring energy plants online to stabilize supply and prevent price spikes.

It also invests in upgrading existing energy facilities, strengthening New York’s energy grid, addressing shortages and creating good-paying jobs while advancing long-term reforms to ensure the state never again reaches a point where families are left in the dark.

“When energy becomes unaffordable, everything else becomes harder,” Bendett said. “Kids can’t do homework in cold homes. Seniors worry about their health. Small businesses lose customers and jobs disappear. We need an energy policy rooted in reality—one that keeps costs down and the lights on.”

The LOWER package represents a shift toward practical solutions that recognize energy affordability is inseparable from quality of life. “This plan is about relief today and responsibility for tomorrow,” Bendett said. “New Yorkers deserve nothing less.”