Illinois families are being asked to foot the bill for a boom they never signed up for. As tech companies race to build bigger data centers to power artificial intelligence, the electricity needed to run them is straining the state's power grid — and pushing utility costs higher for everyday households.

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson has already taken action, signing an executive order this week to tighten environmental permitting for data centers in the city and pushing City Council to consider a moratorium on new construction. But a citywide pause only goes so far. The real fix has to come from Springfield.

That's why Johnson is calling on state lawmakers to finish the job. "I'm calling on Springfield to pass the power act because working families should never be forced to pay higher utility bills to subsidize the massive energy demands of data centers," according to Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson.

The Protecting Our Water, Energy, and Ratepayers (POWER) Act stalled in the legislature's spring session, but it doesn't have to stay stalled. The bill would require stronger permitting for new data centers, real reporting on how much energy and water they use, and contributions back into the communities hosting them — so growth doesn't come at the expense of the people already living there.

Lawmakers return to Springfield this November for the fall veto session. That's the moment to get this right.

Sign the petition to urge the Illinois General Assembly to pass the POWER Act this fall — before another winter of rising utility bills hits families across the state.