Detroit — The Society of St. Vincent de Paul is asking people to contact their state legislators to urge support for legislation that will restore heating assisting grants for low-income Michigan residents.

“The problem is: it is getting colder and many families and children have no heat. We need the Legislature to take action to assist those who live in poverty with no heat,” said Bill Brazier, executive director of the SSVdP in the Archdiocese of Detroit.

Brazier explained that a July court decision ruled that the Michigan Public Service Commission could no longer collect a tariff paid by customers through their utility companies that provided funding for over $90,000 in annual heating assistance grants. The SSVdP was among the non-profit organizations that helped distribute the grants, providing assistance of $800,000 annually.

State Rep. Amanda Price, R-Holland, is expected to introduce a bill in the state House of Representatives after the Thanksgiving break to provide funding for this winter, Tom Hickson, vice president for public policy of the Michigan Catholic Conference, said Tuesday.

He said state Sen. Bruce Caswell, R-Hillsdale, is working on drafting a longer term solution that would apply in future years.

Although he stressed that he could not comment on the specific provisions of either piece of legislation, as they are as yet unknown, Hickson said the MCC is supportive of the concept of doing something to restore funding for the grants.

He noted that the MCC would be hosting a news conference the following day to apprise the state capital’s press corps of the situation, with participation from United Way, The Heat and Warmth Fund, Salvation Army and both DTE Energy and Consumers Energy.

The Lansing-based MCC is the public policy voice of all seven Michigan dioceses.