Sen. Ram Villivalam

Filed: 4/3/2024

 

 


 

 


 
10300SB0861sam001LRB103 03320 KTG 71621 a

1
AMENDMENT TO SENATE BILL 861

2    AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend Senate Bill 861 by replacing
3everything after the enacting clause with the following:
 
4    "Section 1. This Act may be referred to as the Illinois
5Guaranteed Income Law.
 
6    Section 3. Findings and declaration of policy. The General
7Assembly finds, determines, and declares the following:
8        (1) All people deserve to live with dignity and have
9    their basic needs met.
10        (2) Elimination of deep poverty in the State of
11    Illinois is attainable and long overdue. While maximizing
12    the potential of existing economic security programs is
13    crucial, these programs alone are inadequate, given the
14    number of Illinoisans living in deep poverty. To build
15    upon our existing safety net, direct cash assistance
16    programs, such as a guaranteed income, are needed to

 

 

10300SB0861sam001- 2 -LRB103 03320 KTG 71621 a

1    improve the well-being and economic stability of families.
2        (3) Guaranteed income refers to periodic,
3    unconditional cash payments directly to individuals. A
4    guaranteed income is not universal and is meant to
5    prioritize cash based on need.
6        (4) The City of Chicago, City of Evanston, and Cook
7    County have successfully conducted guaranteed income
8    pilots. These programs have demonstrated the power of cash
9    in improving outcomes for households in need, and provided
10    valuable insights into the potential benefits of a
11    guaranteed income.
12        (5) Guaranteed income programs both in Illinois and
13    across the country have been effective in improving
14    outcomes including, but not limited to, those related to
15    physical and mental health, nutrition, employment, housing
16    stability, financial stability, and many others, while
17    also reducing involvement in the child welfare and
18    criminal legal systems.
19        (6) Guaranteed income programs have shown a remarkable
20    capacity to support caregivers in our communities,
21    including caregivers for children, elderly parents, the
22    disabled, and those supporting formerly incarcerated
23    individuals, acknowledging the often overlooked but vital
24    role these caregivers play in the well-being of our
25    society.
26        (7) Guaranteed income not only supports people

 

 

10300SB0861sam001- 3 -LRB103 03320 KTG 71621 a

1    struggling to meet their basic needs but also provides
2    crucial stability for every Illinoisan when confronted
3    with unexpected, challenging, and increasing frequent
4    financial costs, ensuring economic resilience for all.
5        (8) Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s vision, as conveyed
6    in his last book, "Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or
7    Community?", should guide our approach to addressing
8    poverty. His famous declaration that "the solution to
9    poverty is to abolish it directly by a now widely
10    discussed measure: the guaranteed income" should serve as
11    a source of inspiration for our actions.
12        (9) Recent mothers and new parents face numerous
13    hardships. During the most critical time in a baby's life,
14    the State should provide its full support, recognizing the
15    importance of nurturing the next generation and fostering
16    a strong foundation for Illinois families.
17        (10) Caregivers come from every community, whether
18    rural or urban, migrant or resident, and their dedication
19    and sacrifices deserve our utmost respect and
20    acknowledgment, as they play a central role in creating
21    thriving and interconnected communities.
22        (11) The State of Illinois remains committed to
23    exploring innovative and effective ways to address
24    poverty.
 
25    Section 5. The Department of Human Services Act is amended

 

 

10300SB0861sam001- 4 -LRB103 03320 KTG 71621 a

1by adding Section 10-80 as follows:
 
2    (20 ILCS 1305/10-80 new)
3    Sec. 10-80. Guaranteed Income Task Force.
4    (a) As used in this Section:
5    "Task Force" means the Guaranteed Income Task Force.
6    "Guaranteed income" means periodic, unconditional cash
7payments directly to individuals. A guaranteed income is not
8universal and is meant to prioritize cash based on need.
9    "SNAP" means the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance
10Program.
11    "TANF" means the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families
12program established under Article IV of the Illinois Public
13Aid Code.
14    (b) The Guaranteed Income Task Force is established within
15the Department of Human Services to:
16        (1) evaluate the efficacy of guaranteed income -
17    unconditional periodic direct cash payments - in improving
18    outcomes for Illinois residents;
19        (2) propose statewide policies to create and implement
20    one or more permanent guaranteed income programs; and
21        (3) provide oversight related to the implementation of
22    any guaranteed income program enacted by the General
23    Assembly.
24    (c) Members. The Task Force must consist of the following
25members:

 

 

10300SB0861sam001- 5 -LRB103 03320 KTG 71621 a

1        (1) one member of the House of Representatives,
2    appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives,
3    who must serve as co-chair;
4        (2) one member of the Senate, appointed by the Senate
5    President, who must serve as co-chair;
6        (3) one member of the House of Representatives,
7    appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of
8    Representatives;
9        (4) one member of the Senate, appointed by the
10    Minority Leader of the Senate;
11        (5) one member appointed by the Governor;
12        (6) the Secretary of Human Services, or the
13    Secretary's designee;
14        (7) the Director of Healthcare and Family Services, or
15    the Director's designee;
16        (8) two members of the community who have received, or
17    are currently receiving, cash through a guaranteed income
18    pilot or demonstration program in Illinois, including, but
19    not limited to, the Chicago Resilient Communities Pilot,
20    the Cook County Promise Guaranteed Income Pilot, the
21    Evanston Guaranteed Income Pilot, the Chicago Future Fund,
22    or any other privately funded guaranteed income pilot,
23    demonstration, or program for Illinois residents;
24        (9) two members whose professional experience includes
25    advocacy related to guaranteed income or other direct cash
26    supports;

 

 

10300SB0861sam001- 6 -LRB103 03320 KTG 71621 a

1        (10) two members whose professional experience
2    includes administering guaranteed income pilots or other
3    direct cash supports; and
4        (11) two members from community-based organizations
5    who advocate on behalf of and alongside communities that
6    often lack access to cash supports.
7    (d) Appointments to the Task Force must be complete by
8December 1, 2024. Members of the Task Force shall serve
9without compensation.
10    (e) The Task Force must meet at the call of the co-chairs
11no less than 6 times a year with the first meeting to be held
12no later than 30 days after all members of the Task Force have
13been appointed.
14    (f) The Task Force must complete all of the following
15tasks:
16        (1) Evaluate the efficacy of guaranteed income in
17    improving outcomes for Illinois residents, including, but
18    not limited to, outcomes related to public health,
19    nutrition, housing, education, employment, interaction
20    with the criminal legal system, interaction with the child
21    welfare system, public safety, economic indicators, and
22    economic stability.
23        (2) Review the landscape of cash supports available to
24    low-income residents of Illinois, identify populations
25    without significant access to cash supports, and delineate
26    the current state of cash supports available in Illinois

 

 

10300SB0861sam001- 7 -LRB103 03320 KTG 71621 a

1    including, but not limited to, one-time payment programs,
2    restricted basic assistance programs, and other
3    income-based programming such as SNAP, TANF, and other
4    State-administered assistance programs.
5        (3) Evaluate the effectiveness of outreach activities
6    for cash supports in Illinois.
7        (4) Submit a report to the General Assembly and the
8    Governor by December 31, 2026 that evaluates the efficacy
9    of guaranteed income in improving outcomes for Illinois
10    residents as described in paragraph (1). The report shall
11    also include all of the following:
12            (A) Recommendations for one or more permanent
13        guaranteed income programs including, eligibility
14        guidelines, program rules, the amount of cash provided
15        through the program, and the length of time assistance
16        should be provided.
17            (B) An analysis of the costs and benefits of each
18        program recommended in the report.
19            (C) An analysis of potential sources of funding
20        for each program.
21            (D) Recommendations to minimize administrative
22        burdens and eliminate barriers to access for program
23        applicants.
24            (E) Input from community partners, including
25        recipients of guaranteed income pilots or Illinois
26        residents who would be eligible to receive guaranteed

 

 

10300SB0861sam001- 8 -LRB103 03320 KTG 71621 a

1        income payments through each program recommended in
2        the report.
3            (F) An analysis and set of recommendations to the
4        General Assembly to improve or otherwise expand upon
5        the State's current cash-based programming as
6        described in paragraph (2).
7    (g) In addition to the mandatory tasks included in
8subsection (f), the Task Force may engage in any other
9activity that will advance the creation and implementation of
10permanent guaranteed income programs in the State.
11    (h) Deadline. The Task Force must complete all mandatory
12activities as set forth in subsection (f) and all additional
13activities under subsection (g) by December 31, 2026.
14    (i) Committees. The Task Force may establish subcommittees
15to address specific aspects of its duties. Subcommittees may
16collaborate with individuals with relevant expertise who are
17not members of the Task Force to assist the subcommittee in
18carrying out its duties.
19    (j) The Department of Human Services shall provide staff
20and administrative support to the Task Force.
21    (k) All Task Force meetings are subject to the Open
22Meetings Act.
23    (l) Nothing in this Section shall be construed to
24contravene any federal or State law or regulation. Unless
25specifically referenced in this Section, nothing in this
26Section shall affect or alter the existing statutory powers of

 

 

10300SB0861sam001- 9 -LRB103 03320 KTG 71621 a

1any State agency or be construed as a reassignment or
2reorganization of any State agency.
3    (m) The Task Force is dissolved, and this Section is
4repealed, on December 31, 2027.
 
5    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
6becoming law.".