SB2403 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB103 28531 AWJ 54912 b

103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2023 and 2024
SB2403

Introduced 2/10/2023, by Sen. Ram Villivalam

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

See Index

Amends the Domestic Violence Shelters Act. Provides that, no later than 180 days following the effective date of the amendatory Act, the Department of Human Services shall establish the Domestic Violence Transportation Assistance Program. Provides that the Program shall consist of 3 parts: (1) the Department shall coordinate with the Suburban Bus Board established under the Regional Transportation Authority Act to create a transportation card that may be given to a victim of domestic violence and the victim's family or household members at a shelter for free transportation on Suburban Bus Board transportation; (2) the Department of Human Services shall create a system where victims of domestic violence may call the Department of Children and Family Services' Domestic Violence Helpline that will connect the caller with a taxi or a rideshare company to transport victims and the victim's family or household members to a safe residence free of charge to get the victim and the victim's family or household members out of a domestic violence situation or from a shelter; and (3) the Program shall provide for reimbursement for shelter employees or volunteers for travel-related expenses after providing transportation services to a victim of domestic violence or the victim's family or household members. Provides that the implementation of the Program is subject to appropriation by the General Assembly. Contains other provisions about Program funding and rules that may be adopted to implement the provisions. Amends the Regional Transportation Authority Act and the State Finance Act to make conforming changes.

STATE MANDATES ACT MAY REQUIRE REIMBURSEMENT MAY APPLY

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning domestic violence.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Domestic Violence Shelters Act is amended by adding Section 2.5 as follows:

(20 ILCS 1310/2.5 new)

Sec. 2.5. Domestic Violence Transportation Assistance Program; funding.

(a) No later than 180 days following the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 103rd General Assembly, the Department of Human Services shall establish the Domestic Violence Transportation Assistance Program as provided in this Section.

(b) The Department shall coordinate with the Suburban Bus Board established under the Regional Transportation Authority Act to create a transportation card that may be given to a victim of domestic violence and the victim's family or household members at a shelter. The transportation card shall be plastic or laminated and wallet-sized, contain no information that would reference domestic violence or shelters, and have an expiration date. A person in possession of a transportation card issued under this subsection is entitled to free transportation services as provided in Section 3A.15 of the Regional Transportation Authority Act.

(c) In coordination with the Department of Children and Family Services, the Department of Human Services shall create a system where a victim of domestic violence, who does not have access to public transportation services provided by the Suburban Bus Board, may call the Department of Children and Family Services' Domestic Violence Helpline and the Helpline shall connect the caller with a taxi or a rideshare company to transport the victim or the victim's family or household members free of charge to a safe residence to get the victim or the victim's family or household members out of a domestic violence situation or from a shelter.

(d) The Program shall provide for reimbursement for employees or volunteers of shelters for travel-related expenses after providing transportation services to a victim of domestic violence or the victim's family or household members. In order to receive reimbursement from the Department of Human Services, the shelter employee or volunteer must request reimbursement for the travel-related expenses from the Department on a form and in the manner determined by the Department. The Department may create requirements for and limitations on reimbursement.

(e) The implementation of the Program is subject to appropriation by the General Assembly. No transportation cards shall be printed under subsection (b) unless the General Assembly appropriates to the Suburban Bus Board the amounts necessary for the fares for the users of the transportation cards.

(f) All funds appropriated for purposes of the Program must be deposited into the Domestic Violence Transportation Assistance Fund, a special fund that is created in the State treasury, and funds within the Fund may be expended for Program purposes described in this Section. Amounts appropriated into the Fund for designated purposes under subsections (b), (c), or (d) may only be used for the designated purposes.

The Fund is not subject to sweeps, charge-backs, or any other fiscal or budgetary maneuver that would in any way transfer any moneys from the Fund into any other fund of the State.

(g) The Department of Human Services, the Suburban Bus Board, and the Department of Children and Family Services may adopt rules or joint rules to implement this Section.

Section 10. The State Finance Act is amended by adding Section 5.990 as follows:

(30 ILCS 105/5.990 new)

Sec. 5.990. The Domestic Violence Transportation Assistance Fund.

Section 15. The Regional Transportation Authority Act is amended by changing Section 3A.15 as follows:

(70 ILCS 3615/3A.15)

Sec. 3A.15. Free services; eligibility.

(a) Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, no later than 60 days following the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 95th General Assembly and until subsection (b) is implemented, any fixed route public transportation services provided by, or under grant or purchase of service contracts of, the Suburban Bus Board shall be provided without charge to all senior citizens of the Metropolitan Region aged 65 and older, under such conditions as shall be prescribed by the Suburban Bus Board.

(b) Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, no later than 180 days following the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 96th General Assembly, any fixed route public transportation services provided by, or under grant or purchase of service contracts of, the Suburban Bus Board shall be provided without charge to senior citizens aged 65 and older who meet the income eligibility limitation set forth in subsection (a-5) of Section 4 of the Senior Citizens and Persons with Disabilities Property Tax Relief Act, under such conditions as shall be prescribed by the Suburban Bus Board. The Department on Aging shall furnish all information reasonably necessary to determine eligibility, including updated lists of individuals who are eligible for services without charge under this Section. Nothing in this Section shall relieve the Suburban Bus Board from providing reduced fares as may be required by federal law.

(c) No later than 180 days following the effective date of the amendatory Act of the 103rd General Assembly, any fixed route public transportation services provided by or under grant or purchase of service by the Suburban Bus Board shall be provided without charge to persons who present a Domestic Violence Transportation Assistance Program transportation card.

(Source: P.A. 99-143, eff. 7-27-15.)