093_HB2896

 
                                     LRB093 07085 DRJ 07237 b

 1        AN ACT in relation to public aid.

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

 4        Section 5.  The Illinois Public Aid Code  is  amended  by
 5    adding Section 4-1.6b as follows:

 6        (305 ILCS 5/4-1.6b new)
 7        Sec. 4-1.6b.  Child Support Pays Program.
 8        (a)  The  Child  Support  Pays Program is created.  Under
 9    the program, the  Department  of  Public  Aid  shall  pay  to
10    families  receiving  cash  assistance  under this Article who
11    have earned income  an  amount  equal  to  whichever  of  the
12    following  is  greater:  (1) 50% of the current monthly child
13    support collected on behalf of the members of the  assistance
14    unit;  or  (2)  the  amount  of current monthly child support
15    collected on behalf of the members  of  the  assistance  unit
16    required  to be paid to the family pursuant to administrative
17    rule.  The child support passed through to a family  pursuant
18    to this Section shall not affect the family's eligibility for
19    assistance  or  decrease  any  amount  otherwise  payable  as
20    assistance  to  the  family  under  this  Article  until  the
21    family's  gross  income  from employment, non-exempt unearned
22    income, and the gross current monthly child support collected
23    on the family's behalf equals or exceeds 3 times the  payment
24    level for the assistance unit, at which point cash assistance
25    to the family may be terminated.
26        (b)  In  consultation  with  the  Child  Support Advisory
27    Committee, the Department of  Public  Aid  shall  conduct  an
28    evaluation  of the Child Support Pays Program by December 31,
29    2006.  The evaluation shall include but not be limited to:
30             (1)  the amount  of  child  support  collections  on
31        behalf  of  children  of  TANF recipients who have earned
 
                            -2-      LRB093 07085 DRJ 07237 b
 1        income compared with TANF  recipients  who  do  not  have
 2        earned income;
 3             (2)  the  regularity  of child support payments made
 4        on behalf of children of TANF recipients who have  earned
 5        income,  both  with  respect  to  newly established child
 6        support orders and existing orders; and
 7             (3)  the  number  of  parentage  establishments  for
 8        children of TANF recipients who have earned income.
 9        In order to be able to evaluate the  Child  Support  Pays
10    Program,  the  Department  of  Public  Aid  shall  conduct an
11    outreach program to publicize the availability of the Program
12    to TANF recipients.