State of Illinois
92nd General Assembly
Legislation

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[ Introduced ][ House Amendment 001 ]


92_HB3061eng

 
HB3061 Engrossed                               LRB9205526DJpc

 1        AN ACT in relation to public aid.

 2        WHEREAS, The General Assembly finds that there  has  been
 3    no  general  adjustment in the grant amounts under Article IV
 4    of the Illinois Public Aid Code to  reflect  changes  in  the
 5    cost of subsistence needs since 1989.  The grant amounts have
 6    fallen  far  behind  the  cost  of  subsistence  needs.   The
 7    Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program under Article
 8    IV  of  the  Illinois  Public  Aid Code is now a time-limited
 9    program   with   vigorous   work    activity    requirements.
10    Participants  in  the  program  need to be able to meet their
11    subsistence needs  while  they  pursue  work  activities  and
12    endeavor   to  exit  the  program  as  quickly  as  possible.
13    Inability to meet subsistence  needs  interferes  with  these
14    work  efforts  and  delays  exit from the program, and, among
15    families with difficult problems inhibiting  the  ability  to
16    work,  such  as disabilities within the family, the inability
17    to meet subsistence needs also  threatens  their  health  and
18    well-being; therefore,

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

21        Section 5.  The Illinois Public Aid Code  is  amended  by
22    changing Section 12-4.11 as follows:

23        (305 ILCS 5/12-4.11) (from Ch. 23, par. 12-4.11)
24        Sec.  12-4.11.  Grant amounts.   The Department, with due
25    regard  for  and  subject  to  budgetary  limitations,  shall
26    establish  grant  amounts  for  each  of  the  programs,   by
27    regulation.   The  grant amounts may vary by program, size of
28    assistance unit and geographic area. Effective July 1,  2001,
29    the Department shall increase the grant amounts under Article
30    IV  of  this  Code  by  no less than 15% above the amounts in
31    effect on June 30, 2001.  Effective July  1,  2002  and  each
 
HB3061 Engrossed            -2-                LRB9205526DJpc
 1    July  1  thereafter,  the Department shall increase the grant
 2    amounts under Article IV of this Code by  no  less  than  the
 3    increase  in  the "Employment Cost Index, Wages and Salaries,
 4    By Occupation and Industry Groups: State and Local Government
 5    Workers: Public Administration" as published by the Bureau of
 6    Labor Statistics of the U.S.  Department  of  Labor  for  the
 7    calendar  year  immediately  preceding  the year in which the
 8    July 1 grant amount increase  takes  effect.  On  January  1,
 9    2004,  and  on  January  1  every  2  years  thereafter,  the
10    Department  shall  issue  a  report  to  the Governor and the
11    General Assembly on  the  adequacy  of  grant  amounts  under
12    Article  IV  to  meet  the  subsistence needs of the families
13    participating in that program.
14        Aid payments shall not be reduced except: (1) for changes
15    in the cost of items included in the grant  amounts,  or  (2)
16    for  changes  in  the  expenses  of the recipient, or (3) for
17    changes  in  the  income  or  resources  available   to   the
18    recipient,  or  (4)  for  changes  in  grants  resulting from
19    adoption of a consolidated grant amount.
20        In fixing standards to govern payments or  reimbursements
21    for  funeral  and  burial expenses, the Department shall take
22    into account the services essential to a dignified,  low-cost
23    funeral  and burial, including reasonable amounts that may be
24    necessary for burial space  and  cemetery  charges,  and  any
25    applicable  taxes  or  other  required  governmental  fees or
26    charges.
27        Nothing contained in this Section or in any other Section
28    of this Code shall be  construed  to  prohibit  the  Illinois
29    Department  (1)  from consolidating existing standards on the
30    basis of any standards which are or were  in  effect  on,  or
31    subsequent  to  July  1,  1969,  or  (2)  from  employing any
32    consolidated standards in determining need for public aid and
33    the  amount  of  money  payment  or  grant   for   individual
34    recipients or recipient families.
 
HB3061 Engrossed            -3-                LRB9205526DJpc
 1    (Source:  P.A.  90-17,  eff.  7-1-97;  90-326,  eff.  8-8-97;
 2    90-372,  eff.  7-1-98;  90-655,  eff.  7-30-98;  91-24,  eff.
 3    7-1-99.)

 4        Section  99.   Effective  date.  This Act takes effect on
 5    July 1, 2001.

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