98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2013 and 2014
HB0654

 

Introduced 1/25/2013, by Rep. Michael J. Madigan

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
305 ILCS 5/10-1  from Ch. 23, par. 10-1

    Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning public policy with respect to the determination and enforcement of the support responsibility of relatives.


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A BILL FOR

 

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1    AN ACT concerning public aid.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Illinois Public Aid Code is amended by
5changing Section 10-1 as follows:
 
6    (305 ILCS 5/10-1)  (from Ch. 23, par. 10-1)
7    Sec. 10-1. Declaration of Public Policy - Persons Eligible
8for Child Support Enforcement Services - Fees for
9Non-Applicants and and Non-Recipients.) It is the intent of
10this Code that the financial aid and social welfare services
11herein provided supplement rather than supplant the primary and
12continuing obligation of the family unit for self-support to
13the fullest extent permitted by the resources available to it.
14This primary and continuing obligation applies whether the
15family unit of parents and children or of husband and wife
16remains intact and resides in a common household or whether the
17unit has been broken by absence of one or more members of the
18unit. The obligation of the family unit is particularly
19applicable when a member is in necessitous circumstances and
20lacks the means of a livelihood compatible with health and
21well-being.
22    It is the purpose of this Article to provide for locating
23an absent parent or spouse, for determining his financial

 

 

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1circumstances, and for enforcing his legal obligation of
2support, if he is able to furnish support, in whole or in part.
3The Department of Healthcare and Family Services shall give
4priority to establishing, enforcing and collecting the current
5support obligation, and then to past due support owed to the
6family unit, except with respect to collections effected
7through the intercept programs provided for in this Article.
8    The child support enforcement services provided hereunder
9shall be furnished dependents of an absent parent or spouse who
10are applicants for or recipients of financial aid under this
11Code. It is not, however, a condition of eligibility for
12financial aid that there be no responsible relatives who are
13reasonably able to provide support. Nor, except as provided in
14Sections 4-1.7 and 10-8, shall the existence of such relatives
15or their payment of support contributions disqualify a needy
16person for financial aid.
17    By accepting financial aid under this Code, a spouse or a
18parent or other person having custody of a child shall be
19deemed to have made assignment to the Illinois Department for
20aid under Articles III, IV, V and VII or to a local
21governmental unit for aid under Article VI of any and all
22rights, title, and interest in any support obligation,
23including statutory interest thereon, up to the amount of
24financial aid provided. The rights to support assigned to the
25Department of Healthcare and Family Services (formerly
26Illinois Department of Public Aid) or local governmental unit

 

 

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1shall constitute an obligation owed the State or local
2governmental unit by the person who is responsible for
3providing the support, and shall be collectible under all
4applicable processes.
5    The Department of Healthcare and Family Services shall also
6furnish the child support enforcement services established
7under this Article in behalf of persons who are not applicants
8for or recipients of financial aid under this Code in
9accordance with the requirements of Title IV, Part D of the
10Social Security Act. The Department may establish a schedule of
11reasonable fees, to be paid for the services provided and may
12deduct a collection fee, not to exceed 10% of the amount
13collected, from such collection. The Department of Healthcare
14and Family Services shall cause to be published and distributed
15publications reasonably calculated to inform the public that
16individuals who are not recipients of or applicants for public
17aid under this Code are eligible for the child support
18enforcement services under this Article X. Such publications
19shall set forth an explanation, in plain language, that the
20child support enforcement services program is independent of
21any public aid program under the Code and that the receiving of
22child support enforcement services in no way implies that the
23person receiving such services is receiving public aid.
24(Source: P.A. 94-90, eff. 1-1-06; 95-331, eff. 8-21-07.)