HR0415enr 93RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0415 Enrolled LRB093 12138 DRH 17056 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION 415

WHEREAS, Poverty and welfare dependence are widespread throughout the State of Illinois, with almost 1,500,000 of its citizens being dependent on the State's public assistance programs for their most basic needs, and over 200,000 families, including 500,000 children, relying on cash assistance from the State for all or part of their subsistence needs; and

WHEREAS, Poverty and unemployment diminish individual self-esteem, can undermine family stability, and affect family formation, community security, and cohesion; and

WHEREAS, Under the new federal welfare law, the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, cash assistance benefits will be limited to 60 months, and over 100,000 adult heads of households in the Illinois welfare caseload must have been employed by the year 2002 or they and their children will be destitute; and

WHEREAS, Voluntary efforts by the private sector to employ welfare recipients are laudable and to be commended, but the State must also take direct responsibility to ensure that welfare recipients are hired in jobs that will allow them to leave the welfare rolls altogether; and

WHEREAS, The State spends billions of dollars each year to improve its economy and infrastructure and to deliver services to the people of the State, all of which also serves to provide jobs for its citizens; and

WHEREAS, The State can accomplish the objectives of relieving welfare dependency and ensuring economic self-sufficiency as well as the objectives related to carrying out necessary governmental operations at the same time, and with significant savings in State outlays in cash assistance and supportive service dollars; and

WHEREAS, Poverty and welfare dependency can be alleviated by targeting some of the resources of the State and making jobs available to the welfare poor, specifically by bringing qualified poor persons into the State workforce and into workforces that are generated through State contracts, without causing the displacement of existing workers; and

WHEREAS, Some State jobs that are newly created or that are open through attrition and some jobs created under State contracts, can be filled by qualified welfare recipients without compromising the integrity of the hiring process, contractor profits, collective bargaining agreements, timely completion of projects, or the health and safety of Illinois workers; and

WHEREAS, To the extent that these jobs are filled by welfare recipients, the State accomplishes 4 important governmental objectives simultaneously: (1) the alleviation of welfare dependency, ensuring of economic self-sufficiency, and lifting of individuals and families out of poverty, (2) the stabilization of families and communities that are hardest hit by persistent poverty and unemployment, (3) the accomplishment of the essential work of the State which must be performed through these jobs, and (4) the reduction of State outlays for cash assistance and services for the poor; and

WHEREAS, The State's immediate, direct, and significant interest in relieving welfare dependency and the employment of the poor in jobs generated through the expenditure of State funds are important issues that must be addressed; therefore be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that the Welfare to Work Task Force is created and shall consist of 6 members appointed as follows: 3 members of the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, one of whom shall be designated the chairperson by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and 3 members of the House of Representatives appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, all of whom shall serve without compensation but shall be reimbursed for their reasonable and necessary expenses from funds appropriated for that purpose; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall study various issues relating to the placement of qualified welfare recipients in State jobs or jobs contracted out by the State; the Task Force shall examine, among any other issues it chooses to investigate, the following issues: (1) the feasibility of requiring State agencies to provide the Department of Human Services with a job announcement simultaneously with the posting of its positions, except for those positions subject to recall by laid-off employees, or those otherwise exempt, (2) the ability of the Department of Human Services to review positions, make eligibility determinations, recruit and screen potential employees, and refer aid recipients to fill those positions, and (3) the feasibility of requiring employers to employ qualified aid recipients for not less than 5% of the hours worked on a State contract; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall receive the assistance of legislative staff, may, subject to appropriation, employ skilled experts with the approval of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and shall report its findings to the General Assembly on or before January 7, 2005.