State of Illinois
91st General Assembly
Legislation

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91_HB1717ham001

 










                                           LRB9104207WHgcam01

 1                    AMENDMENT TO HOUSE BILL 1717

 2        AMENDMENT NO.     .  Amend House Bill 1717  by  replacing
 3    the title with the following:
 4        "AN  ACT  in  relation  to  home  modifications for older
 5    persons and persons with disabilities."; and

 6    by replacing everything after the enacting  clause  with  the
 7    following:

 8        "Section  1.  Short  title.  This Act may be cited as the
 9    Home Modification for Prevention of Institutionalization Act.

10        Section 5.  Findings.  The General Assembly finds that it
11    is far preferable for older persons and adults  and  children
12    with  disabilities to live in their own homes or in the homes
13    of family members in their own  communities  rather  than  in
14    more  restrictive  institutionalized  settings  removed  from
15    their  friends  and loved ones.  The General Assembly further
16    finds that  older  persons   and  adults  and  children  with
17    disabilities  often  are  unnecessarily  placed  or forced to
18    remain in institutionalized  settings  due  to  the  lack  of
19    resources  needed to make modifications to their dwellings to
20    enable them to  remain  in  or  return  to  their  homes  and
21    communities. The General Assembly further finds that it is in
 
                            -2-            LRB9104207WHgcam01
 1    the  best  interests  of  the  State  of  Illinois to support
 2    community-based living  for  older  persons  and  adults  and
 3    children  with  disabilities  by  implementing  a  program to
 4    enable them to make modifications to their dwellings to avoid
 5    unnecessary  placement  outside  of  their  own   homes   and
 6    communities.

 7        Section  10.  Purpose.   The  purpose  of  this Act is to
 8    authorize the Department of Human Services and the Department
 9    on Aging to jointly establish a program  to  provide  funding
10    for  necessary home modifications and assistive technology to
11    enable  older  persons   and   adults   and   children   with
12    disabilities  to  remain in or return to their homes in order
13    to allow them to live as independently  as  possible  for  as
14    long as possible.

15        Section 15.  Program.  Subject to appropriation for these
16    purposes, the Department of Human Services and the Department
17    on  Aging  shall  jointly establish a Home Modification Grant
18    and Loan Program. The Program shall have 2  components.   One
19    component  shall  be  administered by the Department of Human
20    Services and the other component shall be administered by the
21    Department on Aging.  The Department of  Human  Services  and
22    the  Department  on  Aging  shall  cooperate  in  the overall
23    administration of the Program.

24        Section 20.  Eligibility.  Persons age  60  or  over  and
25    adults  and  children with disabilities shall be eligible for
26    grants or loans or both under the Home Modification Grant and
27    Loan Program if they have verifiable  functional  limitations
28    for which some modification of their dwelling is required and
29    they  are unable to afford, because of limited resources, the
30    cost of the  modification.   Preference  shall  be  given  to
31    applicants    who:    (1)    are    at   imminent   risk   of
 
                            -3-            LRB9104207WHgcam01
 1    institutionalization or who are already in  an  institutional
 2    setting but are ready to return home and who would be able to
 3    live at home if a modification or modifications are made, (2)
 4    have  inadequate  resources or no current access to resources
 5    as a result of the geographic location of their dwelling, the
 6    lack of other available State or federal funds  such  as  the
 7    Community  Development  Block Grant, rural housing assistance
 8    programs or income  limitations  such  as  the  inability  to
 9    qualify for a low-interest loan, or  (3) have access to other
10    resources, but those resources are inadequate to complete the
11    necessary  modifications.   Adults under 60 years of age with
12    disabilities and children  with  disabilities  shall  receive
13    services  under  the component of the Program administered by
14    the Department of Human Services.  An adult 60 years  of  age
15    or  older  may  elect to receive services under the component
16    administered by the Department of Human Services if,  at  the
17    time  he  or  she  reached  age  60,  he  or  she was already
18    receiving home services under subsection (f) of Section 3  of
19    the  Disabled  Persons  Rehabilitation  Act and he or she was
20    already receiving services under the component of the Program
21    administered by the Department of Human Services.  All  other
22    adults  60 years of age or older receiving services under the
23    Program  shall   receive   services   under   the   component
24    administered by the Department on Aging.

25        Section   25.  Rulemaking.    The   Department  of  Human
26    Services and the Department on Aging shall jointly promulgate
27    administrative rules governing the  Home  Modification  Grant
28    and Loan Program consistent with this Act.

29        Section 30.  Advisory Committee.  The Department of Human
30    Services  and the Department on Aging shall jointly establish
31    an Advisory Committee for the  Home  Modification  Grant  and
32    Loan  Program  to  advise the Secretary of Human Services and
 
                            -4-            LRB9104207WHgcam01
 1    the Director on Aging on policies and procedures under  which
 2    the  Program  shall  operate.    The Advisory Committee shall
 3    consist of no fewer than 9 nor more than 15 members and shall
 4    include at  least  one  individual  with  a  disability,  one
 5    individual  over  the  age  of  60,  the  Secretary  of Human
 6    Services or his or her designee, the Director of Aging or his
 7    or her designee, a representative of an Area Agency on Aging,
 8    the Executive Director of the  Statewide  Independent  Living
 9    Council  or  his  or  her designee, a representative from the
10    construction industry who specializes in  home  modifications
11    for  individuals  with  disabilities  and  older persons, the
12    Executive  Director  of  the  Illinois  Assistive  Technology
13    Project or his or her designee, and the Executive Director of
14    the Coalition of Citizens with Disabilities  in  Illinois  or
15    his or her designee.

16        Section  99.  Effective date.  This Act takes effect upon
17    becoming law.".

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