Public Act 90-0783 of the 90th General Assembly
Public Act 90-0783
SB1350 Enrolled LRB9008934MWpc
AN ACT in relation to welfare-to-work programs.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
Section 5. The Illinois Literacy Act is amended by
changing Section 15 as follows:
(15 ILCS 322/15)
Sec. 15. Grants.
(a) The Secretary of State, in consultation with the
Literacy Advisory Board created by Section 7.2 of the State
Library Act, is authorized to award grants that develop,
expand, or support adult literacy programs in Illinois
through community programs administered by education
agencies, libraries, volunteer or community-based
organizations, or a coalition of any of those groups.
(b) The Secretary of State, in consultation with the
Literacy Advisory Board created by Section 7.2 of the State
Library Act, is authorized to award grants for workplace
programs to public or private employers or entities acting on
behalf of a coalition of employers to improve the basic
skills of current and prospective their employees. Current
and prospective employees' lack of basic skills may impede
hiring, have impeded effective job performance, or
eligibility for advancement. Public funds awarded under this
grant program must be matched by the business with funds at
least equal to the amount of public funds awarded.
(c) The Secretary of State is authorized to make family
literacy grants that will assist in breaking the
intergenerational cycle of illiteracy. The grants must
involve an adult literacy component and an entity working
with children at risk of school failure. Programs will focus
on parents or guardians and children involved in reciprocal
learning and teaching. In addition to other grants authorized
in this subsection, the Secretary of State may make family
literacy grants, upon his or her approval of application from
entities, for innovative programming in the area of parent
and child learning activities. The Secretary of State shall
establish criteria for awarding the grants by rule. The
Secretary of State may expend appropriations statewide for
direct purchases of equipment and services that support
families learning together.
(Source: P.A. 89-697, eff. 1-6-97.)
Section 10. The Illinois Public Aid Code is amended by
adding Sections 12-4.103 and 12-4.104 as follows:
(305 ILCS 5/12-4.103 new)
Sec. 12-4.103. Individual Development Accounts. Subject
to funding availability, the Illinois Department shall
establish a program that allows eligible low-income
individuals to open and maintain Individual Development
Accounts for the purpose of enabling the individual to
accumulate funds for a qualified purpose. A qualified purpose
for establishing an Individual Development Account shall be
one or more of the following:
(1) to pay for postsecondary education expenses if the
expenses are paid directly to an eligible educational
institution;
(2) to acquire a principal residence if the individual is
buying a home for the first time and if the funds are paid
directly to the person to whom the amounts required for the
purchase are due; or
(3) to finance business capitalization expenses if the
funds are paid directly into a business capitalization
account at a federally insured financial institution and are
restricted to use solely for qualified business
capitalization expenses.
An individual may make contributions to his or her
Individual Development Account only from earned income as
defined in Section 911(d)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code of
1986.
An Individual Development Account program shall be
established in accordance with subsection (h) of Section 404
of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity
Reconciliation Act of 1996. State funds made available for
this program and federal funds, to the extent they may be
used for this purpose, shall be used (i) to match, dollar for
dollar, contributions made by individuals participating in an
Individual Development Account program approved by the
Illinois Department, (ii) to fund or supplement other funds
available for the costs of the administration of an
Individual Development Account program by a not-for-profit
organization, and (iii) for a grant or grants to
not-for-profit organizations to provide technical assistance
and training to other not-for-profit organizations in the
State that wish to establish an Individual Development
Account program consistent with this Section. No Individual
Development Account program shall qualify for State funds
under this Section unless the administering not-for-profit
organization verifies that it has secured at least a dollar
for dollar match from other sources for contributions made by
participating individuals.
The Illinois Department shall by rule establish
qualifications for a not-for-profit organization to
administer an Individual Development Account program. The
Illinois Department shall establish eligibility criteria for
individuals seeking to participate in an Individual
Development Account program. The Illinois Department shall
promulgate rules regarding the administration of Individual
Development Account programs by approved not-for-profit
organizations administering the programs.
Notwithstanding any other provision of State law, funds
in an Individual Development Account, including accrued
interest and matching deposits, shall be disregarded for the
purpose of determining the eligibility and benefit levels
under this Code of the individual establishing the Individual
Development Account with respect to any period during which
such individual maintains or makes contributions into such an
account. Nothing in this Section shall prohibit a
not-for-profit organization which does not receive State
matching funds from administering an approved Individual
Development Account under this Section.
(305 ILCS 5/12-4.104 new)
Sec. 12-4.104. Family and Community Development Grant
Program.
(a) Subject to funding availability, a family and
community development grant program shall be administered by
the Department of Human Services. The program shall be
designed to make services available to families who are at
risk of long-term economic dependency and to work with
communities to provide economic opportunities. The purpose of
the program is to fund, evaluate, and provide recommendations
on not less than 8 nor more than 10 projects to move 100
families at risk of long-term economic dependency to
self-sufficiency through the family and community development
program.
(b) As used in this Section only:
"Applicant" means a public or private organization that
makes application for a grant through the request for
proposals process.
"Council" means the Social Services Advisory Council.
"Department" means the Department of Human Services.
"Grant" means an award to fund a project approved by the
Department with the advice of the Council.
"Grantee" means the recipient of a grant approved by the
Department.
(c) The Social Services Advisory Council as established
within the Department of Human Services shall, with respect
to the family and community development grants administered
by the Department, involve a representative of the Human
Resource Investment Council in considering proposed projects
and monitoring approved projects.
(d) The Council shall:
(1) Identify the factors and conditions that place
Illinois families at risk of long-term dependency upon
the AFDC program or its successor program. The Council
shall seek to use relevant research findings and national
and Illinois-specific data on TANF (formerly AFDC).
(2) Identify the factors and conditions that place
Illinois families at risk of family instability,
long-term economic dependency, and foster care placement.
(3) Report those findings to the Secretary of Human
Services for his or her evaluation.
(4) Recommend grants to public or private
organizations to provide family and community development
services to families at risk of long-term economic
dependency.
(5) In cooperation with the Illinois Community
Action Association, use family and community development
outcome measures to independently evaluate the
effectiveness of demonstration projects.
(6) Seek the support of an Illinois accredited
university to continue research and evaluation
responsibilities.
(7) Seek additional support for the funding of
family and community development grants.
(8) Make recommendations to the Governor, the
General Assembly, and the Secretary of Human Services on
the effectiveness of family and community development
intervention programs in Illinois.
(9) Evaluate and make recommendations regarding the
cost and benefits to the expansion of the services
provided under TANF (formerly AFDC) to include tuition
for parenting skills programs, family support and
counseling services, child development services, job
readiness and job skill training, and transportation and
child care expenses associated with the programs and
services.
(e) In cooperation with the Illinois Community Action
Association, the grantees shall identify families that
receive TANF (formerly AFDC) payments that may place families
at risk of long-term economic dependency.
(f) The Department shall adopt rules for the operation
of this program.
Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
becoming law.