101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2019 and 2020
HB3080

 

Introduced , by Rep. Kambium Buckner

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
New Act

    Creates the Intergenerational Poverty Mitigation Act. Requires the Department of Human Services to establish and maintain a system to track intergenerational poverty. Provides that the system shall identify groups that have a high risk of experiencing intergenerational poverty; identify incidents, patterns, and trends that explain or contribute to intergenerational poverty; collect data on child poverty rates; and other matters. Creates the Illinois Intergenerational Welfare Reform Commission (Reform Commission) to collaborate in sharing and analyzing data and information regarding intergenerational poverty in the State, to examine such data, to implement data-driven policies and programs addressing poverty, and other matters. Creates the Intergenerational Poverty Advisory Committee to make recommendations on how the Reform Commission and the State can effectively address the needs of children affected by intergenerational poverty. Contains provisions concerning membership on both commissions, reporting requirements, and other matters. Creates the Intergenerational Poverty School Readiness Scholarship Program to provide children who have not enrolled in kindergarten access to a high-quality school readiness program. Contains provisions on eligibility requirements, coordination between the Department of Human Services and the State Board of Education to designate providers as high-quality school readiness programs, and other matters. Creates the Intergenerational Poverty Plan Implementation Pilot Program to provide funding for counties to implement local solutions to address intergenerational poverty. Effective January 1, 2020.


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FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

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1    AN ACT concerning poverty.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
5Intergenerational Poverty Mitigation Act.
 
6    Section 5. Definitions. As used in this Act:
7    "Cycle of poverty" or "poverty cycle" means the set of
8factors or events by which the long-term poverty of a person is
9likely to continue and be experienced by each child of the
10person when the child becomes an adult unless there is outside
11intervention.
12    "Department" means the Department of Human Services.
13    "Intergenerational poverty" means poverty in which 2 or
14more successive generations of a family continue in the cycle
15of poverty and government dependence. "Intergenerational
16poverty" does not include situational poverty.
17    "Poverty" means the state of a person who lacks a usual or
18socially acceptable amount of money or material possessions as
19demonstrated by the person's income level being at or below the
20poverty guidelines updated periodically in the Federal
21Register by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
22These guidelines set poverty levels by family size.
23    "Situational poverty" means temporary poverty that: (i) is

 

 

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1generally traceable to a specific incident or time period
2within the lifetime of a person; and (ii) is not continued to
3the next generation.
 
4    Section 10. Intergenerational poverty tracking system;
5data; analysis; annual report.
6    (a) The Department shall establish and maintain a system to
7track intergenerational poverty.
8    (b) The system shall:
9        (1) identify groups that have a high risk of
10    experiencing intergenerational poverty;
11        (2) identify incidents, patterns, and trends that
12    explain or contribute to intergenerational poverty;
13        (3) assist case workers, social scientists, and
14    government officials in the study and development of
15    effective and efficient plans and programs to help
16    individuals and families in the State to break the cycle of
17    poverty; and
18        (4) gather and track available local, State, and
19    national data on:
20            (i) official poverty rates;
21            (ii) child poverty rates;
22            (iii) years spent by individuals in childhood
23        poverty;
24            (iv) years spent by individuals in adult poverty;
25        and

 

 

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1            (v) related poverty information.
2    (c) The Department shall:
3        (1) use available data in the tracking system,
4    including public assistance data, census data, and other
5    data made available to the Department;
6        (2) develop and implement methods to integrate,
7    compare, analyze, and validate the data for the purposes
8    described in subsection (b);
9        (3) protect the privacy of individuals living in
10    poverty by using and distributing data within the tracking
11    system in compliance with:
12            (i) federal requirements; and
13            (ii) the Freedom of Information Act; and
14        (4) submit an annual report, by October 1 of each year,
15    to the Governor and the General Assembly on the data,
16    findings, and potential uses of the tracking system.
 
17    Section 15. Creation of the Illinois Intergenerational
18Welfare Reform Commission. There is created the Illinois
19Intergenerational Welfare Reform Commission composed of the
20following 7 members:
21        (1) the Lieutenant Governor;
22        (2) the Director of Employment Security or his or her
23    designee;
24        (3) the Director of Healthcare and Family Services or
25    his or her designee;

 

 

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1        (4) the Secretary of Human Services or his or her
2    designee;
3        (5) the State Superintendent of Education or his or her
4    designee;
5        (6) the Director of Juvenile Justice; and
6        (7) the Chair of the Intergenerational Poverty
7    Advisory Committee created in Section 30.
 
8    Section 20. Chair of the Commission; meetings; quorum;
9staff support.
10    (a) The Lieutenant Governor shall serve as Chair of the
11Commission.
12    (b) The Secretary of Human Services, or his or her
13designee, shall serve as Vice Chair of the Commission.
14    (c) The Chair:
15        (1) is responsible for the call and conduct of
16    meetings;
17        (2) shall call and hold meetings of the Commission at
18    least quarterly;
19        (3) shall call additional meetings upon request by a
20    majority of the Commission's members; and
21        (4) may delegate duties to the Vice Chair.
22    (d) A majority of the members of the Commission constitutes
23a quorum of the Commission at any meeting and the action of the
24majority of members present is the action of the Commission.
25    (e) The Department of Human Services shall provide staff

 

 

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1support to the Commission.
 
2    Section 25. Purpose and duties of the Commission.
3    (a) The Commission's purpose is to:
4        (1) collaborate in sharing and analyzing data and
5    information regarding intergenerational poverty in the
6    State with a primary focus on data and information
7    regarding children who are at risk of continuing the cycle
8    of poverty and welfare dependency unless outside
9    intervention is made;
10        (2) examine and analyze shared data and information
11    regarding intergenerational poverty, including the data
12    provided by the intergenerational poverty report described
13    in Section 10, to identify and develop effective and
14    efficient plans, programs, and recommendations to help
15    at-risk children in the State escape the cycle of poverty
16    and welfare dependency, which may include avoiding
17    homelessness among children at risk of remaining in
18    poverty;
19        (3) implement data-driven policies and programs
20    addressing poverty, public assistance, education, and
21    other areas as needed to measurably reduce the incidence of
22    children in the State who remain in the cycle of poverty
23    and welfare dependency as they become adults;
24        (4) establish and facilitate improved cooperation
25    between State agencies down to the case worker level in

 

 

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1    rescuing children from intergenerational poverty and
2    welfare dependency; and
3        (5) encourage participation and input from the
4    Intergenerational Poverty Advisory Committee established
5    in Section 30 and other community resources, including
6    academic experts, advocacy groups, nonprofit corporations,
7    local governments, and religious institutions in exploring
8    strategies and solutions to help children in the State who
9    are victims of intergenerational poverty escape the cycle
10    of poverty and welfare dependency.
11    (b) The Commission shall:
12        (1) fulfill the Commission's purposes as listed in
13    subsection (a);
14        (2) study, evaluate, and report on the status and
15    effectiveness of policies, procedures, and programs that
16    provide services to children in the State affected by
17    intergenerational poverty and welfare dependency;
18        (3) study and evaluate the policies, procedures, and
19    programs implemented by other states and nongovernmental
20    entities that address the needs of children affected by
21    intergenerational poverty and welfare dependency;
22        (4)(A) identify policies, procedures, and programs,
23    including any lack of interagency data sharing, lack of
24    policy coordination, or federal requirements, that are
25    impeding efforts to help children in the State affected by
26    intergenerational poverty escape the poverty cycle and

 

 

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1    welfare dependency; and
2        (B) implement and recommend changes to those policies
3    and procedures;
4        (5) create an ongoing 5-year and 10-year plan, which is
5    updated annually, containing:
6            (A) measurable goals and benchmarks, including
7        future action needed to attain those goals and
8        benchmarks, for: (i) decreasing the incidence of
9        intergenerational poverty among the State's children,
10        including reducing the incidence of homelessness among
11        children affected by intergenerational poverty; and
12        (ii) increasing the number of the State's children who
13        escape the poverty cycle and welfare dependency;
14            (B) implement policy, procedure, and program
15        changes to address the needs of children affected by
16        intergenerational poverty and help those children
17        escape the poverty cycle and welfare dependency,
18        including, as available over time, data to track the
19        effectiveness of each change; and
20            (C) recommend policy, procedure, and program
21        changes to address the needs of children affected by
22        intergenerational poverty and to help those children
23        escape the poverty cycle and welfare dependency,
24        including the steps that will be required to make the
25        recommended changes and whether further action is
26        required by the General Assembly or the federal

 

 

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1        government;
2        (6) ensure that each change and recommended change to a
3    policy, procedure, or program, which is made by the
4    Commission, is supported by verifiable data;
5        (7) protect the privacy of individuals living in
6    poverty by using and distributing the data it collects or
7    examines in compliance with: (i) federal requirements; and
8    (ii) the Freedom of Information Act; and
9        (8) provide a forum for public comment and
10    participation in efforts to help children in the State
11    escape the cycle of poverty and welfare dependency.
12    (c) To accomplish its duties, the Commission may:
13        (1) request and receive from any State or local
14    governmental agency or institution, information relating
15    to poverty in the State, including, (i) reports; (ii)
16    audits; (iii) data; (iv) projections; and (v) statistics;
17    and
18        (2) appoint special committees, in addition to the
19    Advisory Committee created in Section 30, to advise and
20    assist the Commission.
21    (d)(1) Members of a special committee described in
22paragraph (2) of subsection (c):
23        (A) shall be appointed by the Commission;
24        (B) may be members of the Commission or individuals
25    from the private or public sector; and
26        (C) notwithstanding Section 40, may not receive

 

 

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1    reimbursement or pay for work done in relation to the
2    special committee.
3    (2) A special committee described in paragraph (2) of
4subsection (c) shall report to the Commission on the progress
5of the special committee.
 
6    Section 30. Intergenerational Poverty Advisory Committee;
7duties.
8    (a) To assist the Commission, there is created the
9Intergenerational Poverty Advisory Committee.
10    (b) The Advisory Committee shall be composed of no more
11than 11 members.
12    (c) Members of the Advisory Committee shall be appointed by
13the Chair of the Commission, with the approval of the
14Commission, and shall include at least one member from each of
15the following groups:
16        (1) advocacy groups that focus on childhood poverty
17    issues;
18        (2) advocacy groups that focus on education issues;
19        (3) academic experts in childhood poverty or education
20    issues;
21        (4) faith-based organizations that address childhood
22    poverty or education issues; and
23        (5) local government representatives that address
24    childhood poverty or education issues.
25    (d) Subject to subsection (e), each member of the Advisory

 

 

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1Committee shall be appointed for a 4-year term unless a member
2is appointed to complete an unexpired term.
3    (e) The Chair of the Commission may adjust the length of
4term at the time of appointment or reappointment so that
5approximately half of the advisory committee is appointed every
62 years.
7    (f) The Chair of the Commission may remove an Advisory
8Committee member:
9        (1) if the member is unable or unwilling to carry out
10    the member's assigned responsibilities; or
11        (2) for good cause.
12    (g) If a vacancy occurs in the Advisory Committee
13membership for any reason, a replacement may be appointed for
14the unexpired term.
15    (h) The Chair of the Commission shall select a Chair of the
16Advisory Committee on an annual basis.
17    (i) A majority of the Advisory Committee constitutes a
18quorum of the Advisory Committee at any meeting and the action
19of the majority of members present are the action of the
20Advisory Committee.
21    (j) The Advisory Committee shall:
22        (1) meet at least twice a year at the request of the
23    Chair of the Commission or the Chair of the Advisory
24    Committee;
25        (2) make recommendations to the Commission on how the
26    Commission and the State can effectively address the needs

 

 

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1    of children affected by intergenerational poverty and
2    achieve the purposes and duties of the Commission as
3    described in Section 20; and
4        (3) ensure that the Advisory Committee's
5    recommendations to the Commission are supported by
6    verifiable data.
7    (k) The Department of Human Services shall provide staff
8support to the Advisory Committee.
 
9    Section 35. Annual report by the Commission.
10    (a) The Commission shall provide a report to the Department
11for inclusion in the Department's annual written report
12described in Section 10.
13    (b) The report shall:
14        (1) include the 5-year and 10-year plans described in
15    paragraph (5) of subsection (b) of Section 25;
16        (2) describe how the Commission fulfilled its
17    statutory purposes and duties during the year;
18        (3) describe policies, procedures, and programs that
19    have been implemented or modified to help break the cycle
20    of poverty and end welfare dependency for children in the
21    State affected by intergenerational poverty; and
22        (4) contain recommendations on how the State should act
23    to address issues relating to breaking the cycle of poverty
24    and ending welfare dependency for children in the State
25    affected by intergenerational poverty.
 

 

 

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1    Section 40. Service without compensation; reimbursement
2for expenses. A member of the Commission or the Advisory
3Committee may not receive compensation or benefits for the
4member's service, but may receive per diem and travel expenses.
 
5    Section 45. Intergenerational Poverty School Readiness
6Scholarship; eligibility.
7    (a) As used in this Section:
8    "Eligible child" means an individual who: (i) is
9experiencing intergenerational poverty; (ii) will be 4 years of
10age on or before September 2 of the school year in which the
11individual intends to enroll in a school readiness program; and
12(iii) has not enrolled in kindergarten, as reported by the
13individual's parent or legal guardian.
14    "Intergenerational poverty scholarship" or "IGP
15scholarship" has the same meaning as that term is defined in
16Section 50.
17    (b) The Department of Human Services shall determine if an
18applicant for an IGP scholarship is eligible for the
19Intergenerational Poverty School Readiness Scholarship Program
20created in Section 50.
21    (c) An individual may apply to the Department annually to
22qualify for a scholarship for an eligible child to attend a
23high-quality school readiness program.
24    (d)(1) The Department shall create an application form that

 

 

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1requires an applicant to provide the information necessary for
2the Department to make the eligibility determination described
3in subsection (e).
4    (2) The Department may: (i) require an applicant to submit
5supporting documentation; and (ii) create a deadline for an
6applicant to apply for an IGP scholarship.
7    (e) The Department shall determine if: (i) the information
8contained in an application submitted under subsection (c) is
9accurate and complete; and (ii) the child for whom the
10applicant is applying for an IGP scholarship is an eligible
11child.
12    (f)(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2) and subject to
13appropriations, the Department shall:
14        (A) award an IGP scholarship for an individual who is
15    determined to be an eligible child under subsection (e);
16    and
17        (B) with input from the State Board of Education,
18    determine the value of an IGP scholarship.
19    (2) If the Department receives an appropriation for IGP
20scholarships that is not sufficient to award a scholarship to
21each eligible child, the Department shall prioritize awarding
22IGP scholarships to eligible children who are at the highest
23risk as determined by the Department.
24    (g) The Department shall coordinate with the State Board of
25Education, as necessary, to enroll a recipient of an IGP
26scholarship in a high-quality school readiness program of the

 

 

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1recipient's parent's choice, space permitting, as described in
2Section 50.
3    (h) The Department shall adopt any rules necessary to
4implement this Section.
 
5    Section 50. Intergenerational Poverty School Readiness
6Scholarship Program.
7    (a) As used in this Section:
8    "High-quality school readiness program" means a school
9readiness program that:
10        (1) is provided by an LEA, eligible private provider,
11    or eligible home-based technology provider; and
12        (2) meets the elements of a high-quality school
13    readiness program as determined by the State Board of
14    Education.
15    "Intergenerational poverty scholarship" or "IGP
16scholarship" means a scholarship to attend a high-quality
17school readiness program for an eligible student who is
18experiencing intergenerational poverty.
19    "LEA" means a school district or charter school.
20    (b) There is created the Intergenerational Poverty School
21Readiness Scholarship Program to provide an eligible student
22experiencing intergenerational poverty access to a
23high-quality school readiness program.
24    (c) The Department of Human Services shall, as prescribed
25by rule:

 

 

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1        (1) determine if an individual is eligible for an IGP
2    scholarship; and
3        (2) award an IGP scholarship.
4    (d) An LEA or home-based technology provider may apply to
5the State Board of Education to receive a designation as a
6high-quality school readiness program. The State Board of
7Education shall determine if an LEA or home-based technology
8provider offers a high-quality school readiness program.
9    (e) An eligible private provider may apply to the
10Department of Human Services to receive a designation as a
11high-quality school readiness program. The Department shall
12determine if an eligible private provider offers a high-quality
13school readiness program.
14    (f) The Department of Human Services and the State Board of
15Education shall coordinate to assist a parent or legal guardian
16of a recipient of an IGP scholarship to enroll the IGP
17scholarship recipient in a high-quality school readiness
18program (i) offered by an LEA, eligible private provider, or
19eligible home-based technology provider; and (ii) of the parent
20or legal guardian's choice.
21    (g) The Department of Human Services shall pay the
22scholarship amount directly to a high-quality school readiness
23program in which an IGP scholarship recipient enrolls.
24    (h) Except as provided in subsection (i), the Department of
25Human Services may not provide an individual's IGP scholarship
26to an LEA, eligible private provider, or eligible home-based

 

 

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1technology provider unless the LEA, eligible private provider,
2or eligible home-based technology provider offers a
3high-quality school readiness program, as determined by the
4State Board of Education or the Department of Human Services
5under subsection (e).
6    (i) An LEA, eligible private provider, or eligible
7home-based technology provider that receives a determination
8as a high-quality school readiness program may enroll an IGP
9scholarship recipient.
 
10    Section 55. Intergenerational Poverty Plan Implementation
11Pilot Program.
12    (a) There is created the Intergenerational Poverty Plan
13Implementation Pilot Program to provide funding for counties to
14implement local solutions to address intergenerational
15poverty.
16    (b)(1) A county or a group of contiguous counties may
17submit a proposal to the Department of Human Services to
18participate in the program.
19    (2) A proposal described in subsection (a) shall:
20        (A) specify:
21            (i) outcomes that will address intergenerational
22        poverty that the funding would be used to achieve;
23            (ii) indicators that would be used to measure
24        progress toward the specified outcomes;
25            (iii) baseline measurements for each specified

 

 

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1        outcome and indicator against which progress will be
2        measured; and
3            (iv) the total amount of money needed to achieve
4        the specified outcomes;
5        (B) align with the goals of the Commission's 5-year and
6    10-year plan described in paragraph (5) of subsection (b)
7    of Section 25; and
8        (C) include any other information requested by the
9    Department.
10    (c) The Department may:
11        (1) specify the format for a proposal;
12        (2) set a deadline for a county or group of counties to
13    submit a proposal;
14        (3) define criteria for selecting a county or group of
15    counties to participate in the program, which may include:
16            (A) a significant number of individuals within the
17        county or group of counties experiencing
18        intergenerational poverty;
19            (B) an established strategic plan to address
20        intergenerational poverty;
21            (C) evidence of strong engagement and leadership;
22            (D) partnerships with agencies overseeing:
23                (i) human services;
24                (ii) early childhood services;
25                (iii) public health;
26                (iv) public education;

 

 

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1                (v) workforce development;
2                (vi) economic development;
3                (vii) higher education;
4                (viii) behavioral health;
5                (ix) juvenile justice; and
6        (E) partnerships with organizations representing
7    families experiencing poverty.
8    (d) During State Fiscal Year 2021, the Department shall:
9        (1)(A) except as provided in subparagraph (B), select
10    at least one county of the third class and at least one
11    county or group of counties of the first or second class to
12    receive a grant; or
13        (B) if the Department receives an appropriation for the
14    Pilot Program that is not sufficient to have a significant
15    impact on reducing intergenerational poverty in more than
16    one region, as determined by the Department, select one
17    county or group of counties to receive a grant;
18        (2) award grants under this subsection:
19            (A) on a competitive basis; and
20            (B) using criteria described in paragraph (3) of
21        subsection (c); and
22        (3) upon considering recommendations from the
23    Commission regarding grant applicants; and
24        (4) subject to appropriations, determine the value of
25    each grant awarded under this subsection.
26    (e) During State Fiscal Year 2022, if funding allows, the

 

 

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1Department may select additional counties to participate in the
2program.
3    (f) A county or group of counties that receives a grant
4under the Pilot Program shall:
5        (1) provide a cash or in-kind match that is equal to at
6    least 25% of the amount of the grant;
7        (2) use the funds provided by the Pilot Program and the
8    cash or in-kind match for purposes described in
9    subparagraph (A) of paragraph (2) of subsection (b) and
10    approved by the Department; and
11        (3) report quarterly to the Department on progress
12    regarding the indicators and outcomes described in
13    subparagraph (A) of paragraph (2) of subsection (b).
14    (g) The Department shall include, in the Department's
15annual report described in Section 10, a description of the
16Pilot Program, including the number and amounts of grants
17awarded, the recipients of the grants, and an evaluation of the
18progress grant recipients have made toward the indicators and
19outcomes described in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (2) of
20subsection (b).
21    (h) The Department may adopt any rules necessary to
22implement this Section.
 
23    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect January
241, 2020.