Illinois General Assembly - Bill Status for SB0570

Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. In a provision concerning eligibility for child care benefits under the Department of Human Services' child care assistance program, requires the State to serve all children who fall within the eligibility criteria established by the Department regarding income eligibility and meet the required work or school activity. Deletes a provision that (1) authorizes the Department of Human Services to lower income eligibility ceilings, raise parent co-payments, create waiting lists, or take such other actions during a fiscal year as are necessary to ensure that paid child care benefits do not exceed the amounts appropriated for those child care benefits and (2) permits such changes to be accomplished by emergency rule. Effective immediately.

Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that the Department of Human Services shall provide specified child care services (rather than providing those services to the extent resources permit). Adds, to the categories of families to which the Department of Human Services shall provide child care services, families that are income-eligible for child care assistance, are not recipients of TANF, and need child care assistance to participate in education and training activities. Provides that the eligibility requirements for child care assistance services shall be no more restrictive than the eligibility requirements in effect on June 30, 2015. Provides that the Department shall not condition eligibility for child care assistance services upon cooperation in establishing paternity of a child or cooperation with child support collection or enforcement for a child. Provides that, until the Department of Human Services establishes a new co-payment scale by rule, co-payments shall be equal to those in effect on June 30, 2015. Provides that co-payments for child care services may not be increased more than once every 6 months and may not be increased at a rate that exceeds the percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index for all Urban Consumers during the prior calendar year or 5%, whichever is less. Provides that co-payments shall not exceed 10% of family income. Provides that the Department may not adopt emergency rules relating to child care assistance services provided under specified provisions of the Code. Deletes language regarding: an income threshold for FY2007; a test program for certain families to participate in education and training activities; development of a plan to revise the child care assistance program's co-payment scale by February 1, 2008; and authorization to lower income eligibility ceilings, raise parent co-payments, create waiting lists, or other actions to ensure that child care benefits do not exceed the amounts appropriated for those benefits. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.

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