August
26, 2016
To
the Honorable Members of
The
Illinois Senate,
99th
General Assembly:
Today I
veto Senate Bill 730, which amends the Illinois Public Aid Code to expand the
eligibility requirements for the Child Care Assistance Program.
This
bill requires that the threshold for the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP)
be raised from 185% of the federal poverty level (FPL) to no less than 200% of
FPL in Fiscal Year 2017 and 250% in Fiscal Year 2018 and beyond. The bill
further expands the category of eligible participants in the program.
The costly
increase proposed by this legislation would place Illinois far above the
income thresholds of not only our neighboring states, but nearly every other
state in the country at a time when Illinois is already struggling to meet its
current financial obligations. In total, Senate Bill 730 would increase the
costs of CCAP by over $200 million in Fiscal year 2017 and over $500 million
every year thereafter.
The
State of Illinois can no longer make spending promises that exceed available
revenues. This bill irresponsibly imposes an approximately 40% increase in the overall
size of the program without any provision to fund such a broad enlargement. The
consequences of such an unaffordable expansion will inevitably result in
reduced quality of care, the establishment of waiting lists for CCAP program
entry, increased parental co-pays, or the reduction or elimination of other
important State programs—none of which would best serve the interests of the
children that this legislation is intended to support.
I applaud
and share the General Assembly’s desire to provide child care assistance to
vulnerable Illinois residents. But such efforts must be wisely undertaken and
cannot be done without regard to cost and feasibility. Otherwise, such
legislation threatens the long-term sustainability of the Child Care Assistance
Program itself.
Therefore,
pursuant to Section 9(b) of Article IV of the Illinois Constitution of 1970, I
hereby return Senate Bill 730, entitled “AN ACT concerning public aid”, with
the foregoing objections, vetoed in its entirety.
Sincerely,
Bruce
Rauner
GOVERNOR