Illinois General Assembly - Full Text of SB2290
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Full Text of SB2290  102nd General Assembly

SB2290ham001 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Rep. Rita Mayfield

Filed: 5/11/2021

 

 


 

 


 
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1
AMENDMENT TO SENATE BILL 2290

2    AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend Senate Bill 2290 as follows:
 
3on page 1, immediately below line 3, by inserting the
4following:
 
5    "Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
6Illinois Broadband Adoption Fund Act.
 
7    Section 5. Definitions. As used in this Act:
8    "Broadband Internet" means lines or wireless channels that
9terminate at an end-user location and enable the end-user to
10receive a minimum service level of 25 megabits per second
11download speed and 3 megabits per second upload speed.
12    "Covered agencies" means those social service agencies
13receiving State or federal funds to assist persons eligible
14under the Illinois Broadband Adoption Program.
15    "Department" means the Department of Human Services.

 

 

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1    "Fund" refers to the Illinois Broadband Adoption Fund.
2    "Provider" means a provider of broadband Internet in this
3State.
 
4    Section 10. Illinois Broadband Adoption Program. The
5Illinois Broadband Adoption Program is established for the
6purpose of expanding availability of broadband Internet
7connectivity throughout the State by:
8        (1) providing financial assistance to State residents
9    to whom broadband Internet service is available, but who
10    may require assistance to adopt or maintain service due to
11    economic hardship;
12        (2) promoting the adoption of home broadband Internet
13    service by State residents; and
14        (3) supporting digital skills training for State
15    residents.
 
16    Section 15. Illinois Broadband Adoption Fund.
17    (a) The Illinois Broadband Adoption Fund is established
18for the purpose of providing financial assistance under this
19Act. The Department shall administer the fund.
20    (b) The fund consists of:
21        (1) money received through the federal American Rescue
22    Plan and other vehicles designed to address and relieve
23    economic hardship for State households;
24        (2) money appropriated by the General Assembly;

 

 

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1        (3) money transferred to the fund under the Treasurer
2    as Custodian of Funds Act; and
3        (4) donations, gifts, and money received from any
4    other source, including transfers from other funds or
5    accounts.
6    (c) The Treasurer shall invest the money in the fund not
7currently needed to meet the obligations of the fund in the
8same manner as other public funds may be invested.
 
9    Section 20. Application for financial assistance.
10    (a) The Department may determine qualifications for
11broadband Internet provider participation and enter into an
12agreement with each provider under which the provider agrees
13to accept vouchers distributed by the Department under this
14Act as a form of payment for the provider's broadband Internet
15service.
16    (b) In coordination with the covered agencies, the
17Department shall send information regarding the availability
18of financial assistance under this Act to each eligible family
19or person receiving the public assistance in Section (d). The
20information must include:
21        (1) the name and contact information of each provider
22    who has entered into an agreement with the Department as
23    described in subsection (a) whose broadband Internet
24    service is available in their area; and
25        (2) instructions for applying to the Department for

 

 

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1    financial assistance under this Section.
2    (c) An individual who receives information under
3subsection (b) may apply for financial assistance under this
4Section in the manner specified by the Department. Upon
5receipt of an application, the Department shall determine:
6        (1) the applicant's eligibility for financial
7    assistance;
8        (2) the amount of financial assistance for which the
9    applicant is eligible; and
10        (3) whether the applicant is eligible for a single
11    payment or a recurring payment of financial assistance,
12    based on the Department's assessment of the applicant's
13    need.
14    (d) An applicant for financial assistance under this Act
15is automatically eligible for financial assistance under this
16Act if:
17        (1) the applicant is receiving, or the applicant's
18    household includes, an individual who is receiving
19    benefits under:
20            (A) the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families
21        (TANF) program;
22            (B) the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance
23        Program (SNAP); or
24            (C) the Medicaid program; or
25        (2) the applicant's household includes a child who is
26    eligible for free or reduced-price lunch.

 

 

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1    (e) If the Department determines under subsection (c) that
2an individual is eligible for financial assistance, or that
3the individual is eligible for financial assistance under
4subsection (d), the Department may provide financial
5assistance to the individual or to the broadband Internet
6provider designated by the individual in the form of one or
7more vouchers, each in the amount of $50, that can be used by
8the individual to pay one or more of the following expenses:
9        (1) fees charged by a broadband Internet provider for
10    installation, activation, equipment purchase, Wi-Fi
11    extenders, or other one-time expenses of providing
12    broadband Internet service to the individual;
13        (2) monthly subscription fees charged by a broadband
14    Internet provider for the provision of broadband Internet
15    service to the individual household, including modem,
16    router, or other service or equipment charges; and
17        (3) overdue amounts owed to provider, including
18    administrative fees and penalties.
19    A voucher or similar designation of eligibility may be
20provided by the Department in printed or electronic form.
21    (f) A provider that receives a voucher under this Section
22from an individual household who subscribes to the provider's
23broadband Internet service shall deduct the amount of the
24voucher from the amount owed by the subscriber for the
25provider's provision of broadband Internet service to the
26individual household on a monthly basis.

 

 

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1    (g) If the fund does not receive an ongoing appropriation
2from the General Assembly, the Department shall provide a
390-day notice to participating households and broadband
4Internet providers that financial support will be
5discontinued."; and
 
6on page 1, line 4, by replacing "Section 5" with "Section 100";
7and
 
8on page 1, line 23, by replacing "if" with "when"; and
 
9on page 3, by replacing lines 6 though 17 with the following:
 
10    "(e) The Department may adopt any rules necessary to
11administer the provisions of this Section."; and
 
12on page 3, immediately below line 17, by inserting the
13following:
 
14    "Section 105. The State Finance Act is amended by adding
15Section 5.935 as follows:
 
16    "(30 ILCS 105/5.935 new)
17    Sec. 5.935. The Illinois Broadband Adoption Fund."; and
 
18on page 3, line 18, by replacing "Section 99" with "Section

 

 

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1999".