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90_HB3439
305 ILCS 5/12-4.35 new
Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that the
Department shall adopt policies regarding the electronic
benefits transfer (Link) program, including providing checks
or coupons to persons with physical or mental disabilities,
making accommodations for personal attendants to have access
to the Link account, providing duplicate Link cards,
providing participants with rules of the program and a
listing of outlets accepting the Link card, providing
assistance regarding the manual backup processing system,
reimbursing recipients for lost or stolen benefits, excluding
situations of recipient fraud, and for benefits lost due to
Department of Human Services or contractor error, allowing
recipients to exchange for food coupons for travel out of
State, requiring vendors to accept cash along with Link
cards, reimbursing accounts for charges in excess of a stated
maximum, establishing a formal resolution procedure for
complaints, and establishing an Advisory Committee that
includes advocate and recipient representation to make
recommendations regarding the Link program. Effective July
1, 1998.
LRB9010489SMdv
LRB9010489SMdv
1 AN ACT to amend the Illinois Public Aid Code by adding
2 Section 12-4.35.
3 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
4 represented in the General Assembly:
5 Section 5. The Illinois Public Aid Code is amended by
6 adding Section 12-4.35 as follows:
7 (305 ILCS 5/12-4.35 new)
8 Sec. 12-4.35. Link (electronic benefits transfer)
9 improvements. On and after the effective date of this
10 amendatory Act of 1998, the Department of Human Services (the
11 Department) shall adopt and implement the following policies
12 in the Illinois Link Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT)
13 program in addition to any other policies it has adopted by
14 rule that are not inconsistent with this Section. The
15 Department shall:
16 (1) at the recipient's option, exempt from mandatory
17 Illinois Link participation households headed by a person
18 with a physical or mental disability that makes it difficult
19 for the person to use the Link card, and the Department shall
20 instead provide checks or food coupons;
21 (2) at the recipient's option, provide persons with a
22 disability who use a personal attendant to assist them with
23 daily living or shopping with a separate Link account and
24 Personal Identification Number (PIN) with restricted access
25 for the personal attendant, and allow recipients to transfer
26 benefits from their Link accounts to the personal attendant
27 accounts;
28 (3) at the recipient's option, provide the Link head of
29 household with up to three additional duplicate Link cards
30 for use by other household members;
31 (4) provide all participants in the Illinois Link
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1 program with a booklet or brochure including comprehensive,
2 detailed information on all policies and rules relating to
3 the Illinois Link program, including the location of all
4 Automatic Teller Machines (ATMs), Cash Stations, stores, and
5 other outlets that accept Illinois Link cards or have
6 Illinois Link machines;
7 (5) regarding the manual processing backup system:
8 (A) include in the toll-free Illinois Link Helpline
9 an option for recipients to report a vendor's failure to
10 use the manual processing backup system; and
11 (B) require the Illinois Link contractor charged
12 with monitoring the Helpline to ensure that a vendor
13 complies with the manual processing backup system
14 procedures immediately upon the reporting of a vendor's
15 failure to use the manual processing backup system;
16 (6) reimburse recipients for lost or stolen cash
17 benefits, unless the Department proves recipient fraud;
18 (7) reimburse recipients for cash benefits lost due to
19 Department or Link contractor error;
20 (8) allow recipients to convert food benefits to coupons
21 for travel out of State whenever the request is reasonable,
22 whether for a family emergency, to visit friends or tourist
23 sites, to receive medical care, for employment, or for any
24 other reason Illinois residents typically travel out of
25 State;
26 (9) require vendors to allow food benefit recipients to
27 pay cash for purchases that exceed the amount remaining in
28 their Link food account;
29 (10) reimburse recipients' Link accounts for all charges
30 or fees deducted by ATMs or Cash Stations, whether or not
31 such entities are under contract with the State of Illinois,
32 other than a $1 transaction fee per cash withdrawal after
33 four free cash withdrawals per month and a 50 cents per
34 balance inquiry fee after four free balance inquiries per
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1 month, up to a maximum of $5 per month for such transaction
2 fees;
3 (11) establish a formal error resolution procedure
4 outside of the toll-free Helpline to deal with errors in the
5 Link accounts;
6 (12) establish an Advisory Committee that includes
7 advocate and recipient representation to make recommendations
8 regarding the Link program.
9 Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect July
10 1, 1998.