State of Illinois
91st General Assembly
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91_HB1718

 
                                               LRB9103093DJcd

 1        AN ACT to amend the Illinois Public Aid Code by  changing
 2    Section 9A-11.

 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    changing Section 9A-11 as follows:

 7        (305 ILCS 5/9A-11) (from Ch. 23, par. 9A-11)
 8        Sec. 9A-11. Child Care.
 9        (a)  The  General  Assembly recognizes that families with
10    children need child care in order to  work.   Child  care  is
11    expensive  and families with low incomes, including those who
12    are transitioning from welfare to work, often struggle to pay
13    the costs of day care.  The General Assembly understands  the
14    importance  of helping low income working families become and
15    remain self-sufficient.  The General Assembly  also  believes
16    that  it  is  the  responsibility of families to share in the
17    costs of child care.   It  is  also  the  preference  of  the
18    General  Assembly  that  all  working poor families should be
19    treated equally, regardless of their welfare status.
20        (b)  To  the  extent  resources  permit,   the   Illinois
21    Department  shall  provide  child care services to parents or
22    other relatives  as  defined  by  rule  who  are  working  or
23    participating  in employment or Department approved education
24    or training programs.  At a minimum, the Illinois  Department
25    shall cover the following categories of families:
26             (1)  recipients    of    TANF   under   Article   IV
27        participating  in  work  and   training   activities   as
28        specified   in  the  personal  plan  for  employment  and
29        self-sufficiency;
30             (2)  families transitioning from TANF to work;
31             (3)  families at  risk  of  becoming  recipients  of
 
                            -2-                LRB9103093DJcd
 1        TANF;
 2             (4)  families with special needs as defined by rule;
 3        and
 4             (5)  working  families  with  very  low  incomes  as
 5        defined by rule.
 6        The   Illinois  Department  shall  specify  by  rule  the
 7    conditions of eligibility, the application process,  and  the
 8    types,  amounts,  and  duration of services.  Eligibility for
 9    child care benefits and the amount of child care provided may
10    vary based on family  size,  income,  and  other  factors  as
11    specified  by  rule.  In  determining  income eligibility for
12    child care benefits, the Illinois Department shall establish,
13    by rule, one  income  threshold  for  each  family  size,  in
14    relation to percentage of State median income for a family of
15    that  size,  that  makes  families  with  incomes  below  the
16    specified threshold eligible for assistance and families with
17    incomes   above   the   specified  threshold  ineligible  for
18    assistance. In determining eligibility  for  assistance,  the
19    Illinois Department shall not give preference to any category
20    of  recipients  or  give  preference  to individuals based on
21    their receipt of benefits under this Code.  It is the  intent
22    of  the  General  Assembly that, for fiscal year 1998, to the
23    extent  resources  permit,  the  Illinois  Department   shall
24    establish an income eligibility threshold of 50% of the State
25    median  income.   Notwithstanding  the  income level at which
26    families become eligible to receive  child  care  assistance,
27    any family that is already receiving child care assistance on
28    the  effective  date  of  this  amendatory  Act of 1997 shall
29    remain eligible for assistance for fiscal year 1998.  Nothing
30    in this Section shall be construed as conferring  entitlement
31    status  to  eligible  families.   The  Illinois Department is
32    authorized to lower income eligibility ceilings, raise parent
33    co-payments, create waiting lists, or take such other actions
34    during a fiscal year as are necessary to  ensure  that  child
 
                            -3-                LRB9103093DJcd
 1    care  benefits  paid  under  this  Article  do not exceed the
 2    amounts appropriated for those child care  benefits.    These
 3    changes  may  be accomplished by emergency rule under Section
 4    5-45 of the Illinois  Administrative  Procedure  Act,  except
 5    that the limitation on the number of emergency rules that may
 6    be  adopted  in  a  24-month  period  shall  not  apply.  The
 7    Illinois Department may contract with other State agencies or
 8    child care organizations for the administration of child care
 9    services.
10        (c)  Payment shall be made for child care that  otherwise
11    meets   the  requirements  of  this  Section  and  applicable
12    standards of State and local law  and  regulation,  including
13    any  requirements the Illinois Department promulgates by rule
14    in addition to the licensure requirements promulgated by  the
15    Department   of   Children   and  Family  Services  and  Fire
16    Prevention and Safety requirements promulgated by the  Office
17    of  the  State  Fire  Marshal  and  is provided in any of the
18    following:
19             (1)  a child care center which is licensed or exempt
20        from licensure pursuant to Section 2.09 of the Child Care
21        Act of 1969;
22             (2)  a licensed child care home or home exempt  from
23        licensing;
24             (3)  a licensed group child care home;
25             (4)  other types of child care, including child care
26        provided  by relatives or persons living in the same home
27        as the child, as determined by the Illinois Department by
28        rule.
29        (d)  The Illinois  Department  shall,  by  rule,  require
30    co-payments  for child care services by any parent, including
31    parents whose only income is from assistance under this Code.
32    The co-payment shall be assessed based  on  a  sliding  scale
33    based  on  family  income,  family  size,  and  the number of
34    children in care.
 
                            -4-                LRB9103093DJcd
 1        (e)  The Illinois Department shall conduct a market  rate
 2    survey  based  on the cost of care and other relevant factors
 3    which shall be completed by July 1, 1998.
 4        (f)  The Illinois Department shall, by rule, set rates to
 5    be paid for the various types of child care. Child  care  may
 6    be provided through one of the following methods:
 7             (1)  arranging   the  child  care  through  eligible
 8        providers by use of  purchase  of  service  contracts  or
 9        vouchers;
10             (2)  arranging  with  other  agencies  and community
11        volunteer groups for non-reimbursed child care;
12             (3)  (blank); or
13             (4)  adopting  such  other   arrangements   as   the
14        Illinois Department determines appropriate.
15        (g)  Families  eligible for assistance under this Section
16    shall be given the following options:
17             (1)  receiving a child care  certificate  issued  by
18        the   Illinois  Department  or  a  subcontractor  of  the
19        Illinois Department that may be used by  the  parents  as
20        payment for child care and development services only; or
21             (2)  if space is available, enrolling the child with
22        a  child  care  provider  that  has a purchase of service
23        contract with the Illinois Department or a  subcontractor
24        of  the  Illinois  Department  for the provision of child
25        care and development services.  The  Illinois  Department
26        may  identify  particular  priority  populations for whom
27        they may request special consideration by a provider with
28        purchase  of  service  contracts,   provided   that   the
29        providers  shall  be  permitted  to maintain a balance of
30        clients in terms of household incomes  and  families  and
31        children with special needs, as defined by rule.
32    (Source: P.A. 90-17, eff. 7-1-97.)

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