93RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2003 and 2004
HB7022

 

Introduced 02/09/04, by William B. Black - Sidney H. Mathias

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
305 ILCS 5/9A-11   from Ch. 23, par. 9A-11

    Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that the Department of Human Services shall (i) conduct an annual market rate survey based on the cost of child care and other relevant factors and (ii) increase the reimbursement rate paid to providers of child care services under the TANF program to not less than 70% of the market rate as determined by the survey. Deletes a provision for a similar survey to be completed by July 1, 1998. Effective immediately.


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FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

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1     AN ACT concerning public aid.
 
2     Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3 represented in the General Assembly:
 
4     Section 5. The Illinois Public Aid Code is amended by
5 changing Section 9A-11 as follows:
 
6
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 costs
17 of child care. It is also the preference of the General
18 Assembly that all working poor families should be treated
19 equally, regardless of their welfare status.
20     (b) To the extent resources permit, the Illinois Department
21 shall provide child care services to parents or other relatives
22 as defined by rule who are working or participating in
23 employment or Department approved education or training
24 programs. At a minimum, the Illinois Department shall cover the
25 following categories of families:
26         (1) recipients of TANF under Article IV participating
27     in work and training activities as specified in the
28     personal plan for employment and self-sufficiency;
29         (2) families transitioning from TANF to work;
30         (3) families at risk of becoming recipients of TANF;
31         (4) families with special needs as defined by rule; and
32         (5) working families with very low incomes as defined

 

 

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1     by rule.
2     The Department shall specify by rule the conditions of
3 eligibility, the application process, and the types, amounts,
4 and duration of services. Eligibility for child care benefits
5 and the amount of child care provided may vary based on family
6 size, income, and other factors as specified by rule.
7     In determining income eligibility for child care benefits,
8 the Department annually, at the beginning of each fiscal year,
9 shall establish, by rule, one income threshold for each family
10 size, in relation to percentage of State median income for a
11 family of that size, that makes families with incomes below the
12 specified threshold eligible for assistance and families with
13 incomes above the specified threshold ineligible for
14 assistance. The specified threshold must be no less than 50% of
15 the then-current State median income for each family size.
16     In determining eligibility for assistance, the Department
17 shall not give preference to any category of recipients or give
18 preference to individuals based on their receipt of benefits
19 under this Code.
20     The Department shall allocate $7,500,000 annually for a
21 test program for families who are income-eligible for child
22 care assistance, who are not recipients of TANF under Article
23 IV, and who need child care assistance to participate in
24 education and training activities. The Department shall
25 specify by rule the conditions of eligibility for this test
26 program.
27     Nothing in this Section shall be construed as conferring
28 entitlement status to eligible families.
29     The Illinois Department is authorized to lower income
30 eligibility ceilings, raise parent co-payments, create waiting
31 lists, or take such other actions during a fiscal year as are
32 necessary to ensure that child care benefits paid under this
33 Article do not exceed the amounts appropriated for those child
34 care benefits. These changes may be accomplished by emergency
35 rule under Section 5-45 of the Illinois Administrative
36 Procedure Act, except that the limitation on the number of

 

 

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1 emergency rules that may be adopted in a 24-month period shall
2 not apply.
3     The Illinois Department may contract with other State
4 agencies or child care organizations for the administration of
5 child care services.
6     (c) Payment shall be made for child care that otherwise
7 meets the requirements of this Section and applicable standards
8 of State and local law and regulation, including any
9 requirements the Illinois Department promulgates by rule in
10 addition to the licensure requirements promulgated by the
11 Department of Children and Family Services and Fire Prevention
12 and Safety requirements promulgated by the Office of the State
13 Fire Marshal and is provided in any of the following:
14         (1) a child care center which is licensed or exempt
15     from licensure pursuant to Section 2.09 of the Child Care
16     Act of 1969;
17         (2) a licensed child care home or home exempt from
18     licensing;
19         (3) a licensed group child care home;
20         (4) other types of child care, including child care
21     provided by relatives or persons living in the same home as
22     the child, as determined by the Illinois Department by
23     rule.
24     (d) The Illinois Department shall, by rule, require
25 co-payments for child care services by any parent, including
26 parents whose only income is from assistance under this Code.
27 The co-payment shall be assessed based on a sliding scale based
28 on family income, family size, and the number of children in
29 care. Co-payments shall not be increased due solely to a change
30 in the methodology for counting family income.
31     (e) The Illinois Department shall conduct an annual a
32 market rate survey based on the cost of child care and other
33 relevant factors. The Department shall increase the
34 reimbursement rate paid to providers of child care services
35 under this Section to not less than 70% of the market rate as
36 determined by the survey which shall be completed by July 1,

 

 

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1 1998.
2     (f) The Illinois Department shall, by rule, set rates to be
3 paid for the various types of child care. Child care may be
4 provided through one of the following methods:
5         (1) arranging the child care through eligible
6     providers by use of purchase of service contracts or
7     vouchers;
8         (2) arranging with other agencies and community
9     volunteer groups for non-reimbursed child care;
10         (3) (blank); or
11         (4) adopting such other arrangements as the Department
12     determines appropriate.
13     (g) Families eligible for assistance under this Section
14 shall be given the following options:
15         (1) receiving a child care certificate issued by the
16     Department or a subcontractor of the Department that may be
17     used by the parents as payment for child care and
18     development services only; or
19         (2) if space is available, enrolling the child with a
20     child care provider that has a purchase of service contract
21     with the Department or a subcontractor of the Department
22     for the provision of child care and development services.
23     The Department may identify particular priority
24     populations for whom they may request special
25     consideration by a provider with purchase of service
26     contracts, provided that the providers shall be permitted
27     to maintain a balance of clients in terms of household
28     incomes and families and children with special needs, as
29     defined by rule.
30 (Source: P.A. 93-361, eff. 9-1-03.)
 
31     Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
32 becoming law.