103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2023 and 2024
SB3462

 

Introduced 2/8/2024, by Sen. Ram Villivalam

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
20 ILCS 1305/10-80 new
20 ILCS 1305/10-85 new

    Provides that the amendatory Act may be referred to as the Illinois Guaranteed Income Law. Amends the Department of Human Services Act. Establishes the Guaranteed Income Implementation Board within the Department of Human Services to: (i) evaluate the efficacy of guaranteed income in improving outcomes for Illinois residents; (ii) propose statewide policies to create and implement one or more permanent guaranteed income programs; and (iii) provide oversight related to the implementation of any guaranteed income program enacted by the General Assembly. Sets forth the composition of the Board and provides that all appointments to the Board must be completed by August 31, 2024. Requires the Board to meet at the call of the co-chairs no less than 6 times a year with the first meeting to be held no later than 30 days after all Board members have been appointed. Provides that the Board must perform certain tasks including reviewing the landscape of cash supports available to low-income residents of Illinois and identifying populations without significant access to cash supports. Contains provisions concerning Board reporting requirements, Board recommendations and subcommittees, and other matters. Provides that the Board shall dissolve on December 31, 2027. Requires the Department of Human Services to establish and administer, subject to appropriation, a Guaranteed Income for Illinois Program that provides a monthly cash benefit of $1,000 to Illinois residents, regardless of immigration status, who: (1) provides care for a child or other specified dependent; (2) recently gave birth or adopted a child; or (3) is enrolled in an educational or vocational program. Contains provisions on qualifying life events that effect eligibility determinations, renewal applications for benefits, and Department rules. Effective immediately.


LRB103 38788 KTG 68925 b

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

SB3462LRB103 38788 KTG 68925 b

1    AN ACT concerning State government.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 1. This Act may be referred to as the Illinois
5Guaranteed Income Law.
 
6    Section 3. Findings and declaration of policy. The General
7Assembly finds, determines, and declares the following:
8        (1) All people deserve to live with dignity and have
9    their basic needs met.
10        (2) Elimination of deep poverty in the State of
11    Illinois is attainable and long overdue. While maximizing
12    the potential of existing economic security programs is
13    crucial, these programs alone are inadequate, given the
14    number of Illinoisans living in deep poverty. To build
15    upon our existing safety net, direct cash assistance
16    programs, such as a guaranteed income, are needed to
17    improve the well-being and economic stability of families.
18        (3) Guaranteed income refers to periodic,
19    unconditional cash payments directly to individuals. A
20    guaranteed income is not universal and is meant to
21    prioritize cash based on need.
22        (4) The City of Chicago, City of Evanston, and Cook
23    County have successfully conducted guaranteed income

 

 

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1    pilots. These programs have demonstrated the power of cash
2    in improving outcomes for households in need, and provided
3    valuable insights into the potential benefits of a
4    guaranteed income.
5        (5) Guaranteed income programs both in Illinois and
6    across the country have been effective in improving
7    outcomes including, but not limited to, those related to
8    physical and mental health, nutrition, employment, housing
9    stability, financial stability, and many others, while
10    also reducing involvement in the child welfare and
11    criminal legal systems.
12        (6) Guaranteed income programs have shown a remarkable
13    capacity to support caregivers in our communities,
14    including caregivers for children, elderly parents, the
15    disabled, and those supporting formerly incarcerated
16    individuals, acknowledging the often overlooked but vital
17    role these caregivers play in the well-being of our
18    society.
19        (7) Guaranteed income not only supports people
20    struggling to meet their basic needs but also provides
21    crucial stability for every Illinoisan when confronted
22    with unexpected, challenging, and increasing frequent
23    financial costs, ensuring economic resilience for all.
24        (8) Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s vision, as conveyed
25    in his last book, "Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or
26    Community?", should guide our approach to addressing

 

 

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1    poverty. His famous declaration that "the solution to
2    poverty is to abolish it directly by a now widely
3    discussed measure: the guaranteed income" should serve as
4    a source of inspiration for our actions.
5        (9) Recent mothers and new parents face numerous
6    hardships. During the most critical time in a baby's life,
7    the State should provide its full support, recognizing the
8    importance of nurturing the next generation and fostering
9    a strong foundation for Illinois families.
10        (10) Caregivers come from every community, whether
11    rural or urban, migrant or resident, and their dedication
12    and sacrifices deserve our utmost respect and
13    acknowledgment, as they play a central role in creating
14    thriving and interconnected communities.
15        (11) The State of Illinois remains committed to
16    exploring innovative and effective ways to address
17    poverty.
 
18    Section 5. The Department of Human Services Act is amended
19by adding Sections 10-80 and 10-85 as follows:
 
20    (20 ILCS 1305/10-80 new)
21    Sec. 10-80. Guaranteed Income Implementation Board.
22    (a) As used in this Section:
23    "Board" means the Guaranteed Income Implementation Board.
24    "Guaranteed income" means periodic, unconditional cash

 

 

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1payments directly to individuals. A guaranteed income is not
2universal and is meant to prioritize cash based on need.
3    "SNAP" means the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance
4Program.
5    "TANF" means the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families
6program established under Article IV of the Illinois Public
7Aid Code.
8    (b) The Guaranteed Income Implementation Board is
9established within the Department of Human Services to:
10        (1) evaluate the efficacy of guaranteed income -
11    unconditional periodic direct cash payments - in improving
12    outcomes for Illinois residents;
13        (2) propose statewide policies to create and implement
14    one or more permanent guaranteed income programs; and
15        (3) provide oversight related to the implementation of
16    any guaranteed income program enacted by the General
17    Assembly.
18    (c) Members. The Board must consist of the following
19members:
20        (1) one member of the House of Representatives,
21    appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives,
22    who must serve as co-chair;
23        (2) one member of the Senate, appointed by the Senate
24    President, who must serve as co-chair;
25        (3) one member of the House of Representatives,
26    appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of

 

 

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1    Representatives;
2        (4) one member of the Senate, appointed by the
3    Minority Leader of the Senate;
4        (5) one member appointed by the Governor;
5        (6) the Secretary of Human Services, or the
6    Secretary's designee;
7        (7) the Director of Healthcare and Family Services, or
8    the Director's designee;
9        (8) two members of the community who have received, or
10    are currently receiving, cash through a guaranteed income
11    pilot or demonstration program in Illinois, including, but
12    not limited to, the Chicago Resilient Communities Pilot,
13    the Cook County Promise Guaranteed Income Pilot, the
14    Evanston Guaranteed Income Pilot, the Chicago Future Fund,
15    or any other privately funded guaranteed income pilot,
16    demonstration, or program for Illinois residents;
17        (9) two members whose professional experience includes
18    advocacy related to guaranteed income or other direct cash
19    supports;
20        (10) two members whose professional experience
21    includes administering guaranteed income pilots or other
22    direct cash supports; and
23        (11) two members from community-based organizations
24    who advocate on behalf of and alongside communities that
25    often lack access to cash supports.
26    (d) Appointments to the Board must be complete by August

 

 

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131, 2024. Members of the Board shall serve without
2compensation.
3    (e) The Board must meet at the call of the co-chairs no
4less than 6 times a year with the first meeting to be held no
5later than 30 days after all members of the Board have been
6appointed.
7    (f) The Board must complete all of the following tasks:
8        (1) Evaluate the efficacy of guaranteed income in
9    improving outcomes for Illinois residents, including, but
10    not limited to, outcomes related to public health,
11    nutrition, housing, education, employment, interaction
12    with the criminal legal system, interaction with the child
13    welfare system, public safety, economic indicators, and
14    economic stability.
15        (2) Review the landscape of cash supports available to
16    low-income residents of Illinois, identify populations
17    without significant access to cash supports, and delineate
18    the current state of cash supports available in Illinois
19    including, but not limited to, one-time payment programs,
20    restricted basic assistance programs, and other
21    income-based programming such as SNAP, TANF, and other
22    State-administered assistance programs.
23        (3) Evaluate the effectiveness of outreach activities
24    for cash supports in Illinois.
25        (4) Submit a report to the General Assembly and the
26    Governor by December 31, 2026 that evaluates the efficacy

 

 

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1    of guaranteed income in improving outcomes for Illinois
2    residents as described in paragraph (1). The report shall
3    also include all of the following:
4            (A) Recommendations for one or more permanent
5        guaranteed income programs including, eligibility
6        guidelines, program rules, the amount of cash provided
7        through the program, and the length of time assistance
8        should be provided.
9            (B) An analysis of the costs and benefits of each
10        program recommended in the report.
11            (C) An analysis of potential sources of funding
12        for each program.
13            (D) Recommendations to minimize administrative
14        burdens and eliminate barriers to access for program
15        applicants.
16            (E) Input from community partners, including
17        recipients of guaranteed income pilots or Illinois
18        residents who would be eligible to receive guaranteed
19        income payments through each program recommended in
20        the report.
21            (F) An analysis and set of recommendations to the
22        General Assembly to improve or otherwise expand upon
23        the State's current cash-based programming as
24        described in paragraph (2).
25    (g) In addition to the mandatory tasks included in
26subsection (f), the Board may engage in any other activity

 

 

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1that will advance the creation and implementation of permanent
2guaranteed income programs in the State.
3    (h) Deadline; dissolution. The Board must complete all
4mandatory activities as set forth in subsection (f) and all
5additional activities under subsection (g) by December 31,
62026.
7    (i) Committees. The Board may establish subcommittees to
8address specific aspects of its duties. Subcommittees may
9collaborate with individuals with relevant expertise who are
10not members of the Board to assist the subcommittee in
11carrying out its duties.
12    (j) The Department of Human Services shall provide staff
13and administrative support to the Board.
14    (k) All Board meetings are subject to the Open Meetings
15Act.
16    (l) Nothing in this Section shall be construed to
17contravene any federal or State law or regulation. Unless
18specifically referenced in this Section, nothing in this
19Section shall affect or alter the existing statutory powers of
20any State agency or be construed as a reassignment or
21reorganization of any State agency.
22    (m) The Board is dissolved, and this Section is repealed,
23on December 31, 2027.
 
24    (20 ILCS 1305/10-85 new)
25    Sec. 10-85. Guaranteed Income for Illinois Program.

 

 

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1    (a) Subject to appropriation, the Department of Human
2Services shall establish and administer a Guaranteed Income
3for Illinois Program to provide guaranteed monthly income to
4qualifying Illinois residents as described in subsection (b).
5Eligible residents shall receive a monthly cash benefit of
6$1,000 for each month of participation. Notwithstanding the
7requirements described in subsection (c), participation in the
8program shall be limited by available funding and a lottery
9selection process.
10    (b) An Illinois resident, regardless of immigration
11status, is eligible to receive monthly cash benefits under the
12program if the resident:
13        (1) provides care for a child, elderly dependent,
14    dependent with a disability, or formerly incarcerated
15    individual participating in a reentry program;
16        (2) recently gave birth to or adopted a child; or
17        (3) is enrolled in an educational or vocational
18    program to increase personal income and achieve financial
19    stability.
20    (c) Qualifying residents may apply on a rolling basis as
21prescribed by the Department. Residents approved to
22participate in the program shall be prioritized such that
23those residents determined to be experiencing a qualifying
24life event shall be considered high-priority. For the purposes
25of this Section, "qualifying life event" means any of the
26following events or experiences:

 

 

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1        (1) facing homelessness or poverty;
2        (2) seeking shelter or transitioning to housing after
3    a period of homelessness;
4        (3) becoming a parent within the last 3 years; and
5        (4) supporting a formerly incarcerated family member
6    who was released within one year prior to the date of
7    application for benefits.
8    (d) Program participants may apply for a renewal of their
9monthly cash benefits after receiving their first 12 monthly
10payments. To apply for a renewal, program participants must
11submit, as prescribed by the Department, information that
12reaffirms their status as an eligible individual or that the
13qualifying life event is still active. Participants shall be
14phased out of the program if their renewal application
15reports:
16        (1) a substantial change in income;
17        (2) that the participant is no longer caring for a
18    qualifying dependent as described in paragraph (1) of
19    subsection (b);
20        (3) that the participant is no longer participating in
21    an educational or vocational program as described in
22    paragraph (3) of subsection (b);
23        (4) that the participant is a new parent as described
24    in paragraph (2) of subsection (b) and has already
25    received 3 benefit renewals; or
26        (5) any other substantial change in circumstances.

 

 

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1    (e) The Department may adopt any rules necessary to
2implement the provisions of this Section.
 
3    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
4becoming law.