093_HB3329

 
                                     LRB093 10204 DRJ 10458 b

 1        AN ACT in relation to 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 4-1.12 as follows:

 6        (305 ILCS 5/4-1.12)
 7        Sec. 4-1.12.  Five year limitation.
 8        (a)  No assistance unit shall  be  eligible  for  a  cash
 9    grant  under  this  Article  if  it includes an adult who has
10    received cash assistance as an adult for 60  months,  whether
11    or   not  consecutive,  after  the  effective  date  of  this
12    amendatory Act of 1997.  The Illinois Department  may  exempt
13    individual  assistance  units from the 60-month limitation or
14    determine circumstances under which a month or  months  would
15    not  count  towards  the  60-month limitation even though the
16    assistance  unit  did  receive  cash  assistance  under  this
17    Article.
18        (b) Within 30 days before the 54th month of a recipient's
19    assistance that counts toward the 60-month  limitation  under
20    this  Section,  the  Illinois  Department  shall  notify  the
21    recipient  in  writing  that  he  or  she  is approaching the
22    60-month limitation  on  assistance  and  shall  schedule  an
23    in-person  meeting with the recipient before the beginning of
24    the 54th month of assistance.  At the meeting,  the  Illinois
25    Department shall do the following:
26             (1)  Review  the  months counted toward the 60-month
27        limitation and reduce the months counted  by  any  months
28        counted in error and by any months for which the Illinois
29        Department  has  been repaid for cash assistance provided
30        by child support or other offsets.
31             (2) Inquire into  the  employability  of  the  adult
 
                            -2-      LRB093 10204 DRJ 10458 b
 1        recipient   and   make   appropriate  referrals  for  job
 2        readiness, job placement, or skill-building activities.
 3             (3) Inquire  into  the  existence  of  disabilities,
 4        hardships,   or   barriers   to   employment,   and  make
 5        appropriate  referrals  for  treatment,  counseling,   or
 6        diagnosis  or  to  the Social Security Administration for
 7        processing of an application for disability benefits.
 8             (4)  In  conjunction  with   the   inquiries   under
 9        paragraphs  (2) and (3), conduct a literacy test and make
10        referrals for other tests as needed to ascertain barriers
11        to employment.
12             (5) If child  support  is  not  being  collected  on
13        behalf  of  the  household  and  cooperation  with  child
14        support  enforcement  has  not  been  waived,  refer  the
15        recipient  to  the  child support enforcement program for
16        expedited service.
17        (c) Before the 58th month  of  a  recipient's  assistance
18    that   counts  toward  the  60-month  limitation  under  this
19    Section, the Illinois Department shall notify  the  recipient
20    in  writing  that  he  or  she  is  approaching  the 60-month
21    limitation on assistance  and  shall  schedule  an  in-person
22    meeting  with  the recipient before the beginning of the 58th
23    month of assistance. At the meeting, the Illinois  Department
24    shall do the following:
25             (1)   Determine whether the recipient is entitled to
26        any exception to the 60-month limitation then  in  effect
27        under applicable laws or rules.
28             (2)  If  no  exception  to  the  60-month limitation
29        applies, determine the recipient's  family's  entitlement
30        to  ongoing medical assistance and food stamps and to any
31        ongoing cash assistance for members of the  family  other
32        than  the  recipient,  the circumstances under which that
33        cash assistance will be available, and any other  ongoing
34        benefits  or  services available to the recipient and the
 
                            -3-      LRB093 10204 DRJ 10458 b
 1        family.
 2             (3)  Perform any of  the  functions  required  under
 3        subsection  (b)  that  have  not  been  performed or that
 4        should be updated or revised.
 5        (d) The Illinois Department may not terminate or sanction
 6    any individual for failure to attend either of  the  meetings
 7    required  under  subsections  (b)  and (c).  If the recipient
 8    fails to appear for a meeting, the Department  shall  conduct
 9    the  activities  prescribed  for  the  meeting  to the extent
10    possible  in  the  recipient's  absence.   If  the  recipient
11    appears at the district office for any purpose after the date
12    of a scheduled  meeting,  the  Department  shall  attempt  to
13    conduct  the meeting at that time or agree with the recipient
14    on a schedule to conduct the meeting.
15        (e) The Illinois Department may not deny assistance under
16    this Article to any adult applicant  for  assistance  on  the
17    grounds  that  the  applicant  previously  has  received cash
18    assistance as an adult for 60 months, without first reviewing
19    the  months  counted  toward  the  60-month  limitation   and
20    reducing  the  months  counted by any months counted in error
21    and by any months for which the Illinois Department has  been
22    repaid for cash assistance provided by child support or other
23    offsets,  nor  may  the  Illinois  Department deny assistance
24    under this Article to any such  applicant  without  inquiring
25    whether an exception to the 60-month limitation applies.
26    (Source: P.A. 90-17, eff. 7-1-97.)

27        Section  99.  Effective date.  This Act takes effect upon
28    becoming law.