HB0261 100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

  
  

 


 
100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2017 and 2018
HB0261

 

Introduced , by Rep. Michelle Mussman

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
105 ILCS 45/1-17 new

    Amends the Education for Homeless Children Act. Provides that if a child loses permanent housing and becomes a homeless person, within the meaning of the Act, and the parent or guardian of the child finds temporary housing or shelter that still renders the child homeless within the meaning of the Act and if the school district of the child's school of origin is thereby required to pay the transportation costs of the child to and from his or her school of origin and the school district can save money by providing housing assistance to the parent or guardian of the child such that it would allow the child to attend his or her school of origin instead of providing transportation to and from the child's school of origin, then the school district may, at its discretion, provide rental or mortgage assistance. Sets forth provisions concerning the amount of assistance, providing the assistance indirectly through a homeless assistance agency, providing assistance to those at risk of homelessness, the length of assistance provided, and the school district funds from which the assistance may be drawn. Effective immediately.


LRB100 04702 MLM 14708 b

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

HB0261LRB100 04702 MLM 14708 b

1    AN ACT concerning education.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Education for Homeless Children Act is
5amended by adding Section 1-17 as follows:
 
6    (105 ILCS 45/1-17 new)
7    Sec. 1-17. Housing assistance.
8    (a) If a child loses permanent housing and becomes a
9homeless person within the meaning of Section 1-5 of this Act
10and the parent or guardian of the child finds temporary housing
11or shelter that still renders the child homeless within the
12meaning of Section 1-5 of this Act and if the school district
13of the child's school of origin is thereby required to pay the
14transportation costs of the child to and from his or her school
15of origin under Section 1-15 of this Act and the school
16district can save money by providing housing assistance to the
17parent or guardian of the child such that it would allow the
18child to attend his or her school of origin instead of
19providing transportation to and from the child's school of
20origin, then, notwithstanding Section 1-15 of this Act, the
21school district may, at its discretion:
22        (1) provide rental assistance in such amount as will
23    allow the student and his or her parent or guardian to

 

 

HB0261- 2 -LRB100 04702 MLM 14708 b

1    remain in the attendance area of the school of origin;
2        (2) provide rental assistance in such amount as will
3    allow the student and his or her parent or guardian to
4    remain in the school district;
5        (3) provide mortgage assistance in such amount as will
6    allow the student and his or her parent or guardian to
7    remain in the attendance area of the school of origin; or
8        (4) provide mortgage assistance in such amount as will
9    allow the student and his or her parent or guardian to
10    remain in the school district.
11Alternatively, at the discretion of the school district, the
12school district may provide such assistance indirectly through
13a homeless assistance agency that is part of the federal
14McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act's Continuum of Care for
15the area in which the school district is located.
16    (b) If a child is at risk of homelessness and the parent or
17guardian of that child can show, through an eviction notice,
18foreclosure notice, or other evidence, impending homelessness,
19and if evidence shows, with a strong degree of confidence to
20the satisfaction of the school district, that the temporary
21housing or shelter where the child and parent or guardian will
22be located is outside the attendance area of the child's school
23of origin, then the school district may, at its discretion,
24provide rental or mortgage assistance similar to that outlined
25in subsection (a) of this Section.
26    (c) The school district may, at its discretion, continue

 

 

HB0261- 3 -LRB100 04702 MLM 14708 b

1rental or mortgage assistance to the parent or guardian as
2provided in this Section for up to one year or until the end of
3the then current school year. At the end of that year or school
4year, the school district shall determine or consult with the
5homeless assistance agency, if any, that has been providing the
6direct assistance to determine the parent's or guardian's
7likelihood of obtaining permanent housing and may, at the
8school district's discretion and if it can again be shown that
9it will save money, provide an additional year or school year
10of assistance to the parent or guardian under this Section.
11    (d) The funds to pay for assistance under this Section may
12be drawn from the school district's transportation fund,
13notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, or another fund
14that the school district deems appropriate.
 
15    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
16becoming law.