Public Act 90-0017 of the 90th General Assembly

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Public Act 90-0017

HB0204 Enrolled                                LRB9001426WHmg

    AN ACT regarding assistance to needy families.

    Be it enacted by the People of  the  State  of  Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:

    Section  5.  The Illinois Administrative Procedure Act is
amended by adding Section 5-160 as follows:

    (5 ILCS 100/5-160 new)
    Sec. 5-160.  Certain provisions of  the  Illinois  Public
Aid  Code  control over provisions of this Act.  In the event
that any provisions of this Act  are  in  conflict  with  the
provisions  of  Section  4-2 of the Illinois Public Aid Code,
the provisions of Section 4-2 of the Illinois Public Aid Code
shall control.

    Section 10.  The Illinois Public Aid Code is  amended  by
changing the heading of Article IV, by changing Sections 1-8,
4-0.5,  4-1,  4-1.1,  4-1.2,  4-1.6,  4-1.7, 4-1.9, 4-2, 4-8,
4-12, 6-1.3, 9A-3,  9A-4,  9A-7,  9A-8,  9A-9,  9A-11,  11-6,
11-6.2,  11-8,  11-8.6,  11-16,  11-20,  12-4.4, 12-4.11, and
12-10.3, and by  adding  Sections  1-9,  1-10,  1-11,  4-0.6,
4-1.12, 4-21, 4-22, 9A-13, and 12-13.05 as follows:

    (305 ILCS 5/1-8)
    Sec. 1-8.  Fugitives ineligible.
    (a)  The following persons are not eligible for aid under
this  Code,  or  federal  food  stamps  or federal food stamp
benefits:
         (1)  A person who has fled from the jurisdiction  of
    any  court of record of this or any other state or of the
    United States to avoid prosecution for  a  felony  or  to
    avoid   giving   testimony  in  any  criminal  proceeding
    involving the alleged commission of a felony.
         (2)  A person who has fled to avoid imprisonment  in
    a correctional facility of this or any other state or the
    United States for having committed a felony.
         (3)  A  person  who  has escaped from a correctional
    facility of this or any other state or the United  States
    if  the  person  was  incarcerated for having committed a
    felony.
         (4)  A  person  who  is  violating  a  condition  of
    probation or parole imposed under federal or State law.
    In this Section, "felony" means a violation  of  a  penal
statute  of  this or any other state or the United States for
which a sentence to death or to a term of imprisonment  in  a
penitentiary for one year or more is provided.
    To  implement  this  Section, the Illinois Department may
exchange  necessary  information  with  an  appropriate   law
enforcement  agency  of  this or any other state, a political
subdivision of this or any other state, or the United States.
    (b)  The Illinois Department shall apply for all  waivers
of  federal  law  and regulations necessary to implement this
Section, and implementation of this Section is contingent  on
the Illinois Department's receipt of those waivers.
(Source: P.A. 88-554, eff. 7-26-94; 89-489, eff. 1-1-97.)

    (305 ILCS 5/1-9 new)
    Sec.  1-9.  Misrepresentation of residence.  A person who
has been convicted in federal or State court of having made a
fraudulent  statement  or  representation  with  respect   to
residence  in order to receive assistance simultaneously from
2 or more states shall  be  ineligible  for  cash  assistance
under  this  Code  for  10  years  beginning  on  the date of
conviction.

    (305 ILCS 5/1-10 new)
    Sec. 1-10.  Drug convictions.
    (a)  Persons convicted of an offense under  the  Illinois
Controlled  Substances  Act or the Cannabis Control Act which
is a Class X felony, or a Class  1  felony,    or  comparable
federal  criminal law which has as an element the possession,
use, or distribution of a controlled substance, as defined in
Section 102(6) of the federal Controlled Substances  Act  (21
U.S.C.  802(c)),  shall  not  be eligible for cash assistance
provided under this Code.
    (b)  Persons convicted of   any other  felony  under  the
Illinois  Controlled  Substances  Act or the Cannabis Control
Act which is not a Class X or Class 1 felony,  or  comparable
federal  criminal law which has as an element the possession,
use, or distribution of a controlled substance, as defined in
Section 102(6) of the federal Controlled Substances  Act  (21
U.S.C.  802(c)),  shall  not  be eligible for cash assistance
provided under this  Code  for  2  years  from  the  date  of
conviction.   This  prohibition shall not apply if the person
is in a drug treatment program, aftercare program, or similar
program as defined by rule.
    (c)  Persons shall not be determined ineligible for  food
stamps  provided  under  this Code based upon a conviction of
any felony or comparable federal or State criminal law  which
has  an  element  the  possession,  use  or distribution of a
controlled substance, as defined in  Section  102(6)  of  the
federal Controlled Substance Act (21 U.S.C. 802(c)).

    (305 ILCS 5/1-11 new)
    Sec.  1-11.   Citizenship.   To  the extent not otherwise
provided in this Code or federal law, all clients who receive
cash or medical assistance under Article III, IV, V, or VI of
this  Code  must  meet  the   citizenship   requirements   as
established in this Section. To be eligible for assistance an
individual,  who  is  otherwise  eligible,  must  be either a
United States citizen or included in  one  of  the  following
categories of non-citizens:
         (1)  United States veterans honorably discharged and
    persons  on  active  military  duty,  and  the spouse and
    unmarried dependent children of these persons;
         (2)  Refugees under Section 207 of  the  Immigration
    and Nationality Act;
         (3)  Asylees  under  Section  208 of the Immigration
    and Nationality Act;
         (4)  Persons for whom deportation has been  withheld
    under  Section  243(h) of the Immigration and Nationality
    Act;
         (5)  Persons granted conditional entry under Section
    203(a)(7) of the Immigration and Nationality  Act  as  in
    effect prior to April 1, 1980;
         (6)  Persons   lawfully   admitted   for   permanent
    residence under the Immigration and Nationality Act; and
         (7)  Parolees,  for at least one year, under Section
    212(d)(5) of the Immigration and Nationality Act.
    Those persons who are in  the  categories  set  forth  in
subdivisions  6  and  7 of this Section, who enter the United
States on or after August 22, 1996, shall not be eligible for
5 years beginning on the date the person entered  the  United
States.
    The Illinois Department may, by rule, cover prenatal care
or  emergency  medical  care  for  non-citizens  who  are not
otherwise eligible under  this  Section.  Local  governmental
units  which  do not receive State funds may impose their own
citizenship requirements and are authorized  to  provide  any
benefits  and  impose  any  citizenship  requirements  as are
allowed  under   the   Personal   Responsibility   and   Work
Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (P.L. 104-193).

    (305 ILCS 5/Art. IV heading)
     ARTICLE IV. TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE FOR NEEDY FAMILIES
           AID TO FAMILIES WITH DEPENDENT CHILDREN

    (305 ILCS 5/4-0.5)
    Sec.  4-0.5.  Aid  to  Families  with  Dependent Children
Program inoperative after June 30, 1997. Article  inoperative
after  December  31, 1998.  The provisions of this Article IV
to  provide  assistance  payments  to  families  meeting  the
eligibility  requirements  of  the  Aid  to   Families   with
Dependent  Children (AFDC) Program shall be inoperative after
June 30, 1997 December 31, 1998.  Under the federal Temporary
Assistance for Needy Children Program the Illinois Department
shall develop an alternative program of mutual responsibility
between the Illinois Department and the client to  allow  the
family  to  become  self-sufficient or employed as quickly as
possible through (i) the provision of transitional assistance
to families in the form of  emergency  one-time  payments  to
prevent job loss, temporary assistance while searching for or
being  trained for work, or paternity establishment and child
support enforcement or (ii) the provision for continued work.
(Source: P.A. 89-6, eff. 3-6-95.)

    (305 ILCS 5/4-0.6 new)
    Sec. 4-0.6.  Reference to AFDC considered a reference  to
TANF.  On and after the effective date of this amendatory Act
of  1997,  any  reference  to  Aid to Families with Dependent
Children or AFDC shall be considered to  be  a  reference  to
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families or TANF.

    (305 ILCS 5/4-1) (from Ch. 23, par. 4-1)
    Sec.  4-1.  Eligibility  requirements.  Financial  aid in
meeting  basic  maintenance  requirements  for  a  livelihood
compatible with health and well-being shall  be  given  under
this  Article  to  or  in  behalf  of families with dependent
children who meet  the  eligibility  conditions  of  Sections

4-1.1  through  4-1.11.  Persons  who  meet  the  eligibility
criteria  authorized  under  this  Article  shall  be treated
equally, provided that  nothing  in  this  Article  shall  be
construed  to  create an entitlement to a particular grant or
service level or to aid in amounts not authorized under  this
Code,  nor  construed  to  limit the authority of the General
Assembly to change the eligibility requirements or provisions
respecting assistance amounts.
    The Illinois Department shall advise every applicant  for
and   recipient   of  aid  under  this  Article  of  (i)  the
requirement that all recipients move toward  self-sufficiency
and  (ii)  the  value  and  benefits  of  employment.   As  a
condition  of  eligibility  for  that  aid,  every person who
applies for aid under this Article on or after the  effective
date of this amendatory Act of 1995 shall prepare and submit,
as  part  of the application or subsequent redetermination, a
personal plan for achieving employment and  self-sufficiency.
The  plan shall incorporate the individualized assessment and
employability plan set out in subsections (d), (f),  and  (g)
of  Section  9A-8. The plan may be amended as the recipient's
needs change. The assessment  process  to  develop  the  plan
shall  include  questions  that  screen for domestic violence
issues and steps needed to address these issues may  be  part
of the plan.  If the individual indicates that he or she is a
victim  of  domestic violence, he or she may also be referred
to an available domestic violence program. As a condition  of
eligibility  for that aid, every person who is a recipient of
aid  under  this  Article  on  the  effective  date  of  this
amendatory Act of 1995 shall,  within  6  months  after  that
date,  prepare  a  personal  plan  for  achieving employment.
Failure of the client to follow through on the personal  plan
for  employment  and  self-sufficiency  may  be  a  basis for
sanction under Section  4-21.  The  Illinois  Department  may
implement  this  paragraph through the use of emergency rules
in   accordance   with   Section   5-45   of   the   Illinois
Administrative Procedure Act.  For purposes of  the  Illinois
Administrative  Procedure  Act,  the  adoption  of  rules  to
implement this paragraph shall be considered an emergency and
necessary for the public interest, safety, and welfare.
    The  eligibility of persons who, on the effective date of
this Code, are receiving aid under Article  VI  of  the  1949
Code, for aid under this Article, and the continuity of their
grants, shall not be affected by the enactment of this Code.
(Source: P.A. 89-6, eff. 3-6-95.)

    (305 ILCS 5/4-1.1) (from Ch. 23, par. 4-1.1)
    Sec. 4-1.1. Child age eligibility.
    (a)  Every  assistance  unit must include a child, except
as provided in subsections (b) and (c). The child or children
must have already been born, except as otherwise provided  in
this  Section,  and be under age 18, or, if age 18, must be a
full-time student in a secondary  school  or  the  equivalent
level  of  vocational  or  technical training. If federal law
permits or requires the inclusion of any children age  18  or
over  in  the Aid to Families with Dependent Children Program
under the Social Security Act, the  Illinois  Department  may
provide   for   the  inclusion  of  such  children  by  rule.
Notwithstanding anything in  this  Section,  if  federal  law
prohibits  federal  reimbursement  for any children under age
18, such children shall not be eligible for  aid  under  this
Article.
    (b)  Grants   shall  be  provided  for  assistance  units
consisting exclusively of a pregnant woman with no  dependent
child, and may include her husband if living with her, if the
pregnancy  has  been  determined by medical diagnosis, to the
extent that federal law permits and  federal  matching  funds
are available.
    (c)  Grants   may   be   provided  for  assistance  units
consisting of only adults if all  the  children  living  with
those  adults  are disabled and receive Supplemental Security
Income.
(Source: P.A. 84-773; revised 2-22-96.)

    (305 ILCS 5/4-1.2) (from Ch. 23, par. 4-1.2)
    Sec. 4-1.2. Living Arrangements - Parents -  Relatives  -
Foster Care.
    (a)  The child or children must (1) be living with his or
their  father,  mother,  grandfather,  grandmother,  brother,
sister,   stepfather,  stepmother,  stepbrother,  stepsister,
uncle or aunt, or other relative  approved  by  the  Illinois
Department, in a place of residence maintained by one or more
of  such relatives as his or their own home, or (2) have been
(a) removed from the home of the parents or  other  relatives
by  judicial  order  under  the  Juvenile  Court  Act  or the
Juvenile Court Act of 1987, as amended, (b) placed under  the
guardianship   of  the  Department  of  Children  and  Family
Services, and (c) under such guardianship, placed in a foster
family home, group home or child  care  institution  licensed
pursuant  to  the  "Child Care Act of 1969", approved May 15,
1969, as amended, or approved by that Department  as  meeting
standards  established  for licensing under that Act. A child
so placed in foster care who was not receiving aid under this
Article in or for the month in which  the  court  proceedings
leading  to that placement were initiated may qualify only if
he lived in the home of his parents or other relatives at the
time the proceedings were initiated, or within 6 months prior
to the month of initiation, and would have  received  aid  in
and for that month if application had been made therefor.
    (b)  The  Illinois  Department  may,  by  rule, establish
those persons who are living together who must be included in
the same assistance unit in order to receive cash  assistance
under this Article and the income and assets of those persons
in an assistance unit which must be considered in determining
eligibility.
    (c)  The  conditions  of  qualification  herein specified
shall not prejudice aid granted under this  Code  for  foster
care prior to the effective date of this 1969 Amendatory Act.
(Source: P.A. 85-1209.)

    (305 ILCS 5/4-1.6) (from Ch. 23, par. 4-1.6)
    Sec.  4-1.6.  Need).   Income  available to the family as
defined by the Illinois Department by rule, or to  the  child
in  the  case  of  a child removed from his or her home, when
added to contributions in money, substance or  services  from
other sources, including income available from parents absent
from  the  home  or from a stepparent, contributions made for
the benefit of the  parent  or  other  persons  necessary  to
provide  care and supervision to the child, and contributions
from legally responsible relatives, must be  insufficient  to
equal  the  grant amount established by Department regulation
for such a person.
    In  considering  income  to  be   taken   into   account,
consideration  shall  be  given  to  any  expenses reasonably
attributable to the earning  of  such  income.  The  Illinois
Department  may  also,  subject to such limitations as may be
prescribed by federal law or regulation, permit  all  or  any
portion  of  earned  or  other income to be set aside for the
future identifiable needs of  a  child.  If  federal  law  or
regulations  permit  or  require exemption of other income of
recipients, the Illinois Department may provide by  rule  and
regulation  for  the  exemptions  thus permitted or required.
The eligibility of any applicant for or recipient  of  public
aid  under this Article is not affected by the payment of any
grant  under  the  "Senior  Citizens  and  Disabled   Persons
Property Tax Relief and Pharmaceutical Assistance Act".
    The  Illinois Department may, by rule, set forth criteria
under  which  an  assistance  unit  is  ineligible  for  cash
assistance under this  Article  for  a  specified  number  of
months due to the receipt of a lump sum payment.
(Source: P.A. 84-832.)

    (305 ILCS 5/4-1.7) (from Ch. 23, par. 4-1.7)
    (Text of Section before amendment by P.A. 89-507)
    Sec.   4-1.7.   Enforcement  of  Parental  Child  Support
Obligation.)  If the parent  or  parents  of  the  child  are
failing  to  meet or are delinquent in their legal obligation
to support the child,  the  parent  or  other  person  having
custody  of  the child or the Illinois Department may request
the law enforcement officer authorized or directed by law  to
so act to file action for the enforcement of such remedies as
the  law  provides  for  the fulfillment of the child support
obligation.
    If a parent has  a  judicial  remedy  against  the  other
parent  to  compel  child support, or if, as the result of an
action initiated by or in behalf of one  parent  against  the
other,  a  child support order has been entered in respect to
which there is noncompliance or  delinquency,  or  where  the
order so entered may be changed upon petition to the court to
provide additional support, the parent or other person having
custody  of  the child or the Illinois Department may request
the appropriate law enforcement officer to  seek  enforcement
of  the  remedy, or of the support order, or a change therein
to  provide  additional  support.   If  the  law  enforcement
officer  is  not  authorized  by  law  to  so  act  in  these
instances, the parent, or if so authorized by law  the  other
person   having   custody  of  the  child,  or  the  Illinois
Department may initiate an action to enforce these remedies.
    A parent or other person having custody of the child  who
fails  or refuses to comply with the requirements of Title IV
of the federal Social Security Act, and the regulations  duly
promulgated  thereunder,  regarding  enforcement of the child
support obligation shall be denied aid or aid for that person
shall be terminated for as long as  the  failure  or  refusal
persists.   The  Illinois  Department may provide by rule for
the grant  or  continuation  of  aid  to  the  person  for  a
temporary  period  if  he  or she accepts counseling or other
services designed to increase his or her motivation  to  seek
enforcement of the child support obligation.
    A child shall not be denied aid under this Article either
initially  or  subsequently  because a parent or other person
having custody of the child fails or refuses to  comply  with
the requirements of this Section.
    In addition to any other definition of failure or refusal
to  comply  with  the requirements of Title IV of the federal
Social Security Act, in the case of failure to  attend  court
hearings,  the parent or other person can show cooperation by
attending a court hearing or, if a court  hearing  cannot  be
scheduled within 30 days following the court hearing that was
missed,  by  signing  a  statement  that  the parent or other
person is now willing  to  cooperate  in  the  child  support
enforcement  process  and  will appear at any later scheduled
court date.  The parent or other person can show  cooperation
by  signing such a statement only once.  If failure to attend
the court hearing or other failure to  cooperate  results  in
the  case  being  dismissed,  such  a statement may be signed
after 2 months.
    No denial or termination of medical  assistance  pursuant
to this Section shall commence during pregnancy of the parent
or  other  person  having custody of the child or for 30 days
after the termination of such pregnancy.  The termination  of
medical  assistance  may  commence thereafter if the Illinois
Department determines that the failure or refusal  to  comply
with  this  Section  persists.   Postponement  of  denial  or
termination of medical assistance during pregnancy under this
paragraph  shall  be effective only to the extent it does not
conflict with federal law or regulation.
    Any evidence a parent or other person having  custody  of
the  child  gives in order to comply with the requirements of
this  Section  shall  not  render  him  or  her   liable   to
prosecution under Sections 11-7 or 11-8 of the "Criminal Code
of 1961", approved July 28, 1961, as amended.
    When  so requested, the Illinois Department shall provide
such services and assistance as the law  enforcement  officer
may  require  in  connection  with  the  filing of any action
hereunder.
    The  Illinois  Department,   and   as   an   expense   of
administration,   may   also   provide   applicants  for  and
recipients  of  aid  with  such  services   and   assistance,
including  assumption  of the reasonable costs of prosecuting
any action or proceeding, as may be necessary to enable  them
to enforce the child support liability required hereunder.
    Nothing   in   this  Section  shall  be  construed  as  a
requirement that an applicant or recipient file an action for
dissolution of marriage against his or her spouse.
(Source: P.A. 85-1308.)

    (Text of Section after amendment by P.A. 89-507)
    Sec.  4-1.7.  Enforcement  of  Parental   Child   Support
Obligation.)   If  the  parent  or  parents  of the child are
failing to meet or are delinquent in their  legal  obligation
to  support  the  child,  the  parent  or other person having
custody of the child or the Illinois Department of Public Aid
may  request  the  law  enforcement  officer  authorized   or
directed  by law to so act to file action for the enforcement
of such remedies as the law provides for the  fulfillment  of
the child support obligation.
    If  a  parent  has  a  judicial  remedy against the other
parent to compel child support, or if, as the  result  of  an
action  initiated  by  or in behalf of one parent against the
other, a child support order has been entered in  respect  to
which  there  is  noncompliance  or delinquency, or where the
order so entered may be changed upon petition to the court to
provide additional support, the parent or other person having
custody of the child or the Illinois Department of Public Aid
may request the appropriate law enforcement officer  to  seek
enforcement  of  the  remedy,  or  of the support order, or a
change therein to provide additional  support.   If  the  law
enforcement  officer  is  not  authorized by law to so act in
these instances, the parent, or if so authorized by  law  the
other  person  having  custody  of the child, or the Illinois
Department of Public Aid may initiate an  action  to  enforce
these remedies.
    A parent or other person having custody of the child must
who fails or refuses to comply with the requirements of Title
IV  of  the  federal Social Security Act, and the regulations
duly promulgated thereunder, and any rules promulgated by the
Illinois  Department  regarding  enforcement  of  the   child
support obligation shall be denied aid or aid for that person
shall  be  terminated  for  as long as the failure or refusal
persists.  The Illinois Department  of  Public  Aid  and  the
Department  of  Human  Services  may  provide by rule for the
grant or continuation of aid to the person  for  a  temporary
period  if  he  or  she  accepts counseling or other services
designed  to  increase  his  or  her   motivation   to   seek
enforcement of the child support obligation.
    A child shall not be denied aid under this Article either
initially  or  subsequently  because a parent or other person
having custody of the child fails or refuses to  comply  with
the requirements of this Section.
    In addition to any other definition of failure or refusal
to  comply  with  the requirements of Title IV of the federal
Social Security Act, or Illinois Department rule, in the case
of failure to attend court  hearings,  the  parent  or  other
person  can show cooperation by attending a court hearing or,
if a court hearing cannot be  scheduled  within  14  30  days
following  the  court  hearing  that was missed, by signing a
statement that the parent or other person is now  willing  to
cooperate  in  the child support enforcement process and will
appear at any later scheduled  court  date.   The  parent  or
other person can show cooperation by signing such a statement
only  once.   If failure to attend the court hearing or other
failure to cooperate results in  the  case  being  dismissed,
such a statement may be signed after 2 months.
    No  denial  or termination of medical assistance pursuant
to this Section shall commence during pregnancy of the parent
or other person having custody of the child or  for  30  days
after  the termination of such pregnancy.  The termination of
medical assistance may commence thereafter  if  the  Illinois
Department  of  Public  Aid  determines  that  the failure or
refusal to comply with this Section  persists.   Postponement
of   denial  or  termination  of  medical  assistance  during
pregnancy under this paragraph shall be effective only to the
extent it does not conflict with federal law or regulation.
    Any evidence a parent or other person having  custody  of
the  child  gives in order to comply with the requirements of
this  Section  shall  not  render  him  or  her   liable   to
prosecution under Sections 11-7 or 11-8 of the "Criminal Code
of 1961", approved July 28, 1961, as amended.
    When  so requested, the Illinois Department of Public Aid
and the Department  of  Human  Services  shall  provide  such
services  and  assistance  as the law enforcement officer may
require  in  connection  with  the  filing  of   any   action
hereunder.
    The  Illinois Department of Public Aid and the Department
of Human Services, and as an expense of  administration,  may
also  provide  applicants for and recipients of aid with such
services  and  assistance,  including   assumption   of   the
reasonable  costs of prosecuting any action or proceeding, as
may be necessary to enable them to enforce the child  support
liability required hereunder.
    Nothing   in   this  Section  shall  be  construed  as  a
requirement that an applicant or recipient file an action for
dissolution of marriage against his or her spouse.
(Source: P.A. 89-507, eff. 7-1-97.)

    (305 ILCS 5/4-1.9) (from Ch. 23, par. 4-1.9)
    Sec. 4-1.9.  Participation in Educational and  Vocational
Training Programs.
    (a)  A  parent  or parents and a child age 16 or over not
in regular attendance in school, as defined in Section  4-1.1
as  that  Section  existed  on August 26, 1969 (the effective
date of Public Act 76-1047), for whom education and  training
is   suitable,   must  participate  in  the  educational  and
vocational training programs  provided  pursuant  to  Article
IXA.
    (b)  A parent who is less than 20 18 years of age and who
has  not  received  a  high  school  diploma  or  high school
equivalency certificate is required to be enrolled in  school
or  in  an  educational program that is expected to result in
the  receipt  of  a  high  school  diploma  or  high   school
equivalency  certificate,  except  18 and 19 year old parents
may be assigned to work  activities  or  training  if  it  is
determined   based   on  an  individualized  assessment  that
secondary school is inappropriate or be subject  to  sanction
under Article IXA.
(Source: P.A. 88-670, eff. 12-2-94; 89-6, eff. 3-6-95.)

    (305 ILCS 5/4-1.12 new)
    Sec. 4-1.12.  Five year limitation.
    No  assistance  unit  shall  be eligible for a cash grant
under this Article if it includes an adult who  has  received
cash  assistance  as  an  adult for 60 months, whether or not
consecutive, after the effective date of this amendatory  Act
of  1997.   The  Illinois  Department  may  exempt individual
assistance units from the 60-month  limitation  or  determine
circumstances  under  which a month or months would not count
towards the 60-month limitation even  though  the  assistance
unit did receive cash assistance under this Article.

    (305 ILCS 5/4-2) (from Ch. 23, par. 4-2)
    Sec. 4-2.  Amount of aid.
    (a)  The  amount  and  nature  of  financial aid shall be
determined in accordance with the standards,  grant  amounts,
rules  and regulations of the Illinois Department. Due regard
shall be given to the self-sufficiency  requirements  of  the
family  and  to  the  income,  money  contributions and other
support  and  resources  available,  from  whatever   source.
Beginning  July  1, 1992, the supplementary grants previously
paid under this Section shall no longer be  paid.    However,
the amount and nature of any financial aid is not affected by
the  payment  of  any  grant  under  the "Senior Citizens and
Disabled  Persons  Property  Tax  Relief  and  Pharmaceutical
Assistance Act". The aid shall be sufficient, when  added  to
all  other income, money contributions and support to provide
the  family  with  a  grant  in  the  amount  established  by
Department regulation.
    (b)  The  Illinois   Department   may   conduct   special
projects,  which  may  be  known as Grant Diversion Projects,
under which recipients of financial aid  under  this  Article
are  placed  in  jobs  and  their  grants are diverted to the
employer who in turn makes payments to the recipients in  the
form  of  salary  or other employment benefits.  The Illinois
Department shall by rule specify the terms and conditions  of
such Grant Diversion Projects.  Such projects shall take into
consideration   and   be   coordinated   with   the  programs
administered  under   the   Illinois   Emergency   Employment
Development Act.
    (c)  The  amount  and  nature  of the financial aid for a
child requiring care outside his own home shall be determined
in accordance with the rules and regulations of the  Illinois
Department,  with due regard to the needs and requirements of
the child in the foster home or institution in which  he  has
been placed.
    (d)  If  the  Department  establishes  grants  for family
units consisting exclusively of  a  pregnant  woman  with  no
dependent  child or including her husband if living with her,
the grant amount for such a unit shall be equal to the  grant
amount  for  an assistance unit consisting of one adult, or 2
persons if the husband is included.   Other  than  as  herein
described,   an   unborn   child  shall  not  be  counted  in
determining the size of an assistance unit or for calculating
grants.
    Payments for basic maintenance requirements of a child or
children and the relative with whom the child or children are
living  shall  be  prescribed,  by  rule,  by  the   Illinois
Department.
These grants may be increased in the following circumstances:
         1.  If the child is living with both parents or with
    persons  standing  in the relationship of parents, and if
    the grant is necessitated because of the unemployment  or
    insufficient  earnings  of  the  parent  or  parents  and
    neither   parent   is   receiving   benefits  under  "The
    Unemployment Compensation Act", approved June  30,  1937,
    as amended, the maximum may be increased by not more than
    $25.
         2.  If a child is age 13 or over, the maximum may be
    increased by not more than $15.
    The  allowances  provided under Article IX for recipients
participating in the  training  and  rehabilitation  programs
shall  be  in addition to the maximum payments established in
this Section.
    Grants under this Article shall not  be  supplemented  by
General Assistance provided under Article VI.
    (e)  Grants  shall  be paid to the parent or other person
with whom the child or children are living, except  for  such
amount  as  is  paid  in behalf of the child or his parent or
other relative to other persons or agencies pursuant to  this
Code or the rules and regulations of the Illinois Department.
    (f)  An  assistance  unit,  receiving financial aid under
this Article or temporarily ineligible to receive  aid  under
this   Article  under  a  penalty  imposed  by  the  Illinois
Department  for  failure  to  comply  with  the   eligibility
requirements  or  that  voluntarily  requests  termination of
financial  assistance  under   this   Article   and   becomes
subsequently  eligible  for assistance within 9 months, shall
not receive any increase in  the  amount  of  aid  solely  on
account  of  the birth of a child; except that an increase is
not prohibited when the birth is (i) of a child of a pregnant
woman who became eligible for aid under this  Article  during
the pregnancy, or (ii) of a child born within 10 months after
the date of implementation of this subsection, or  (iii) of a
child   conceived   after  a  family  became  ineligible  for
assistance due to income or marriage and at least 3 months of
ineligibility   expired   before   any   reapplication    for
assistance.   This  subsection  does  not, however, prevent a
unit from receiving a general increase in the amount  of  aid
that is provided to all recipients of aid under this Article.
    The  Illinois Department is authorized to transfer funds,
and shall use  any  budgetary  savings  attributable  to  not
increasing  the  grants  due  to  the  births  of  additional
children,  to  supplement existing funding for employment and
training services within the JOBS or  its  successor  program
for  recipients  of  aid under this Article IV.  The Illinois
Department shall  target,  to  the  extent  the  supplemental
funding  allows, employment and training JOBS services to the
families who do not receive a grant increase after the  birth
of  a  child.    In  addition,  the Illinois Department shall
provide, to the extent the supplemental funding allows,  such
families  with  up  to  24  months of transitional child care
pursuant  to  Illinois  Department  rules.    All   remaining
supplemental  funds  shall  be  used  for JOBS employment and
training services or transitional child care support.
    In making the transfers authorized  by  this  subsection,
the  Illinois  Department  shall first determine, pursuant to
regulations adopted by  the  Illinois  Department  for   this
purpose, the amount of savings attributable to not increasing
the   grants  due  to  the  births  of  additional  children.
Transfers   may   be   made   from   General   Revenue   Fund
appropriations  for  distributive  purposes   authorized   by
Article  IV  of  this  Code  only  to  General  Revenue  Fund
appropriations   for   employability   development   services
including  operating  and  administrative  costs  and related
distributive purposes under Article IXA  of  this  Code.  The
Director,  with  the  approval of the Governor, shall certify
the amount and affected line item appropriations to the State
Comptroller.
    The Illinois Department shall apply for  all  waivers  of
federal  law  and  regulations  necessary  to  implement this
subsection; implementation of this subsection  is  contingent
on  the  Illinois  Department receiving all necessary federal
waivers.   The  Illinois  Department   may   implement   this
subsection  through  the use of emergency rules in accordance
with Section 5-45 of the  Illinois  Administrative  Procedure
Act.   For  purposes of the Illinois Administrative Procedure
Act, the adoption of rules to implement this subsection shall
be considered an  emergency  and  necessary  for  the  public
interest, safety, and welfare.
    Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to prohibit
the  Illinois  Department  from  using  AFDC funds under this
Article IV to provide assistance in the form of vouchers that
may be used to pay for  goods  and  services  deemed  by  the
Illinois Department, by rule, as suitable for the care of the
child such as diapers, clothing, school supplies, and cribs.
    (g)  Notwithstanding  any other provision of this Code to
the contrary, the Illinois Department is authorized to reduce
or eliminate payments  for  supplementary  grants  under  the
first  paragraph  of  this  Section as necessary to implement
contingency reserves under the Emergency Budget Act of Fiscal
Year 1992, to the extent permitted by federal law.  Any  such
reduction or elimination shall expire on July 1, 1992.
    (h)  Notwithstanding  any  other  provision of this Code,
the Illinois  Department  is  authorized  to  reduce  payment
levels used to determine cash grants under this Article after
December  31  of  any  fiscal year if the Illinois Department
determines that the caseload upon  which  the  appropriations
for  the current fiscal year are based have increased by more
than 5% and the appropriation is  not  sufficient  to  ensure
that  cash  benefits  under  this  Article  do not exceed the
amounts appropriated for those cash benefits.  Reductions  in
payment  levels  may  be accomplished by emergency rule under
Section 5-45 of the Illinois  Administrative  Procedure  Act,
except  that  the limitation on the number of emergency rules
that may be adopted in a 24-month period shall not apply  and
the  provisions  of  Sections 5-115 and 5-125 of the Illinois
Administrative Procedure Act shall not  apply.  Increases  in
payment  levels shall be accomplished only in accordance with
Section 5-40 of the Illinois  Administrative  Procedure  Act.
Before  any rule to increase payment levels promulgated under
this Section  shall  become  effective,  a  joint  resolution
approving  the  rule must be adopted by a roll call vote by a
majority of the  members  elected  to  each  chamber  of  the
General Assembly.
(Source:  P.A.  89-6,  eff.  3-6-95;  89-193,  eff.  7-21-95;
89-641, eff. 8-9-96.)

    (305 ILCS 5/4-8) (from Ch. 23, par. 4-8)
    Sec. 4-8. Mismanagement of assistance grant.
    (a)  If  the County Department has reason to believe that
the money payment for basic maintenance is not being used, or
may not be used, in the best interests of the child  and  the
family  and  that there is present or potential damage to the
standards of health and well-being that the grant is intended
to assure, the County Department shall provide the parent  or
other relative with the counseling and guidance services with
respect  to  the use of the grant and the management of other
funds available to the family as may be  required  to  assure
use  of  the  grant  in  the  best interests of the child and
family. The  Illinois  Department  shall  by  rule  prescribe
criteria   which   shall   constitute   evidence   of   grant
mismanagement.  The criteria shall include but not be limited
to the following:
         (1)  A determination that a child in the  assistance
    unit  is  not  receiving  proper and necessary support or
    other care for which assistance is being  provided  under
    this Code.
         (2)  A   record  establishing  that  the  parent  or
    relative has been found guilty of public assistance fraud
    under Article VIIIA.
         (3)  A  determination  by  an  appropriate   person,
    entity,  or  agency  that  the  parent  or other relative
    requires treatment for alcohol or substance abuse, mental
    health services, or other special care or treatment.
    The Department shall at  least  consider  non-payment  of
rent   for  two  consecutive  months  as  evidence  of  grant
mismanagement by a parent or relative of a recipient  who  is
responsible  for  making  rental  payments for the housing or
shelter  of  the  child  or  family,  unless  the  Department
determines  that  the  non-payment  is  necessary   for   the
protection of the health and well-being of the recipient. The
County  Department  shall advise the parent or other relative
grantee that  continued  mismanagement  will  result  in  the
application  of  one  of  the  sanctions  specified  in  this
Section.
    The  Illinois  Department shall consider irregular school
attendance by children of  elementary  school  age  grades  1
through  8  6,  as  evidence  of lack of proper and necessary
support or care. The Department may extend this consideration
to children in grades higher than 8.
    The Illinois Department shall develop preventive programs
in collaboration with elementary school  and  social  service
networks to encourage school attendance of children receiving
assistance  under  Article  IV.   To the extent that Illinois
Department  and  community  resources  are   available,   the
programs  shall  serve  families  whose  children in grades 1
through 8 6 are not attending elementary school regularly, as
defined by  the  school.  The  Department  may  extend  these
programs to families whose children are in grades higher than
8.  The programs shall include referrals from the school to a
social service  network,  assessment  and  development  of  a
service  plan by one or more network representatives, and the
Illinois Department's encouragement of the family  to  follow
through  with the service plan.  Families that fail to follow
the service plan as determined by the service provider, shall
be subject to  the  protective  payment  provisions  of  this
Section and Section 4-9 of this Code.
    Families  for  whom a protective payment plan has been in
effect for at least 3  months  and  whose  elementary  school
children  continue  to regularly miss school shall be subject
to a sanction under Section 4-21 of the parent's  portion  of
the  grant.   The  sanction shall continue until the children
demonstrate  satisfactory  attendance,  as  defined  by   the
school.   To  the extent necessary to implement this Section,
the Illinois Department shall  seek  appropriate  waivers  of
federal  requirements  from the U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services.
    The Illinois  Department  may  implement  the  amendatory
changes  to  this Section made by this amendatory Act of 1995
through the use of emergency rules  in  accordance  with  the
provisions  of  Section  5-45  of the Illinois Administrative
Procedure Act.  For purposes of the  Illinois  Administrative
Procedure  Act,  the  adoption  of  rules  to  implement  the
amendatory  changes  to  this Section made by this amendatory
Act of 1995 shall be deemed an emergency  and  necessary  for
the public interest, safety, and welfare.
    (b)  If  the  local  office  has reason to believe that a
caretaker relative is experiencing substance abuse:
         (i)  If there is another family member or friend who
    is ensuring that the family's needs are being  met,  that
    person,  if  willing,  shall  be  assigned  as protective
    payee.
         (ii)  If there is no family member or  close  friend
    to  serve  as  protective  payee,  the  Department  shall
    determine if a referral to the Department of Children and
    Family  Services  is  warranted and, if appropriate, make
    the referral.
         (iii)  The Department shall contact  the  individual
    who  is  thought  to  be experiencing substance abuse and
    explain why the protective payee has  been  assigned  and
    refer the individual to treatment.
    (c)  This  subsection  (c)  applies  to  cases other than
those described in subsection (b).  If the efforts to correct
the mismanagement  of  the  grant  have  failed,  the  County
Department,  in  accordance with the rules and regulations of
the Illinois Department, shall initiate one or  more  of  the
following actions:
         1.  Provide for a protective payment to a substitute
    payee,  as  provided  in Section 4-9.  This action may be
    initiated for any  assistance  unit  containing  a  child
    determined  to be neglected by the Department of Children
    and Family Services under the Abused and Neglected  Child
    Reporting  Act,  and  in  any  case involving a record of
    public assistance fraud.
         2.  Provide for issuance of all or part of the grant
    in the form of disbursing orders.   This  action  may  be
    initiated  in  any  case  involving  a  record  of public
    assistance fraud, or upon the  request  of  a  substitute
    payee designated under Section 4-9.
         3.  File  a petition under the Juvenile Court Act of
    1987 for an Order  of  Protection  under  Sections  2-25,
    2-26,  3-26,  and 3-27, 4-23, 4-24, 5-27, or 5-28 of that
    Act.
         4.  Institute a proceeding under the Juvenile  Court
    Act  of  1987  for the appointment of a guardian or legal
    representative for the purpose of receiving and  managing
    the public aid grant.
         5.  If the mismanagement of the grant, together with
    other  factors, have rendered the home unsuitable for the
    best welfare of the child, file a neglect petition  under
    the Juvenile Court Act of 1987, requesting the removal of
    the child or children.
(Source: P.A. 88-412; 89-6, eff. 3-6-95.)

    (305 ILCS 5/4-12) (from Ch. 23, par. 4-12)
    Sec.  4-12.  Crisis  assistance.  The following groups of
families who receive assistance under  Section  4-1  who  are
also  found eligible to receive assistance under this Section
shall be provided such assistance in the amounts  and  within
such  times as are herein specified: (1) families who receive
assistance (or who meet all eligibility criteria for  receipt
of  assistance)  under  Article  IV  of  this Code; (2) other
families which contain a child under 21 years old  and  which
meet  the financial eligibility criteria for assistance under
Article IV  of  this  Code;  and  (3)  pregnant  women  whose
pregnancy  has been determined by medical diagnosis and where
the woman and child would have been eligible  for  assistance
under Article IV of this Code if the child were already born.
No  assistance  provided  pursuant  to  this Section shall be
treated as income in computing the regular basic  maintenance
assistance grant under any other Section.
    (a)  Special  Assistance:  Where  a  family  has been (1)
rendered homeless or threatened with  homelessness  by  fire,
flood,  other  natural  disaster,  eviction or court order to
vacate the premises for  reasons  other  than  nonpayment  of
rent,  or  where  a  spouse  and  child  have become homeless
because they have left the residence occupied by a spouse who
was physically abusing the now homeless spouse or child;  (2)
deprived   of  essential  items  of  furniture  or  essential
clothing by fire or flood  or  other  natural  disaster;  (3)
deprived  of  food  as a result of actions other than loss or
theft of cash and where the deprivation  cannot  be  promptly
alleviated  through  the federal food stamp program; (4) as a
result of a documented theft  or  documented  loss  of  cash,
deprived of food or essential clothing or deprived of shelter
or  immediately  threatened  with  deprivation  of shelter as
evidenced by a court order requiring immediate  eviction  due
to  nonpayment of rent threatened with the dissolution of the
family unit by economic necessity as evidenced by a  decision
by  the  Illinois  Department of Children and Family Services
that the child would have to be placed  in  a  foster  parent
setting  if  the  economic  crisis  is not alleviated; or (5)
rendered the victim of such other hardships as  the  Illinois
Department  shall by rule define, the Illinois Department may
shall provide assistance to  alleviate  such  special  needs.
The  Illinois  Department  shall  verify  need  and determine
eligibility  for  crisis  special  assistance  for   families
already  receiving grants from the Illinois Department within
5 working days following application for such assistance  and
shall determine eligibility for all other families and afford
such  assistance for families found eligible within such time
limits as the Illinois Department shall by rule provide.  The
Illinois  Department  may,  by  rule,  limit  crisis  special
assistance  to  an  eligible  family to once for a period not
exceeding 30 consecutive days in any 12  consecutive  months.
This  limitation  may be made for some or all items of crisis
special assistance.
    (b)  Emergency  Assistance:  Where,  as   a   result   of
documented  theft  or  documented  loss of cash, a family has
been deprived of food or essential clothing  or  deprived  of
shelter or immediately threatened with deprivation of shelter
as  evidenced  by  a court order requiring immediate eviction
due to nonpayment of  rent,  the  Illinois  Department  shall
provide  emergency  assistance to alleviate such deprivation.
The Illinois Department may provide emergency  assistance  in
cases  where it would otherwise provide special assistance if
such emergency assistance payments are eligible  for  federal
reimbursement  under  Section  406(e)  of the Social Security
Act. Emergency assistance shall be available to  an  eligible
family  for a period not exceeding 30 consecutive days in any
12 consecutive months.  The Illinois  Department shall verify
need for, determine eligibility for, and  deliver  assistance
to  or  for  the  benefit of families determined eligible for
emergency assistance within time periods which are  consonant
with  the  requirements for provision of emergency assistance
under Section 406(e) of the Social Security Act. The Illinois
Department  may  also  enter  into  written  agreements  with
private and  public  social  service  agencies  in  order  to
provide  food,  essential clothing, and shelter to recipients
of assistance under Section  4-1  who  are  without  lodging,
food,  or essential clothing during a weekend or holiday when
the Department's offices are closed.   Such  contracts  shall
require   the  social  service  agency  to  report  any  such
assistance to the Department's recipient's  local  office  on
the  first  business  day  occurring after the social service
agency provides such assistance.
    (c)  The Illinois Department by regulation shall  specify
the  criteria  for determining eligibility and the amount and
nature of assistance to be provided in each of the situations
described  in  subparagraphs  (a)  and  (b)   above.    Where
deprivation  of shelter exists or is threatened, the Illinois
Department may provide reasonable moving expenses, short term
rental costs, including  one  month's  rent  and  a  security
deposit  where  such expenses are needed for relocation, and,
where  the   Department   determines   appropriate,   provide
assistance  to  prevent  an imminent eviction or foreclosure.
These amounts may be  described  in  established  amounts  or
maximums.   The  Illinois  Department  may also describe, for
each form of assistance authorized, the method by  which  the
assistance  shall  be delivered, including but not limited to
warrants or disbursing orders.
    (d)  Financial  Limitations:  Annual  expenditures  under
this Section shall not  exceed  $2,000,000  $3,000,000.   The
Illinois  Department shall review such expenditures quarterly
and shall, if necessary, reduce  the  amounts  or  nature  of
assistance  authorized  in  order to assure that the limit is
not exceeded.
    (e)  The Illinois Department may implement the amendatory
changes to this Section made by this amendatory Act  of  1991
through  the  use  of  emergency rules in accordance with the
provisions of Section 5-45  of  the  Illinois  Administrative
Procedure  Act.   For purposes of the Illinois Administrative
Procedure  Act,  the  adoption  of  rules  to  implement  the
amendatory changes to this Section made  by  this  amendatory
Act  of  1991  shall be deemed an emergency and necessary for
the public interest, safety and welfare.
(Source: P.A. 87-14; 87-860.)

    (305 ILCS 5/4-21 new)
    Sec. 4-21.  Sanctions.
    (a)  The Illinois Department shall, by rule, establish  a
system  of  sanctions  for  persons  who  fail  to cooperate,
without good cause, with employment and training programs  or
other  programs under this Article or Article IXA or who fail
to cooperate with child support programs under this  Article,
Article  X,  or  Title IV of the federal Social Security Act.
The sanctions may discontinue all or part of the  cash  grant
provided  under  this  Article.   The  sanctions  may be time
limited or  continue  until  the  person  cooperates  in  the
program.   The sanctions may be progressive in that a second,
third, or further sanction may be progressively  more  severe
or last longer.
    (b)  The  Illinois Department shall, by rule, define what
constitutes failure to cooperate and  what  constitutes  good
cause which would excuse that failure.

    (305 ILCS 5/4-22 new)
    Sec. 4-22.  Domestic violence.
    (a)  The  assessment process to develop the personal plan
for achieving self-sufficiency shall include  questions  that
screen  for  domestic  violence  issues.   If  the individual
indicates that he or she is the victim of  domestic  violence
and  indicates  a need to address domestic violence issues in
order to reach self-sufficiency, the  plan  shall  take  this
factor  into  account in determining the work, education, and
training activities suitable  to  the  client  for  achieving
self-sufficiency.   In  addition,  in  such  a case, specific
steps needed to directly address the domestic violence issues
may also be made part of the plan, including referral  to  an
available domestic violence program.
    (b)  The  Illinois  Department  shall develop and monitor
compliance procedures for  its  employees,  contractors,  and
subcontractors  to  ensure that any information pertaining to
any client who claims to be  a  past  or  present  victim  of
domestic  violence  or  an  individual  at  risk  of  further
domestic  violence,  whether  provided  by the victim or by a
third party, will remain confidential.

    (305 ILCS 5/6-1.3) (from Ch. 23, par. 6-1.3)
    (Text of Section before amendment by P.A. 89-507)
    Sec. 6-1.3.  Utilization of  Aid  Available  Under  Other
Provisions  of  Code.)  The  person must have been determined
ineligible for aid under the federally funded programs to aid
refugees and Articles III, IV or V.  Nothing in this  Section
shall  prevent the use of General Assistance funds to pay any
portion of the costs of care and maintenance in a residential
drug abuse treatment program licensed by  the  Department  of
Alcoholism  and Substance Abuse, or in a County Nursing Home,
or in a  private  nursing  home,  retirement  home  or  other
facility  for  the care of the elderly, of a person otherwise
eligible  to  receive  General  Assistance  except  for   the
provisions of this paragraph.
    A  person  otherwise eligible for aid under the federally
funded programs to aid refugees or Articles III, IV or V  who
fails  or  refuses  to comply with provisions of this Code or
other  laws,  or  rules  and  regulations  of  the   Illinois
Department,  which  would  qualify  him  for  aid under those
programs or Articles, shall not  receive  General  Assistance
under  this  Article  nor  shall  any of his dependents whose
eligibility  is  contingent  upon  such  compliance   receive
General Assistance.
(Source: P.A. 83-1528.)

    (Text of Section after amendment by P.A. 89-507)
    Sec.  6-1.3.   Utilization  of  Aid Available Under Other
Provisions of Code.  The person  must  have  been  determined
ineligible for aid under the federally funded programs to aid
refugees  and Articles III, IV or V.  Nothing in this Section
shall prevent the use of General Assistance funds to pay  any
portion of the costs of care and maintenance in a residential
drug  abuse  treatment  program licensed by the Department of
Human Services, or in a County Nursing Home, or in a  private
nursing  home, retirement home or other facility for the care
of the elderly, of a person  otherwise  eligible  to  receive
General   Assistance   except  for  the  provisions  of  this
paragraph.
    A person otherwise eligible for aid under  the  federally
funded  programs to aid refugees or Articles III, IV or V who
fails or refuses to comply with provisions of  this  Code  or
other   laws,  or  rules  and  regulations  of  the  Illinois
Department, which would  qualify  him  for  aid  under  those
programs  or  Articles,  shall not receive General Assistance
under this Article nor shall  any  of  his  dependents  whose
eligibility   is  contingent  upon  such  compliance  receive
General Assistance.
    Persons and families who are  ineligible  for  aid  under
Article  IV  due to having received benefits under Article IV
for any maximum time limits set under the Illinois  Temporary
Assistance  to  Needy  Families  (TANF)  Plan  shall  not  be
eligible for General Assistance under this Article unless the
Illinois  Department or the local governmental unit, by rule,
specifies that those persons or families may be eligible.
(Source: P.A. 89-507, eff. 7-1-97.)
    (305 ILCS 5/9A-3) (from Ch. 23, par. 9A-3)
    Sec.  9A-3.   Establishment  of  Program  and  Level   of
Services.
    (a)  The Illinois Department shall establish and maintain
a program to provide recipients with services consistent with
the  purposes  and  provisions  of this Article.  The program
offered in different counties of the State may vary depending
on the resources available to the State to provide a  program
under  this  Article,  and  no program may be offered in some
counties, depending on the resources available.  Services may
be provided directly by the Illinois  Department  or  through
contract,  as  allowed  by  federal  law.   References to the
Illinois Department or staff of the Illinois Department shall
include contractors when the Illinois Department has  entered
into  contracts  for these purposes.  The Illinois Department
shall provide  each  recipient  who  participates  with  such
services  available  under  the  program  as are necessary to
achieve his employability plan as specified in the plan.
    (b)  The Illinois Department, in operating  the  program,
shall   cooperate  with  public  and  private  education  and
vocational training or retraining agencies or facilities, the
Illinois State Board of  Education,  the  Illinois  Community
College  Board,  the  Departments  of Employment Security and
Commerce  and   Community   Affairs   or   other   sponsoring
organizations   funded   under   the   federal  Job  Training
Partnership  Act  and  other  public  or   licensed   private
employment agencies.
    (c)  The  Illinois  Department  shall target resources to
the following groups:
         (1)  current recipients who  have  received  Aid  to
    Families  with  Dependent  Children  for  any  36  of the
    preceding 60 months;
         (2)  applicants for Aid to Families  with  Dependent
    Children who have received Aid to Families with Dependent
    Children   for  any  36  of  the  60  months  immediately
    preceding the most recent month for which application has
    been made;
         (3)  custodial parents under age  24  who  have  not
    completed   high   school  or  have  little  or  no  work
    experience within the preceding year; or
         (4)  members of families in which the youngest child
    is within 2 years  of  being  ineligible  for  assistance
    under this Article because of age.
(Source: P.A. 86-1184; 86-1381; 86-1475; 87-860.)

    (305 ILCS 5/9A-4) (from Ch. 23, par. 9A-4)
    Sec. 9A-4.  Participation.
    (a)  Except  for  those  exempted  under  subsection  (b)
below,  and  to  the  extent  resources  permit, the Illinois
Department as a condition of eligibility for public aid, may,
as provided by rule, require all recipients to participate in
an education, training, and employment program,  which  shall
include  accepting  suitable  employment  and refraining from
terminating employment  or  reducing  earnings  without  good
cause.
    (b)  Recipients  shall  be exempt from the requirement of
participation in  the  education,  training,  and  employment
program in the following circumstances:
         (1)  The  recipient  is  a person over age 60 (i) is
    not a parent and is under age 16 or (ii)  is  age  60  or
    older; or
         (2)  The  recipient  is  a person with a child under
    age one. temporarily  medically  unable  to  participate,
    including a period of recuperation after childbirth;
         (3)  The  recipient  is chronically medically unable
    to participate;
         (4)  The recipient resides in an area so remote,  as
    defined  by  rule, as to preclude effective participation
    in the program;
         (5)  The recipient is needed in the home because  of
    the  illness  or  incapacity  of  another  member  of the
    household;
         (6)  The recipient works 30 or more hours a week;
         (7)  The recipient, age 16 through 18, is  attending
    full   time   an  elementary,  secondary,  vocational  or
    technical school (If the individual loses this  exemption
    because  he  or she is no longer in school, the exemption
    is no longer applicable even if the individual returns to
    school);
         (8)  The recipient is in the 4th month of  pregnancy
    or later;
         (9)  The  recipient  is the parent or other relative
    of a child  under  3  years  of  age  who  is  personally
    providing care for the child;
         (10)  The recipient is enrolled full time as a VISTA
    volunteer  under  Title  I of the 1973 Domestic Volunteer
    Services Act (42 U.S.C. 4951 et seq.).
    (c)  Notwithstanding subsections (a)  and  (b)  above,  a
custodial parent who is under 20 years of age, has not earned
a  high  school  diploma  or its equivalent and is not exempt
from participation under any exemption  other  than  the  one
based  upon  the  age  of the child found in paragraph (9) of
subsection  (b)  of  this  Section,  is   not   exempt   from
participation   in  educational  activities  directed  toward
obtaining a high school  diploma  or  its  equivalent.   Such
educational  activities  may  be  on  a  full-time  basis (as
defined by the educational provider).
    (d)  A custodial parent age 16 or 17 may be excused  from
educational  activities  directed  toward  obtaining  a  high
school  diploma  (or  equivalent)  if the parent is unable to
participate due to his or her own mental or physical  illness
or  that of his or her spouse or child, or is homeless, or is
experiencing family or personal crisis.
    (e)  A  custodial  parent  who  is  age  18  or  19   may
participate   in  training  or  work  activities  instead  of
educational activities if one of the following conditions  is
met:
         (1)  prior  to  any  assignment  of  the  parent  to
    educational  activities,  it  is  determined, based on an
    educational   assessment   and   the   employment    goal
    established  in  the  parents'  employability  plan, that
    participation   in   educational   activities   is    not
    appropriate; or
         (2)  the  parent  fails  to  make  good  progress in
    successfully completing educational activities, and it is
    determined based on an  individual  assessment,  and  the
    employment  plan  that  the  educational  activity is not
    appropriate.
(Source: P.A. 88-412; 89-6, eff. 3-6-95.)

    (305 ILCS 5/9A-7) (from Ch. 23, par. 9A-7)
    Sec.  9A-7.   Good   Cause   and   Pre-Sanction   Process
Conciliation.
    (a)  The   Department   shall   establish  by  rule  what
constitutes  good  cause  for  failure  to   participate   in
education,  training  and  employment  programs,  failure  to
accept  suitable  employment  or  terminating  employment  or
reducing earnings.
    The  Department  shall establish, by rule, a pre-sanction
process  to  assist  in  resolving  disputes  over   proposed
sanctions and in determining if good cause exists. Good cause
shall may include, but not be limited to:
         (1)  temporary  illness  for its duration illness or
    incapacity;
         (2)  court   required   appearance   or    temporary
    incarceration;
         (3)  (blank) family crisis;
         (4)  death in the family;
         (5)  (blank) breakdown in child care arrangements;
         (6)  (blank) sudden and unexpected emergency;
         (7)  (blank)  unavailability  of  otherwise suitable
    child care;
         (8)  (blank)     breakdown     in     transportation
    arrangements   or   lack    of    reasonable    available
    transportation;
         (9)  extreme inclement weather;
         (10)  (blank)   the   job  referral  does  not  meet
    appropriate work or training criteria;
         (11)  lack of any support service  even  though  the
    necessary  service is not specifically provided under the
    Department program, to the extent the lack of the  needed
    service presents a significant barrier to participation;
         (12)  if  an  individual is engaged in employment or
    training or both that is consistent with  the  employment
    related  goals  of  the  program,  if such employment and
    training is later approved by Department staff;
         (13)  (blank) failure to cooperate due  to  symptoms
    of   conditions   for  which  the  participant  may  need
    rehabilitation services;
         (14)  failure  of  Department  staff  to   correctly
    forward the information to other Department staff;
         (15)  failure   of   the  participant  to  cooperate
    because of attendance at a test or a mandatory  class  or
    function  at  an educational program (including college),
    when an  education  or  training  program  is  officially
    approved by the Department;
         (16)  failure  of  the participant due to his or her
    illiteracy;
         (17)  failure  of  the  participant  because  it  is
    determined that he  or  she  should  be  in  a  different
    activity component;
         (18)  non-receipt  by  the  participant  of a notice
    advising him or her of a  participation  requirement,  if
    documented by the participant. Documentation can include,
    but  is not limited to: a written statement from the post
    office or other informed individual: the notice not  sent
    to  the  participant's  last  known address in Department
    records; return of the notice by the post  office;  other
    returned  mail;  proof  of  previous mail theft problems.
    When determining  whether  or  not  the  participant  has
    demonstrated  non-receipt, the Department shall take into
    consideration a participant's history of  cooperation  or
    non-cooperation   in   the   past.    If  the  documented
    non-receipt of mail  occurs  frequently,  the  Department
    shall  explore  an alternative means of providing notices
    of participation requests to participants;
         (19)  (blank) not accepting  employment  that  would
    result  in  a  net loss of cash income.  Net loss of cash
    income results if the family's gross income  less  actual
    necessary   work-related   expenses  is  less  than  cash
    assistance the individual was receiving at the  time  the
    offer of employment is made;
         (20)  non-comprehension  of  English, either written
    or oral or both;
         (21)  (blank) failure of Department staff to make an
    appropriate employability assessment or plan or both;
         (22)  (blank)  the  individual  personally  provides
    care for a child under age 6  and  the  employment  would
    require working more than 20 hours per week;
         (23)  child  care  (or day care for an incapacitated
    individual living in the same home as a dependent  child)
    is necessary for the participation or employment and such
    care is not available for a child under age 13;
         (24)  failure to participate in an activity due to a
    scheduled job interview;
         (25)  the    individual   is   homeless.    Homeless
    individuals  (including  the  family)  have  no   current
    residence and no expectation of acquiring one in the next
    30 days.  This includes individuals residing in overnight
    and  transitional  (temporary)  shelters.   This does not
    include individuals who  are  sharing  a  residence  with
    friends or relatives on a continuing basis;
         (26)  circumstances   beyond   the  control  of  the
    participant which prevent the participant from completing
    program requirements; or
         (27)  (blank)  other   reasons   not   listed   that
    Department staff determine are appropriate.
    (b)  (Blank)  No  determination of failure of a recipient
to participate in  the  education,  training  and  employment
programs  or  refusing  to  accept  employment or terminating
employment or reducing earnings may be made and  no  sanction
may  be  imposed  without documentation in the case file that
there has been a good cause determination and a  Conciliation
Process   as  established  by  Department  rule  pursuant  to
subsection (c) of this Section.
    (c) (1)  The Department shall establish a  reconciliation
    conciliation  procedure  to  assist in resolving disputes
    related  to  any  aspect  of   participation,   including
    exemptions,  good cause, sanctions or proposed sanctions,
    supportive    services,     orientation,     assessments,
    responsibility  and  service  plans, employability plans,
    assignment  to  activities  components,  suitability   of
    employment,  or refusals of offers of employment. Through
    the reconciliation process the Department  shall  have  a
    mechanism  to identify good cause, ensure that the client
    is aware of the issue, and enable the client  to  perform
    required activities without facing sanction.
         (2)  A   participant   may   request  reconciliation
    conciliation and receive notice in writing of a  meeting.
    Conciliation  must begin within 14 work days upon request
    of the participants or from the participant's failure  to
    meet requirements.  At least one face-to-face meeting may
    be    scheduled    to    resolve   misunderstandings   or
    disagreements  related  to  program   participation   and
    situations  which  may lead to a potential sanction.  The
    meeting  will  address  the  underlying  reason  for  the
    dispute and plan a resolution to enable the individual to
    participate  in  TANF  employment   and   work   activity
    requirements.
         (2.5)  If  the  individual  fails  to  appear at the
    reconciliation   meeting   without   good   cause,    the
    reconciliation  is  unsuccessful  and a sanction shall be
    imposed.
         (3)  The reconciliation conciliation  process  shall
    continue  after  it is determined that the individual did
    not have good cause for non-cooperation.   Any  necessary
    demonstration   of   cooperation   on  the  part  of  the
    participant  will   be   part   of   the   reconciliation
    conciliation  process and will last no more than 30 days.
    Failure  to  demonstrate  cooperation  will   result   in
    immediate sanction.
         (4)  For  the  first instance of non-cooperation, if
    the client reaches agreement  to  cooperate,  the  client
    shall  be  allowed  30  days  to  demonstrate cooperation
    before any sanction activity  may  be  imposed.   In  any
    subsequent instances of non-cooperation, the client shall
    be  provided the opportunity to show good cause or remedy
    the  situation  by   immediately   complying   with   the
    requirement.     During  the  conciliation  process,  the
    following activities shall be completed:
              (A)  a discussion of the nature of the  problem
         or dispute and potential resolution;
              (B)  an  explanation of the individual's rights
         and responsibilities;
              (C)  a review of the employability plan;
              (D)  a  discussion  of  expectations   of   the
         participant and the Department; and
              (E)  development  of  a  conciliation agreement
         and fulfillment of  it  following  the  conciliation
         meeting.  The requirement of the agreement cannot be
         contrary to component participation requirements.
         (5)  The  Department  shall  document  in  the  case
    record the proceedings of the reconciliation conciliation
    and  provide  the client in writing with a reconciliation
    conciliation agreement.
         (6)  If  reconciliation  conciliation  resolves  the
    dispute, no sanction shall be imposed  and  any  previous
    failure to participate without good cause shall not count
    as  a  sanctionable  event  in  the future. If the client
    fails to comply with the  reconciliation  agreement,  the
    Department  shall  then  immediately  impose the original
    sanction.  If  the  dispute  cannot  be  resolved  during
    reconciliation conciliation,  a  sanction  shall  not  be
    imposed  until the reconciliation conciliation process is
    complete.
(Source: P.A. 86-1184; 86-1381; 86-1475.)

    (305 ILCS 5/9A-8) (from Ch. 23, par. 9A-8)
    Sec. 9A-8.  Operation of Program.
    (a)  At the time of  application  or  redetermination  of
eligibility  under  Article  IV,  as  determined by rule, the
Illinois Department shall provide information in writing  and
orally  regarding  the  education,  training  and  employment
program  to  all  applicants and recipients.  The information
required shall be established by rule, and shall include  all
information required by federal regulations, including:
         (1)  education,      employment     and     training
    opportunities available;
         (2)  supportive services including child care;
         (3)  the obligation of  the  Department  to  provide
    supportive services;
         (4)  the     rights    and    responsibilities    of
    participants, including exemption and good cause criteria
    and procedures; and
         (5)  the types and locations of child care services.
    (b)  Within the time period required by federal  law  The
Illinois  Department shall notify the recipient in writing of
the opportunity to volunteer to participate in the program.
    (c)  (Blank). The Illinois Department  shall  provide  an
orientation  to  each  recipient who attends, which describes
all rights and responsibilities under  the  program.  At  the
orientation   meeting   the   Department   shall  inform  the
participant of participation requirements, distribute a  copy
of  the  Department  handbook to participants and explain its
contents.  The  Department  handbook  shall  contain  program
information including the following:
         (1)  an  overview  of the Department's education and
    training program;
         (2)  the exemption criteria and  the  procedure  for
    obtaining an exemption;
         (3)  a  description  of  all components, eligibility
    criteria, and  specific  participation  requirements  for
    each component;
         (4)  general participation requirements;
         (5)  the support services available;
         (6)  the initial assessment process and reassessment
    including review of the employability plan; and
         (7)  the  result  of  the  participant's  failure to
    cooperate without good cause.
    Expenses for transportation and child care services shall
be provided to enable participants to attend the  orientation
meeting, if requested.
    (d)  As   part   of   the  personal  plan  for  achieving
employment and self-sufficiency, the Department shall conduct
an   individualized   assessment   of    the    participant's
employability.   Except  as to participation in the Get-A-Job
Program, no participant may be assigned to any  component  of
the education, training and employment activity program prior
to  such  assessment,  provided  that  a  participant  may be
assigned  up  to  4  weeks  of  Job  Search  prior  to   such
assessment.    The  plan  initial  assessment  shall  include
collection of information  on  the  individual's  background,
proficiencies,  skills  deficiencies,  education  level, work
history,  employment   goals,   interests,   aptitudes,   and
employment   preferences,   as   well  as  factors  affecting
employability or ability to meet  participation  requirements
(e.g.,  health,  physical  or mental limitations, child care,
family circumstances, domestic violence, substance abuse, and
special and problems which may include the needs of any child
of  the  individual).   In  addition,  facts  relevant  to  a
determination of whether  the  individual  qualifies  for  an
exemption  shall be elicited.  A determination of whether the
individual qualifies for an exemption may take place  at  any
time  the  client  requests  or  Department  staff perceive a
reason for exemption during the individual's participation in
the  program.   As  part  of  the  plan  assessment  process,
individuals and  Department  staff  shall  work  together  to
identify  any supportive service needs required to enable the
client to participate and meet the objectives of his  or  her
employability  plan.  The initial assessment may be conducted
through  various  methods  such   as   interviews,   testing,
counseling,  and self-assessment instruments.  The assessment
process  shall  include  standard  literacy  testing  and   a
determination  of  English language proficiency for those who
display a potential need for literacy or  language  services.
For  those individuals subject to a job search demonstration,
there may be an abbreviated assessment, as defined  by  rule,
and  neither  literacy testing nor a determination of English
language  proficiency  is  required.  Based  on  the  initial
assessment,  the  individual  will   be   assigned   to   the
appropriate  component  activity.  The decision will be based
on a determination of the individual's level  of  preparation
for employment as defined by rule.
    (e)  Recipients  determined to be exempt may volunteer to
participate pursuant to Section 9A-4 and must be assessed.
    (f)  As  part  of  the  personal   plan   for   achieving
employment   and   self-sufficiency  under  Section  4-1,  an
employability plan  for  recipients  shall  be  developed  in
consultation with the participant.  The Department shall have
final  responsibility  for  approving the employability plan.
The employability plan shall:
         (1)  contain an employment goal of the participant;
         (2)  describe the services to  be  provided  by  the
    Department,   including  child  care  and  other  support
    services;
         (3)  describe  the  activities,  such  as  component
    assignment, that will be undertaken by the participant to
    achieve the employment goal; and
         (4)  describe any other needs  of  the  family  that
    might be met by the Department.
    (g)  The employability plan shall take into account:
         (1)  available program resources;
         (2)  the participant's support service needs;
         (3)  the participant's skills level and aptitudes;
         (4)  local employment opportunities; and
         (5)  to the maximum extent possible, the preferences
    of the participant.
    Additionally,   the   employability  plan  shall  not  be
considered a contract, final approval of the plan rests  with
the Department and the participant shall be offered a copy of
the employability plan.
    (h)  A  reassessment  shall  be  conducted  to  assess  a
participant's  progress  and to review the employability plan
on the following occasions:
         (1)  upon completion of an a component activity  and
    before assignment to an a component activity;
         (2)  upon the request of the participant;
         (3)  if  the  individual is not cooperating with the
    requirements of the program; and
         (4)  if  the   individual   has   failed   to   make
    satisfactory   progress   in  an  education  or  training
    program.
    Based on the reassessment, the Department may revise  the
employability plan of the participant.
(Source: P.A. 89-6, eff. 3-6-95; 89-289, eff. 1-1-96; 89-626,
eff. 8-9-96.)

    (305 ILCS 5/9A-9) (from Ch. 23, par. 9A-9)
    Sec.  9A-9. Program Activities Components. The Department
shall establish education, training and placement  activities
components   by   rule.   Not  all  of  the  same  activities
components need be provided in  each  county  in  the  State.
Such activities components may include the following:
    (a)  Education  (Below  post secondary). Participants who
are determined ready to participate but in need of  education
are  referred  to  the  education component. In the Education
(below  post  secondary)   activity   this   component,   the
individual   receives   information,   referral,   counseling
services  and  support  services to increase the individual's
employment  potential.  Participants  may  be   referred   to
testing,  counseling  and  education  resources.  Educational
activities will include basic and remedial education; English
proficiency  classes;  high  school or its equivalency (e.g.,
GED) or alternative education at  the  secondary  level;  and
with  any  educational  program,  structured  study  time  to
enhance    successful    participation.    An    individual's
participation in an education program such as literacy, basic
adult education, high school equivalency (GED), or a remedial
program  shall  be  limited  to 2 years unless the individual
also is working or participating in a work activity  approved
by   the   Illinois  Department  as  defined  by  rule;  this
requirement does not apply, however, to students enrolled  in
high school.
    (b)  Job   Skills   Training   (Vocational).  Job  Skills
Training is designed to increase the individual's ability  to
obtain   and   maintain   employment.   Job  Skills  Training
activities will include vocational skill classes designed  to
increase  a  participant's  ability  to  obtain  and maintain
employment.  Job  Skills  Training  may  include  certificate
programs.
    (c)  Job Readiness. The job readiness activity  component
is  designed to enhance the quality of the individual's level
of participation in the world  of  work  while  learning  the
necessary  essentials to obtain and maintain employment. This
activity component helps individuals gain the  necessary  job
finding  skills  to help them find and retain employment that
will lead to economic independence.
    (d)  Job   Search.    Job   Search   may   be   conducted
individually or in groups. Job Search includes the  provision
of  counseling,  job  seeking skills training and information
dissemination. Group job search may  include  training  in  a
group session. Assignment exclusively to job search cannot be
in  excess  of 8 consecutive weeks (or its equivalent) in any
period of 12 consecutive months.
    (e)  Work Experience.  Near job ready participants who do
not receive  aid  to  families  with  dependent  children  --
unemployed,  who  have  not  found  employment,  and who need
orientation to work, work experience or training, in order to
prevent deterioration of or to enhance existing  skills,  may
be   referred   to   the  Work  Experience  component.   Work
Experience assignments  may  be  with  private  employers  or
not-for-profit  or public agencies in the State. The Illinois
Department  shall  provide  workers'  compensation  coverage.
Participants who are not members  of  a  2-parent  assistance
unit  may  not  be  assigned more hours than their cash grant
amount plus food stamps divided by the minimum wage.  Private
employers  and  not-for-profit  and public agencies shall not
use  Work  Experience  participants   to   displace   regular
employees.  Participants  in Work Experience may perform work
in  the  public   interest   (which   otherwise   meets   the
requirements  of this Section) for a federal office or agency
with its consent, and notwithstanding the  provisions  of  31
U.S.C.  1342,  or any other provision of law, such agency may
accept  such  services,  but  participants   shall   not   be
considered  federal  employees for any purpose. A participant
shall  be  reassessed  at  the  end  of  assignment  to  Work
Experience.   The  participant  may  be  reassigned  to  Work
Experience or assigned to another activity  component,  based
on  the reassessment.  A participant shall not be assigned to
Work Experience for more than a total of 6 months in  any  12
consecutive  month  period.  This 6 month limitation does not
apply to parents in families eligible  for  assistance  under
Article IV due to unemployment of the principal wage earner.
    (f)  On  the  Job  Training.   In  On the Job Training, a
participant is hired by a  private  or  public  employer  and
while  engaged  in  productive  work  receives  training that
provides knowledge or skills essential to full  and  adequate
performance of the job.
    (g)  Work  Supplementation.  In work supplementation, the
Department pays a wage subsidy to an  employer  who  hires  a
participant. The cash grant which a participant would receive
if  not  employed is diverted  and the diverted cash grant is
used to pay the wage subsidy.
    (h)  Post  Secondary  Education.   Individuals   may   be
referred   to   post   secondary  education  programs.   Post
secondary education must be administered  by  an  educational
institution  accredited  under requirements of State law. The
Illinois  Department  may   not   approve   an   individual's
participation  in any post-secondary education program, other
than full-time, short-term vocational training for a specific
job, unless the individual also  is  employed  part-time,  as
defined by the Illinois Department by rule.
    (i)  Self   Initiated  Education.  Participants  who  are
attending an institution of higher education or a  vocational
or  technical  program of their own choosing at the time they
enter  the  Project  Chance  program  and  who  are  in  good
standing, may  continue  to  attend  and  receive  supportive
services  only  if the educational program is approved by the
Department, and  is  in  conformity  with  the  participant's
personal  plan  for achieving employment and self-sufficiency
and the participant is employed part-time, as defined by  the
Illinois Department by rule.
    (j)  Job  Development  and  Placement.  Department  staff
shall  develop  through  contacts  with  public  and  private
employers  unsubsidized  job  openings  for participants. Job
interviews will be secured for clients by  the  marketing  of
participants for specific job openings. Job ready individuals
may be assigned to Job Development and Placement.
    (k)  Job   Retention.  The  job  retention  component  is
designed to  assist  participants  in  retaining  employment.
Initial  employment  expenses  and job retention services are
provided. The individual's support service needs are assessed
and  the  individual  receives   counseling   regarding   job
retention  skills.  Counseling  may  continue  up to 3 months
after employment.
    (l)  (Blank).   Unemployed   Parents   Work   Experience.
Unemployed parents who receive aid to families with dependent
children -- unemployed may be required to participate in  the
Unemployed  Parents  Work  Experience  component.  Unemployed
Parents Work Experience assignments shall be for at least  16
hours  per week with private employers and not-for-profit and
public agencies.  Those employers and agencies  may  not  use
Unemployed  Parents  Work Experience participants to displace
regular employees.  Every Unemployed Parents Work  Experience
participant  shall  be  reassessed  at  least  once  in every
12-month period for participation in this component.
    (m)  A  parent  may  be  required  to  participate  in  a
pay-after-performance program in which the parent must work a
specified number of hours to  earn  the  grant.  The  program
shall  comply  with  provisions  of  this Code governing work
experience programs.
(Source: P.A. 88-124; 89-289, eff. 1-1-96.)

    (305 ILCS 5/9A-11) (from Ch. 23, par. 9A-11)
    Sec. 9A-11. Child Care.
    (a)  The General Assembly recognizes that  families  with
children  need  child  care  in order to work.  Child care is
expensive and families with low incomes, including those  who
are transitioning from welfare to work, often struggle to pay
the  costs of day care.  The General Assembly understands the
importance of helping low income working families become  and
remain  self-sufficient.   The General Assembly also believes
that it is the responsibility of families  to  share  in  the
costs  of  child  care.    It  is  also the preference of the
General Assembly that all working  poor  families  should  be
treated   equally,   regardless   of  their  welfare  status.
Department shall guarantee child care:
         (1)  for  each  family  with   a   dependent   child
    requiring  such  care,  to  the  extent that such care is
    determined by the  Department  to  be  necessary  for  an
    individual  in  the family to accept employment or remain
    employed, and to the extent resources permit; and
         (2)  for each individual participating in employment
    and training activities, to the extent resources  permit,
    if  the  Department  has  approved  the  activity and has
    determined  that   the   individual   is   satisfactorily
    participating in the activity.
    (b)  To   the   extent  resources  permit,  the  Illinois
Department shall provide child care services  to  parents  or
other  relatives  as  defined  by  rule  who  are  working or
participating in employment or Department approved  education
or  training programs.  At a minimum, the Illinois Department
shall cover the following categories of families:
         (1)  recipients   of   TANF   under    Article    IV
    participating   in   work   and  training  activities  as
    specified  in  the  personal  plan  for  employment   and
    self-sufficiency;
         (2)  families transitioning from TANF to work;
         (3)  families  at  risk  of  becoming  recipients of
    TANF;
         (4)  families with special needs as defined by rule;
    and
         (5)  working  families  with  very  low  incomes  as
    defined by rule.
    The Department shall specify by rule  the  conditions  of
eligibility, the application process, and the types, amounts,
and  duration  of  services.    Eligibility  for  child  care
benefits and the amount of child care provided may vary based
on  family  size,  income,  and other factors as specified by
rule.  In  determining  income  eligibility  for  child  care
benefits, the Department shall establish, by rule, one income
threshold for each family size, in relation to percentage  of
State  median  income  for  a family of that size, that makes
families with incomes below the specified threshold  eligible
for  assistance and families with incomes above the specified
threshold  ineligible  for  assistance.      In   determining
eligibility  for  assistance,  the  Department shall not give
preference to any category of recipients or  give  preference
to  individuals based on their receipt of benefits under this
Code.  It is the intent of the  General  Assembly  that,  for
fiscal  year  1998,  to  the  extent  resources  permit,  the
Department shall establish an income eligibility threshold of
50%  of  the State median income.  Notwithstanding the income
level at which families become eligible to receive child care
assistance, any family that is already receiving  child  care
assistance  on  the  effective date of this amendatory Act of
1997 shall remain eligible for  assistance  for  fiscal  year
1998.    Nothing  in  this  Section  shall  be  construed  as
conferring entitlement  status  to  eligible  families.   The
Illinois Department is authorized to lower income eligibility
ceilings,  raise parent co-payments, create waiting lists, or
take such other actions during a fiscal year as are necessary
to ensure that child care benefits paid under this Article do
not exceed the amounts  appropriated  for  those  child  care
benefits.    These  changes  may be accomplished by emergency
rule  under  Section  5-45  of  the  Illinois  Administrative
Procedure Act, except that the limitation on  the  number  of
emergency  rules  that  may  be  adopted in a 24-month period
shall not apply.  The Illinois Department may  contract  with
other  State  agencies  or  child  care organizations for the
administration of child care services. Child  care  shall  be
provided  for  a dependent child of a person receiving Aid to
Families with Dependent Children to allow such individual  to
participate  in  an  education or training program or related
activities.  Eligibility shall also be extended  to  families
with   children  who  meet  the  criteria of this Section who
would be dependent except for the receipt of  benefits  under
the  Supplemental  Security  Income Program (Title XVI of the
Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. 1381 et seq.) or  the  receipt
of  foster  care  under Title IV-E of the Social Security Act
(42 U.S.C. 670 et seq.) and the caretaker relative is also  a
member   of  a  household  receiving  Aid  to  Families  with
Dependent Children.
    (c)  Payment shall be made for child care that  otherwise
meets   the  requirements  of  this  Section  and  applicable
standards of State and local law  and  regulation,  including
any  requirements the Illinois Department promulgates by rule
in  addition  to  the,  but   not   limited   to,   licensure
requirements  promulgated  by  the Department of Children and
Family Services and Fire Prevention and  Safety  requirements
promulgated  by  the  Office of the State Fire Marshal and is
provided in any of the following:
         (1)  a child care center which is licensed or exempt
    from licensure pursuant to Section 2.09 of the Child Care
    Act of 1969;
         (2)  a licensed child care home or home exempt  from
    licensing;
         (3)  a licensed group child care home;
         (4)  other types of child care, including child care
    provided  by relatives or persons living in the same home
    as the child, as determined by the Illinois Department by
    rule relatives and babysitters, provided, the relative is
    not the mother or father of the  child  or  in  the  same
    assistance   grant   as   the   child  and,  provided,  a
    non-relative providing care in the child's home cannot be
    in the same assistance grant as the child.
    The provisions of this subsection are not  applicable  to
families using the child care disregard.
    (d)  The  Illinois  Department  shall,  by  rule, require
co-payments for child care services by any parent,  including
parents whose only income is from assistance under this Code.
The  co-payment  shall  be  assessed based on a sliding scale
based on family  income,  family  size,  and  the  number  of
children  in  care  will provide child care for an individual
receiving Aid to Families  with  Dependent  Children  who  is
waiting  to  enter an approved education or training program,
component or employment for a period not to exceed 2 weeks or
for a period  not  to  exceed  one  month  where  child  care
arrangements  would  otherwise  be  lost  and  the subsequent
activity is scheduled to begin within that period.
    (e)  The Illinois Department shall conduct a market  rate
survey  based  on the cost of care and other relevant factors
which shall be completed by July 1, 1998 Rates of payment for
child care will be made in amounts not to exceed the  maximum
rates  per child as established by the Department of Children
and Family Services.
    (f)  The Illinois Department shall, by rule, set rates to
be paid for the various types of child care. Child  care  may
be provided through one of the following methods:
         (1)  arranging   the  child  care  through  eligible
    providers by use of  purchase  of  service  contracts  or
    vouchers;
         (2)  arranging  with  other  agencies  and community
    volunteer groups for non-reimbursed child care;
         (3)  (blank) using the child care disregard; or
         (4)  adopting  such  other   arrangements   as   the
    Department   determines   appropriate   which  facilitate
    service delivery  and  do  not  disadvantage  the  family
    receiving the service.
    (g)  Families  eligible for assistance under this Section
shall be given the following options:
         (1)  receiving a child care  certificate  issued  by
    the  Department or a subcontractor of the Department that
    may be used by the parents as payment for child care  and
    development services only; or
         (2)  if space is available, enrolling the child with
    a  child  care  provider  that  has a purchase of service
    contract with the Department or a  subcontractor  of  the
    Department   for   the   provision   of  child  care  and
    development  services.    The  Department  may   identify
    particular priority populations for whom they may request
    special  consideration  by  a  provider  with purchase of
    service contracts, provided that the providers  shall  be
    permitted  to  maintain  a balance of clients in terms of
    household incomes and families and children with  special
    needs, as defined by rule.
(Source: P.A. 86-1381; 87-860.)

    (305 ILCS 5/9A-13 new)
    Sec. 9A-13. Work activity; anti-displacement provisions.
    (a)  As  used  in  this Section "work activity" means any
workfare,          earnfare,           pay-after-performance,
work-off-the-grant,  work experience, or other activity under
Sections 9A-9, 9A-12, or any other Section of  this  Code  in
which  a recipient of public assistance performs work for any
employer as a condition of receiving the  public  assistance,
and  the  employer does not pay wages for the work; or as any
grant diversion, wage supplementation, or similar program  in
which the public assistance grant is provided to the employer
as a subsidy for the wages of any recipient in its workforce.
    (b)  An   employer   may  not  utilize  a  work  activity
participant if such utilization would result in:
         (1)  the displacement  or  partial  displacement  of
    current   employees,  including  but  not  limited  to  a
    reduction in hours  of  non-overtime  or  overtime  work,
    wages, or employment benefits; or
         (2)  the  filling of a position that would otherwise
    be a promotional opportunity for current employees; or
         (3)  the filling of a position created by or causing
    termination, layoff, a hiring freeze, or a  reduction  in
    the workforce; or
         (4)  the   placement   of   a   participant  in  any
    established unfilled vacancy; or
         (5)  the performance of work  by  a  participant  if
    there  is  a  strike,  lockout, or other labor dispute in
    which the employer is engaged.
    (c)  An employer who  wishes  to  utilize  work  activity
participants  shall, at least 15 days prior to utilizing such
participants, notify the labor organization of the name, work
location, and the duties to be performed by the participant.
    (d)  The Department of Human Services shall  establish  a
grievance  procedure for employees and labor organizations to
utilize in  the  event  of  any  alleged  violation  of  this
Section.  Notwithstanding the above, a labor organization may
utilize the established grievance or arbitration procedure in
its  collective bargaining agreement to contest violations of
this Section.

    (305 ILCS 5/11-6) (from Ch. 23, par. 11-6)
    Sec. 11-6.  Decisions on  applications.  Within  10  days
after  a decision is reached on an application, the applicant
shall be notified in writing of the decision.  The Department
shall consider eligibility for, and the notice shall  contain
a  decision on, each of the following assistance programs for
which the client may be eligible  based  on  the  information
contained  in the application:  Temporary Assistance to Needy
Families Aid to Families  with  Dependent  Children,  Medical
Assistance,  Aid  to  the  Aged,  Blind and Disabled, General
Assistance (in the City of Chicago),  Aid  to  the  Medically
Indigent  and food stamps.  No decision shall be required for
any assistance program for which the applicant has  expressly
declined in writing to apply.  If the applicant is determined
to  be  eligible, the notice shall include a statement of the
amount of financial aid to be provided and a statement of the
reasons for any partial grant amounts. If  the  applicant  is
determined  ineligible  for  any public assistance the notice
shall include the reason why the applicant is ineligible.  If
the application for any  public  assistance  is  denied,  the
notice  shall  include  a  statement defining the applicant's
right to appeal the decision.  The  Illinois  Department,  by
rule,  shall  determine  the  date  on which assistance shall
begin for applicants determined eligible.  That date  may  be
no later than 30 days after the date of the application.
    Under  no  circumstances  may  any  application be denied
solely to meet an application-processing deadline.
(Source: P.A. 85-943.)

    (305 ILCS 5/11-6.2)
    Sec. 11-6.2.  Electronic fingerprinting.
    (a)  The   Illinois   Department   shall   implement    a
demonstration  project to determine the cost-effectiveness of
preventing multiple enrollments of aid recipients through the
use of an electronic automated 2-digit  fingerprint  matching
identification  system  in  local  offices. The demonstration
project shall be implemented in one or more local offices  in
each of 3 counties as follows:
         (1)  A  county  having  a population of 3,000,000 or
    more.
         (2)  A  county  contiguous  to  a  county  having  a
    population of 3,000,000 or more.
         (3)  A  county  having  a   population   less   than
    3,000,000 that is not described in item (2).
    The  Illinois  Department  shall  apply  for  any federal
waivers or approvals necessary to conduct this  demonstration
project.   The demonstration project shall become operational
(i) 12 months after the effective date of this amendatory Act
of 1994 or (ii) after the Illinois  Department's  receipt  of
all necessary federal waivers and approvals, whichever occurs
later, and shall operate for 36 12 months.
    (b)  The fingerprints or their electronic representations
collected  and  maintained  through  the  use of an automated
fingerprint matching identification system as  authorized  by
this  Section  may not be used, disclosed, or redisclosed for
any purpose other than the prevention of multiple enrollments
of aid recipients,  may  not  be  used  or  admitted  in  any
criminal  or civil investigation, prosecution, or proceeding,
other than a proceeding pursuant to Article VIII-A,  and  may
not   be  disclosed  in  response  to  a  subpoena  or  other
compulsory legal process or warrant or upon  the  request  or
order  of  any  agency, authority, division, office, or other
private or public  entity  or  person,  except  that  nothing
contained in this subsection prohibits disclosure in response
to  a  subpoena  issued  by  or on behalf of the applicant or
recipient who is the subject of the record  maintained  as  a
part  of the system.  A person who knowingly makes or obtains
any unauthorized disclosure of data collected and  maintained
under   this   Section   through  the  use  of  an  automated
fingerprint matching identification system  is  guilty  of  a
Class  A  misdemeanor.   Data collected and maintained on the
automated fingerprint matching identification system shall be
subject  to  the  provisions  of  this   Code   relating   to
unauthorized disclosure of confidential client information.
    (c)  The  Illinois Department shall develop a competitive
request for a proposal for an automated  2-digit  fingerprint
matching  identification system and shall thereafter contract
for the services of a firm able to design  and  implement  an
automated 2-digit fingerprint matching identification system.
The   system   shall   include  the  use  of  a  photographic
identification for every aid recipient. Before the award of a
contract, the Illinois  Department  shall  certify  that  the
design   of   the  demonstration  project  fulfills  all  the
requirements of this Section.  After the contract is awarded,
the Illinois Department shall insure that  the  demonstration
project is carried out in accordance with the requirements of
this Section and that adequate training for county department
staff  involved  with  the project will be provided and shall
take any actions necessary to bring the demonstration project
into  compliance   with   this   Section.   The   contractual
arrangement   shall   ensure  that  State  payments  for  the
contractor's   necessary   and   legitimate   expenses    for
administering   the  demonstration  project  are  limited  to
amounts specified in advance and that those  amounts  do  not
exceed the amounts appropriated for that purpose.
    (d)  Before    the    demonstration    project    becomes
operational,  the  Illinois  Department  shall  give  written
notice  of  the  provisions of this Section to applicants for
and recipients of aid served by the  local  offices  selected
for  the demonstration project.  The notice shall state that,
by applying or maintaining  eligibility  for  any  assistance
program,   applicants  and  recipients  must  submit  to  the
electronic collection of their fingerprints as an  additional
method  of  establishing  eligibility.   Applicants  for  and
recipients   of   aid   who  fail  to  submit  to  electronic
fingerprinting shall be declared ineligible for assistance as
permitted by federal waiver.   An  applicant  for  aid  whose
application  is  denied,  or a recipient of aid whose case is
cancelled,  in   any   demonstration   location   after   the
demonstration  project  begins  but  before  the applicant or
recipient has submitted to electronic fingerprinting  may  be
required   to  submit  to  electronic  fingerprinting  before
re-establishing  eligibility  for  assistance  in  any  other
office.
    (e)  This  Section  does  not  authorize  or  permit  the
termination, suspension,  or  diminution  of  aid  except  as
elsewhere specifically authorized in this Code.  If the basis
of  a  proposed  sanction  is a determination of a fraudulent
multiple  enrollment  based  on  the  use  of  an   automated
fingerprint   matching   identification   system   authorized
pursuant  to  this  Section,  the sanction may not be imposed
unless the county department has verified the results of  the
automated fingerprint matching identification system by means
of  a  manual match conducted by a person who is qualified to
perform fingerprint identifications.
    (f)  The  Illinois  Department  shall  conduct   periodic
audits  to  monitor  compliance with all laws and regulations
regarding the automated fingerprint  matching  identification
system  to  insure that:  (i) any records maintained  as part
of the system  are  accurate  and  complete;  (ii)  effective
software  and  hardware  designs  have  been  instituted with
security features to prevent unauthorized access to  records;
(iii) access to record information system facilities, systems
operating environments, and data file contents, whether while
in use or when stored in a media library,  is  restricted  to
authorized personnel; (iv) operational programs are used that
will  prohibit  inquiry,  record  updates,  or destruction of
records from any terminal other  than  automated  fingerprint
matching   identification   system   terminals  that  are  so
designated; (v) operational programs are used to  detect  and
store  for  the  output of designated Illinois Department and
county department  employees  all  unauthorized  attempts  to
penetrate   any  electronic  automated  fingerprint  matching
identification system, program, or file;  and  (vi)  adequate
and  timely  procedures  exist  to  insure the recipient's or
applicant's right to access and review  of  records  for  the
purpose  of  accuracy  and completeness, including procedures
for review of information maintained about those  individuals
and  for  administrative  review  (including  procedures  for
administrative  appeal) and necessary correction of any claim
by the individual to whom the information  relates  that  the
information is inaccurate or incomplete.
    (g)  On   or   before  December  1,  1997,  the  Illinois
Department shall report  to  the  Governor  and  the  General
Assembly   concerning  the  operation  of  the  demonstration
project.   The  report  shall  include  an  analysis  of  the
cost-effectiveness of the demonstration project,  information
concerning instances of multiple enrollments detected through
use   of   the   electronic  automated  fingerprint  matching
identification  system, and a detailed summary of the results
of audits required by subsection    (f).   The  report  shall
include  recommendations regarding whether the program should
be discontinued, expanded, or otherwise modified.
    (h)  The Illinois Department shall apply for all  waivers
of  federal  law  and  regulations  necessary  to conduct the
demonstration project under this Section.
    (i)  The Illinois Department may establish a retinal  eye
identification system instead of an electronic fingerprinting
system  in one of the sites described in subsection (a).  Any
retinal  eye  identification  system  must  comply  with  the
requirements of subsections (a) through (h) as they apply  to
retinal eye identification.
(Source: P.A. 88-554, eff. 7-26-94.)

    (305 ILCS 5/11-8) (from Ch. 23, par. 11-8)
    Sec.  11-8.   Appeals  -  To  Whom  taken.  Applicants or
recipients of aid may, at any time within 60 days  after  the
decision of the County Department or local governmental unit,
as  the case may be, appeal a decision denying or terminating
aid, or granting aid in an amount which is deemed inadequate,
or changing, cancelling, revoking  or  suspending  grants  as
provided   in   Section  11-16,  or  determining  to  make  a
protective payment under the provisions of Sections  3-5a  or
4-9,  or  a  decision  by  an  administrative review board to
impose administrative safeguards as provided in Section 8A-8.
An appeal shall also lie when an  application  is  not  acted
upon  within the 30 days after the filing of the application,
or within  a  different  time  period  after  filing  of  the
application  as  provided by rule of the Illinois Department,
if  an  adjustment  is  necessary  to  conform  with  Federal
requirements.
    If an appeal is  not  made,  the  action  of  the  County
Department or local governmental unit shall be final.
    Appeals  by  applicants or recipients under Articles III,
IV, V or VII shall be taken to the Illinois Department.
    Appeals by applicants  or  recipients  under  Article  VI
shall be taken as follows:
         (1)  In counties under township organization (except
    such counties in which the governing authority is a Board
    of  Commissioners)  appeals  shall  be  to  a  Public Aid
    Committee consisting of the Chairman of the County Board,
    and 4 members who are  township  supervisors  of  general
    assistance,  appointed  by  the Chairman, with the advice
    and consent of the county board.
         (2)  In counties in excess of  3,000,000  population
    and  under  township  organization in which the governing
    authority is a Board of Commissioners, appeals of persons
    from government units outside the corporate limits  of  a
    city,  village  or incorporated town of more than 500,000
    population, and of persons from incorporated towns  which
    have  superseded  civil townships in respect to aid under
    Article VI, shall be to a Public Aid Committee consisting
    of 2 supervisors and 3 persons knowledgeable in the  area
    of General Assistance and the regulations of the Illinois
    Department  pertaining  thereto and who are not officers,
    agents or  employees  of  any  township.   The  5  member
    committee shall be appointed by the township supervisors.
    The  first  appointments  shall  be  made with one person
    serving a one year term, 2 persons serving a 2 year term,
    and 2 persons serving a 3 year term.   Committee  members
    shall  thereafter  serve  3  year  terms.  In  any appeal
    involving a local governmental unit whose  supervisor  of
    general  assistance  is  a  member of the Committee, such
    supervisor shall not act as a member of the Committee for
    the purposes of such appeal.
         (3)  In counties described in paragraph (2)  appeals
    of  persons  from a city, village or incorporated town of
    more than 500,000 population shall be to  a  Commissioner
    of  Appeals,  appointed  as  an  employee  of  the County
    Department of Public Aid in accordance with  and  subject
    to the provisions of Section 12-21.3.
         (4)  In  counties  not  under township organization,
    appeals shall be to the  County  Board  of  Commissioners
    which  shall for this purpose be the Public Aid Committee
    of the County.
    In counties designated in paragraph (1) the  Chairman  or
President  of the County Board shall appoint, with the advice
and consent of  the  county  board,  one  or  more  alternate
members   of  the  Public  Aid  Committee.  All  regular  and
alternate members shall be Supervisors of General Assistance.
In any appeal  involving  a  local  governmental  unit  whose
Supervisor   of   General  Assistance  is  a  member  of  the
Committee, he  shall  be  replaced  for  that  appeal  by  an
alternate  member  designated by the Chairman or President of
the County Board, with the advice and consent of  the  county
board.  In  these  counties  not more than 3 of the 5 regular
appointees shall be  members  of  the  same  political  party
unless  the  political  composition of the Supervisors of the
General Assistance precludes  such  a  limitation.  In  these
counties  at  least  one  member  of the Public Aid Committee
shall be a  person  knowledgeable  in  the  area  of  general
assistance  and  the  regulations  of the Illinois Department
pertaining thereto.  If no member of the Committee  possesses
such  knowledge,  the  Illinois Department shall designate an
employee of the Illinois Department having such knowledge  to
be present at the Committee hearings to advise the Committee.
    In every county the County Board shall provide facilities
for  the conduct of hearings on appeals under Article VI. All
expenses incident to such hearings  shall  be  borne  by  the
county except that in counties under township organization in
which the governing authority is a Board of Commissioners (1)
the  salary and other expenses of the Commissioner of Appeals
shall be paid from General  Assistance  funds  available  for
administrative  purposes,  and  (2)  all expenses incident to
such hearings shall be borne by the township and the per diem
and traveling expenses of the township supervisors serving on
the Public Aid Committee shall be fixed  and  paid  by  their
respective  townships.   In all other counties the members of
the Public Aid Committee shall receive the  compensation  and
expenses  provided  by  law for attendance at meetings of the
County Board.
    In appeals under Article VI involving a governmental unit
receiving State funds,  the  Public  Aid  Committee  and  the
Commissioner  of  Appeals  shall  be  bound  by the rules and
regulations of the Illinois Department which are relevant  to
the  issues on appeal, and shall file such reports concerning
appeals as the Illinois Department requests.
    An appeal shall be without  cost  to  the  appellant  and
shall  be  made,  at the option of the appellant, either upon
forms provided and prescribed by the Illinois Department  or,
for  appeals to a Public Aid Committee, upon forms prescribed
by the County Board; or an appeal may be made  by  calling  a
toll-free  number  provided  for that purpose by the Illinois
Department  and  providing  the  necessary  information.  The
Illinois  Department  may   assist   County   Boards   or   a
Commissioner  of  Appeals in the preparation of appeal forms,
or upon request of a County Board or Commissioner of  Appeals
may   furnish   such  forms.  County  Departments  and  local
governmental units shall render all possible aid  to  persons
desiring to make an appeal. The provisions of Sections 11-8.1
to 11-8.7, inclusive, shall apply to all such appeals.
(Source: P.A. 87-630.)

    (305 ILCS 5/11-8.6) (from Ch. 23, par. 11-8.6)
    Sec. 11-8.6. Decision-Time and effect.
    A  decision  on  appeal  shall be given to the interested
parties within 90 60 days from the date of the filing of  the
appeal,  unless  additional  time  is  required  for a proper
disposition of the appeal. All decisions on appeals shall  be
binding  upon and complied with by the County Departments and
local governmental units.
(Source: Laws 1967, p. 2302.)

    (305 ILCS 5/11-16) (from Ch. 23, par. 11-16)
    Sec.   11-16.   Changes   in    grants;    cancellations,
revocations,  suspensions.  All grants of financial aid under
this Code  shall  be  considered  as  frequently  as  may  be
required  by the rules of the Illinois Department. After such
investigation as may be necessary, the amount and  manner  of
giving  aid  may  be  changed  or  the  aid  may  be entirely
withdrawn if the County Department, local governmental  unit,
or   Illinois   Department   finds   that   the   recipient's
circumstances  have  altered  sufficiently  to  warrant  such
action.  Financial aid may at any time be canceled or revoked
for cause or suspended for such period as may be proper.
    (b)  Whenever  any  such  grant  of  financial   aid   is
cancelled,  revoked,  reduced,  or  terminated because of the
failure of the recipient to cooperate  with  the  Department,
including   but  not  limited  to  the  failure  to  keep  an
appointment,  attend  a  meeting,   or   produce   proof   or
verification  of  eligibility  or  need,  the  grant shall be
reinstated in full, retroactive to the date of the change  in
or  termination of the grant, provided that within 10 working
days after the first day the financial aid  would  have  been
available,  the  recipient cooperates with the Department and
is not otherwise ineligible for benefits for  the  period  in
question.   This  subsection  (b) does not apply to sanctions
imposed for the failure of any recipient  to  participate  as
required  in  the child support enforcement program or in any
educational, training, or employment program under this  Code
or  any  other  sanction  under  Section  4-21, nor does this
subsection  (b)  apply  to  any   cancellation,   revocation,
reduction,  termination,  or sanction imposed for the failure
of any  recipient  to  cooperate  in  the  monthly  reporting
process or the quarterly reporting process.
(Source: P.A. 87-860; 87-1273; 88-554, eff. 7-26-94.)

    (305 ILCS 5/11-20) (from Ch. 23, par. 11-20)
    Sec.  11-20.   Employment Registration - Persons "Able to
Engage  in  Employment"  -  Duty  to  Accept   Employment   -
Conditions   Under   Which   Employment   May  Be  Refused  -
Exemptions). This Section applies to employment and  training
programs  other than those for recipients of assistance under
Article IV.
    (1)  Each applicant or recipient and dependent member  of
the family age 16 or over who is able to engage in employment
and  who  is  unemployed,  or employed for less than the full
working time for  the  occupation  in  which  he  or  she  is
engaged, shall maintain a current registration for employment
or  additional  employment  with  the  system  of free public
employment offices maintained in  this  State  by  the  State
Department  of  Employment Security under "An Act relating to
employment offices and agencies", approved May 11,  1903,  as
amended,  and  shall  utilize  the job placement services and
other  facilities  of  such  offices  unless   the   Illinois
Department   otherwise   provides   by   rule   for  programs
administered by the Illinois Department.
    (2)  Every person age 16 or over shall be deemed "able to
engage in employment", as that term is  used  herein,  unless
(a)  the  person  has  an  illness certified by the attending
practitioner  as  precluding  his  or   her   engagement   in
employment  of  any  type  for  a  time  period stated in the
practitioner's  certification;  or  (b)  the  person  has   a
medically determinable physical or mental impairment, disease
or  loss  of indefinite duration and of such severity that he
or she cannot perform  labor  or  services  in  any  type  of
gainful  work which exists in the national economy, including
work adjusted for persons with physical or  mental  handicap;
or (c) the person is among the classes of persons exempted by
paragraph  5  of  this Section. A person described in clauses
(a), (b) or (c) of the preceding sentence shall be classified
as "temporarily unemployable". The Illinois Department  shall
provide  by  rule for periodic review of the circumstances of
persons classified as "temporarily unemployable".
    (3)  The Illinois Department shall provide through  rules
and   regulations   for   sanctions  against  applicants  and
recipients of aid under this  Code  who  fail  or  refuse  to
cooperate,  without  good  cause,  as  defined by rule of the
Illinois  Department,  to  accept  a  bona  fide   offer   of
employment in which he or she is able to engage either in the
community  of  the  person's  residence  or within reasonable
commuting distance therefrom.
    Individuals receiving aid under Article IV of  this  Code
who  fail  to cooperate with the regulations and requirements
established  pursuant  to  this  Section,  may   lose   their
eligibility  to receive aid under Article IV of this Code for
up to 3 months for the first  occurrence  and  for  up  to  6
months  for  the  second  and  subsequent occurrences. If the
sanctioned individual is not the principal earner as  defined
by  Federal  law  in  an  assistance unit receiving aid under
Article IV of this Code, only that individual  is  ineligible
for  public  assistance  during  the  sanction period. If the
sanctioned  individual  is  the  principal   earner   in   an
assistance  unit receiving aid under Article IV of this Code,
the  entire  assistance  unit  is   ineligible   for   public
assistance during the sanction period.
    The Illinois Department may provide by rule for the grant
or continuation of aid for a temporary period, if federal law
or regulation so permits or requires, to a person who refuses
employment without good cause if he or she accepts counseling
or   other  services  designed  to  increase  motivation  and
incentives for accepting employment.
    (4)  Without limiting other criteria which  the  Illinois
Department  may  establish, it shall be good cause of refusal
if
    (a)  the wage  does  not  meet  applicable  minimum  wage
requirements, or
    (b)  there being no applicable minimum wage as determined
in  (a),  the wage is certified by the Illinois Department of
Labor as being less than that which is  appropriate  for  the
work to be performed.
    (c)  acceptance  of  the  offer  involves  a  substantial
threat to the health or safety of the person or any of his or
her dependents.
    (5)  The  requirements  of registration and acceptance of
employment shall not apply (a) to a parent  or  other  person
needed  at home to provide personal care and supervision to a
child or children unless, in accordance with  the  rules  and
regulations of the Illinois Department, suitable arrangements
have  or can be made for such care and supervision during the
hours of the day the parent or other person  is  out  of  the
home because of employment; (b) to a person age 16 or over in
regular attendance in school, as defined in Section 4-1.1; or
(c) to a person whose presence in the home on a substantially
continuous  basis  is  required  because  of  the  illness or
incapacity of another member of the household.
    The Illinois Department  may  implement  a  demonstration
project  limited  to  one  county  of  less  than  3  million
population that would require registration for and acceptance
of  employment by parents or another person needed at home to
provide personal care and supervision to a child or  children
age  3  and  over,  as  allowed by federal law and subject to
rules and regulations of the  Illinois  Department,  provided
suitable  arrangements have been or can be made for such care
and supervision during the hours of the day  the  parents  or
other person are out of the home because of employment.  Such
suitable  arrangements  must  meet standards and requirements
established under the Child Care  Act  of  1969,  as  now  or
hereafter  amended.   Such  requirements  shall  not apply to
parents or another caretaker with a child or children at home
under the age of 3.
(Source: P.A. 85-1156.)

    (305 ILCS 5/12-4.4) (from Ch. 23, par. 12-4.4)
    (Text of Section before amendment by P.A. 89-507)
    Sec. 12-4.4. Administration of federally-aided  programs.
Direct County Departments of Public Aid in the administration
of  the  federally funded food stamp program, programs to aid
refugees and Articles III, IV, V and VII of  this  Code.  The
Illinois Department may also, upon its own motion, review any
decision  made  by  a  County  Department  and  consider  any
application  upon  which  a decision has not been made by the
County Department within 30 days. It  may  require  a  County
Department to transmit its files and all papers and documents
pertaining to any applicant or recipient.
    Beginning  July 1, 1992, or upon approval by the Food and
Nutrition  Service  of  the  United  States   Department   of
Agriculture,  the  Illinois  Department  shall operate a Food
Stamp Employment and Training (FSE&T) program  in  compliance
with  federal  law.   The FSE&T program will have an Earnfare
component.  The Earnfare  component  shall  be  available  in
selected  geographic  areas  based on criteria established by
the Illinois Department by rule.   Participants  in  Earnfare
will,  to  the extent resources allow, earn their assistance.
Participation in the Earnfare program  is  voluntary,  except
when   ordered   by   a   court  of  competent  jurisdiction.
Eligibility for Earnfare shall be limited to  only  6  months
out  of  any  12  consecutive  month  period. Clients are not
entitled to be placed in an Earnfare  slot.   Earnfare  slots
shall  be  made available only as resources permit.  Earnfare
shall be available to persons receiving food stamps who  meet
eligibility  criteria  established by the Illinois Department
by rule.  Receipt  of  food  stamps  is  not  an  eligibility
requirement   of   Earnfare   when   a   court  of  competent
jurisdiction orders  an  individual  to  participate  in  the
Earnfare  Program.    To  the  extent  resources  permit, the
Earnfare  program  will  allow  participants  to  engage   in
work-related  activities to earn monthly financial assistance
payments and to improve participants' employability in  order
for  them  to  succeed in obtaining employment.  The Illinois
Department  may  enter  into  contracts  with  other   public
agencies  including  State  agencies, with local governmental
units, and with not-for-profit community based  organizations
to  carry out the elements of the Program that the Department
deems appropriate.
    The  Earnfare  Program  shall   contain   the   following
elements:
         (1)  To  the extent resources allow and slots exist,
    the Illinois Department shall refer  recipients  of  food
    stamp   assistance  who  meet  eligibility  criteria,  as
    established by rule. Receipt of food  stamps  is  not  an
    eligibility  requirement  of  Earnfare  when  a  court of
    competent   jurisdiction   orders   an   individual    to
    participate in the Earnfare Program.
         (2)  Persons  participating in Earnfare shall engage
    in employment assigned activities equal to the amount  of
    the  food  stamp  benefits divided by the federal minimum
    wage and subsequently shall earn minimum wage  assistance
    for  each  additional  hour  of  performance  in Earnfare
    activity. Earnfare  participants  shall  be  offered  the
    opportunity  to  earn  up  to  $154.   The Department may
    establish a higher  amount  by  rule  provided  resources
    permit.  If  a  court of competent jurisdiction orders an
    individual to participate in the Earnfare program,  hours
    engaged  in employment assigned activities shall first be
    applied for a $50 payment made to the custodial parent as
    a support obligation.  If the  individual  receives  food
    stamps,   the   individual  shall  engage  in  employment
    assigned activities equal to the amount of the food stamp
    benefits  divided  by  the  federal  minimum   wage   and
    subsequently  shall earn minimum wage assistance for each
    additional hour of performance in Earnfare activity.
         (3)  To the extent appropriate slots are  available,
    the    Illinois    Department   shall   assign   Earnfare
    participants  to  Earnfare   activities   based   on   an
    assessment  of  the  person's  age,  literacy, education,
    educational achievement, job training,  work  experience,
    and  recent  institutionalization, whenever these factors
    are known to the Department or to the contractor and  are
    relevant  to the individual's success in carrying out the
    assigned   activities   and   in   ultimately   obtaining
    employment.
         (4)  The Department shall consider the participant's
    preferences  and  personal  employment  goals  in  making
    assignments to the extent administratively  possible  and
    to the extent that resources allow.
         (5)  The   Department  may  enter  into  cooperative
    agreements with local governmental units (which  may,  in
    turn, enter into agreements with not-for-profit community
    based organizations): with other public, including State,
    agencies;  directly  with  not-for-profit community based
    organizations,  and  with  private  employers  to  create
    Earnfare activities for program participants.
         (6)  To the extent resources permit, the  Department
    shall provide the Earnfare participants with the costs of
    transportation  in looking for work and in getting to and
    from the assigned Earnfare job site and initial  expenses
    of employment.
         (7)  All income and asset limitations of the Federal
    Food   Stamp   Program  will  govern  continued  Earnfare
    participation, except  that  court  ordered  participants
    shall  participate  for  6 months unless the court orders
    otherwise.
         (8)  Earnfare participants  shall  not  displace  or
    substitute for regular, full time or part time employees,
    regardless  of  whether  or not the employee is currently
    working, on a leave  of  absence  or  in  a  position  or
    similar  position  where  a layoff has taken place or the
    employer has terminated the  employment  of  any  regular
    employee  or  otherwise  reduced  its  workforce with the
    effect  of  filling  the  vacancy  so  created   with   a
    participant  subsidized  under this program, or is or has
    been  involved  in  a  labor  dispute  between  a   labor
    organization and the sponsor.
         (9)  Persons  who  fail  to cooperate with the FSE&T
    program shall become ineligible for food stamp assistance
    according to Food Stamp  regulations,  and  for  Earnfare
    participation.   Failure  to  participate in Earnfare for
    all of the hours assigned is not a failure  to  cooperate
    unless   so  established  by  the  employer  pursuant  to
    Department rules. If a person who is ordered by  a  court
    of  competent jurisdiction to participate in the Earnfare
    Program fails to cooperate with the Program,  the  person
    shall be referred to the court for failure to comply with
    the court order.
(Source: P.A. 89-6, eff. 3-6-95; 89-21, eff. 7-1-95.)

    (Text of Section after amendment by P.A. 89-507)
    Sec.  12-4.4. Administration of federally-aided programs.
Direct County Departments of Public Aid in the administration
of the federally funded food stamp program, programs  to  aid
refugees  and  Articles  III, IV, V and VII of this Code. The
Illinois Department of Human Services may also, upon its  own
motion,  review  any decision made by a County Department and
consider any application upon which a decision has  not  been
made  by the County Department within 30 days. It may require
a County Department to transmit its files and all papers  and
documents pertaining to any applicant or recipient.
    Beginning  July 1, 1992, or upon approval by the Food and
Nutrition  Service  of  the  United  States   Department   of
Agriculture,  the Illinois Department of Human Services shall
operate a Food Stamp Employment and Training (FSE&T)  program
in  compliance with federal law.  The FSE&T program will have
an Earnfare  component.   The  Earnfare  component  shall  be
available  in  selected  geographic  areas  based on criteria
established by the Illinois Department of Human  Services  by
rule.  Participants in Earnfare will, to the extent resources
allow,  earn  their assistance. Participation in the Earnfare
program is voluntary, except  when  ordered  by  a  court  of
competent  jurisdiction.   Eligibility for Earnfare may shall
be limited to only 6 months out of any 12  consecutive  month
period.  Clients are not entitled to be placed in an Earnfare
slot.   Earnfare  slots  shall  be  made  available  only  as
resources permit.  Earnfare shall  be  available  to  persons
receiving   food   stamps   who   meet  eligibility  criteria
established by the Illinois Department of Human  Services  by
rule.  The  Illinois  Department  may,  by  rule,  extend the
Earnfare Program to clients who do not receive  food  stamps.
Receipt  of  food stamps is not an eligibility requirement of
Earnfare when a court of  competent  jurisdiction  orders  an
individual  to  participate in the Earnfare Program.   To the
extent resources permit,  the  Earnfare  program  will  allow
participants  to  engage  in  work-related activities to earn
monthly  financial  assistance  payments   and   to   improve
participants'  employability  in order for them to succeed in
obtaining  employment.   The  Illinois  Department  of  Human
Services may enter into contracts with other public  agencies
including  State agencies, with local governmental units, and
with not-for-profit community based  organizations  to  carry
out  the elements of the Program that the Department of Human
Services deems appropriate.
    The  Earnfare  Program  shall   contain   the   following
elements:
         (1)  To  the extent resources allow and slots exist,
    the Illinois Department of  Human  Services  shall  refer
    recipients  of food stamp assistance who meet eligibility
    criteria, as established by rule. Receipt of food  stamps
    is  not  an  eligibility  requirement  of Earnfare when a
    court of competent jurisdiction orders an  individual  to
    participate in the Earnfare Program.
         (2)  Persons  participating in Earnfare shall engage
    in employment assigned activities equal to the amount  of
    the  food  stamp  benefits divided by the federal minimum
    wage and subsequently shall earn minimum wage  assistance
    for  each  additional  hour  of  performance  in Earnfare
    activity. Earnfare  participants  shall  be  offered  the
    opportunity  to earn up to $154.  The Department of Human
    Services may establish a higher amount by  rule  provided
    resources  permit.  If  a court of competent jurisdiction
    orders an  individual  to  participate  in  the  Earnfare
    program,  hours engaged in employment assigned activities
    shall first be applied for a  $50  payment  made  to  the
    custodial   parent  as  a  support  obligation.   If  the
    individual receives food  stamps,  the  individual  shall
    engage  in  employment  assigned  activities equal to the
    amount of the food stamp benefits divided by the  federal
    minimum  wage  and  subsequently  shall earn minimum wage
    assistance for each additional  hour  of  performance  in
    Earnfare activity.
         (3)  To  the extent appropriate slots are available,
    the Illinois Department of Human  Services  shall  assign
    Earnfare  participants to Earnfare activities based on an
    assessment of  the  person's  age,  literacy,  education,
    educational  achievement,  job training, work experience,
    and recent institutionalization, whenever  these  factors
    are  known  to the Department of Human Services or to the
    contractor and are relevant to the  individual's  success
    in carrying out the assigned activities and in ultimately
    obtaining employment.
         (4)  The Department of Human Services shall consider
    the  participant's  preferences  and  personal employment
    goals   in   making    assignments    to    the    extent
    administratively   possible   and   to  the  extent  that
    resources allow.
         (5)  The Department of Human Services may enter into
    cooperative  agreements  with  local  governmental  units
    (which  may,  in  turn,  enter   into   agreements   with
    not-for-profit community based organizations): with other
    public,   including   State,   agencies;   directly  with
    not-for-profit community based  organizations,  and  with
    private  employers  to  create  Earnfare  activities  for
    program participants.
         (6)  To  the extent resources permit, the Department
    of Human Services shall provide the Earnfare participants
    with the costs of transportation in looking for work  and
    in getting to and from the assigned Earnfare job site and
    initial expenses of employment.
         (7)  All income and asset limitations of the Federal
    Food   Stamp   Program  will  govern  continued  Earnfare
    participation, except  that  court  ordered  participants
    shall  participate  for  6 months unless the court orders
    otherwise.
         (8)  Earnfare participants  shall  not  displace  or
    substitute for regular, full time or part time employees,
    regardless  of  whether  or not the employee is currently
    working, on a leave  of  absence  or  in  a  position  or
    similar  position  where  a layoff has taken place or the
    employer has terminated the  employment  of  any  regular
    employee  or  otherwise  reduced  its  workforce with the
    effect  of  filling  the  vacancy  so  created   with   a
    participant  subsidized  under this program, or is or has
    been  involved  in  a  labor  dispute  between  a   labor
    organization and the sponsor.
         (9)  Persons  who  fail  to cooperate with the FSE&T
    program shall become ineligible for food stamp assistance
    according to Food Stamp  regulations,  and  for  Earnfare
    participation.   Failure  to  participate in Earnfare for
    all of the hours assigned is not a failure  to  cooperate
    unless   so  established  by  the  employer  pursuant  to
    Department of Human Services rules. If a  person  who  is
    ordered   by   a   court  of  competent  jurisdiction  to
    participate in the Earnfare Program  fails  to  cooperate
    with  the  Program,  the  person shall be referred to the
    court for failure to comply with the court order.
(Source: P.A. 89-6, eff. 3-6-95; 89-21, eff. 7-1-95;  89-507,
eff. 7-1-97.)

    (305 ILCS 5/12-4.11) (from Ch. 23, par. 12-4.11)
    (Text of Section before amendment by P.A. 89-507)
    Sec.   12-4.11.   Standards   of   assistance;   content;
limitations; grant amounts.  Establish specific standards, by
rule,  by which grant amounts and need for public aid will be
determined and amend the  standards  from  time  to  time  as
circumstances may require.
    The  standards shall provide a livelihood compatible with
health and well-being for persons eligible for financial  aid
under   any   Article  of  this  Code.   They  shall  include
recognition of any special needs occasioned by the  handicaps
and infirmities of age, blindness, or disability.  They shall
include  recognition  of the special clothing needs of school
age children occasioned by cold weather conditions during the
winter  season.   Standards  established  to  determine   the
eligibility  of  medically  indigent  persons  for  aid under
Articles V or VII shall take into account the requirements of
the spouse or other dependent or dependents of the  applicant
for medical aid.
    The  quantity  and  quality  of the items included in the
standards established for food,  clothing,  and  other  basic
maintenance  needs  shall  take  account  of  the  buying and
consumption patterns of self-supporting persons and  families
of  low income, as determined from time to time by the United
States Department of Agriculture, the United States Bureau of
Labor Statistics, and other  nationally  recognized  research
authorities in the fields of nutrition and family living.
    The  items  in the standards shall be priced annually for
changes in cost, as provided in Section 12-4.15,  and  prices
of  the  standards  adjusted  as indicated by the findings of
these surveys.  The  Department,  with  due  regard  for  and
subject  to  budgetary  limitations,  shall  establish  grant
amounts  for  each of the programs, by regulation.  The grant
amounts may be less than the prices of the standards and  may
vary  by program, size of assistance unit and geographic area
and may be established in the form of  a  percentage  of  the
standards  for  any  or all programs. Beginning July 1, 1991,
the annual appropriations law of the Illinois  Department  of
Public  Aid  shall, in respect to Articles IV and VI, specify
the percentage of the current  Standard  of  Need,  that  the
current  fiscal year appropriation is intended to cover as of
the beginning of that fiscal year.  Nothing in the  preceding
sentence  shall be construed to require any grant increase at
any time during the remainder of that fiscal year.
    In recognition of the inability of low income  households
to  afford  the  rising costs of energy, payments made by the
Department under Articles IV and VI shall include  an  amount
of  money to offset, in whole or in part, the costs of energy
associated with seasonal variations.  The Department  may  by
rule  establish  the amount of such energy payments which may
vary in accordance with the size of the assistance unit.  The
Department  for  reasons  of  administrative  simplicity  may
provide the amounts in equal monthly payments.
    During the first month that the  Department  pays  grants
which  include amounts authorized in the preceding paragraph,
the grant amounts for all sized assistance units within  each
program  the  Department administers under Article IV of this
Code and for assistance units of more than one  person  under
Article  VI  of  this Code shall be adjusted to approach more
closely a single percentage of  the  standard  of  assistance
established  under this Section, with grant amounts expressed
in whole dollar amounts.  The percentage used for Article  IV
need  not  be the same percentage used for Article VI. Energy
Assistance  money  provided  in  a   separate   payment   and
identified  as  being exclusively for energy assistance shall
not be considered as a part of the grant for the purposes  of
this  paragraph;  all  of  the  grant  amount,  including any
portion thereof that may  be  provided  for  the  purpose  of
energy  assistance  provided  under  the preceding paragraph,
shall be considered under this paragraph.
    Aid payments shall not be reduced except: (1) for changes
in the cost of items included in the standards,  or  (2)  for
changes  in the expenses of the recipient, or (3) for changes
in the income or resources available to the recipient, or (4)
for  changes  in  grants  resulting  from   adoption   of   a
consolidated  standard,  or  (5) to accomplish the adjustment
described in the preceding paragraph, or (6)  beginning  July
1,  1992,  to  reduce  grant  amounts  for recipients of cash
assistance under Sections 3-1a and 6-11 of this  Code  during
fiscal year 1993.
    If  recipients  can  obtain  adequate  shelter  only if a
security deposit is given the landlord,  the  Department  may
furnish  one  month's  rent  as  a  security  deposit.   This
provision  shall be operative only to the extent that it does
not foster the granting of duplicate assistance.
    In fixing standards to govern payments or  reimbursements
for  funeral  and  burial expenses, the Department shall take
into account the services essential to a dignified,  low-cost
funeral  and  burial, but no payment shall be authorized from
public aid funds for the funeral in excess of $630, exclusive
of reasonable amounts as may be necessary  for  burial  space
and  cemetery  charges,  and  any  applicable  taxes or other
required governmental fees or charges. The  Department  shall
authorize no payment in excess of $315 for a cemetery burial.
    Nothing contained in this Section or in any other Section
of  this  Code  shall  be  construed to prohibit the Illinois
Department (1) from consolidating existing standards  on  the
basis  of  any  standards  which are or were in effect on, or
subsequent to  July  1,  1969,  or  (2)  from  employing  any
consolidated standards in determining need for public aid and
the   amount   of  money  payment  or  grant  for  individual
recipients or recipient families.
    Notwithstanding any other provision of this Code  to  the
contrary,  the  Illinois  Department  is authorized to reduce
payment levels under Article VI  as  necessary  to  implement
contingency reserves under the Emergency Budget Act of Fiscal
Year  1992, to the extent permitted by federal law.  Any such
reduction shall expire on July 1, 1992.
(Source:  P.A.  86-127;  86-430;  86-1028;  86-1457;  87-528;
87-838; 87-860.)

    (Text of Section after amendment by P.A. 89-507)
    Sec.   12-4.11.   Standards   of   assistance;   content;
limitations; Grant amounts.  Establish specific standards, by
rule, by which grant amounts and need for public aid will  be
determined  and  amend  the  standards  from  time to time as
circumstances may require.
    The standards shall provide a livelihood compatible  with
health  and well-being for persons eligible for financial aid
under  any  Article  of  this  Code.   They   shall   include
recognition  of any special needs occasioned by the handicaps
and infirmities of age, blindness, or disability.  They shall
include recognition of the special clothing needs  of  school
age children occasioned by cold weather conditions during the
winter   season.   Standards  established  to  determine  the
eligibility of  medically  indigent  persons  for  aid  under
Articles V or VII shall take into account the requirements of
the  spouse or other dependent or dependents of the applicant
for medical aid.
    The quantity and quality of the  items  included  in  the
standards  established  for  food,  clothing, and other basic
maintenance needs  shall  take  account  of  the  buying  and
consumption  patterns of self-supporting persons and families
of low income, as determined from time to time by the  United
States Department of Agriculture, the United States Bureau of
Labor  Statistics,  and  other nationally recognized research
authorities in the fields of nutrition and family living.
    The items in the standards shall be priced  annually  for
changes  in  cost, as provided in Section 12-4.15, and prices
of the standards adjusted as indicated  by  the  findings  of
these  surveys.   The  Department,  with  due  regard for and
subject  to  budgetary  limitations,  shall  establish  grant
amounts for each of the programs, by regulation.   The  grant
amounts  may be less than the prices of the standards and may
vary by program, size of assistance unit and geographic area.
and may be established in the form of  a  percentage  of  the
standards  for  any  or all programs. Beginning July 1, 1991,
the annual appropriations  law  of  the  Illinois  Department
shall,  in  respect  to  Articles  IV  and  VI,  specify  the
percentage  of the current Standard of Need, that the current
fiscal year appropriation is intended  to  cover  as  of  the
beginning  of  that  fiscal  year.   Nothing in the preceding
sentence shall be construed to require any grant increase  at
any time during the remainder of that fiscal year.
    In  recognition of the inability of low income households
to afford the rising costs of energy, payments  made  by  the
Department  under  Articles IV and VI shall include an amount
of money to offset, in whole or in part, the costs of  energy
associated  with  seasonal variations.  The Department may by
rule establish the amount of such energy payments  which  may
vary in accordance with the size of the assistance unit.  The
Department  for  reasons  of  administrative  simplicity  may
provide the amounts in equal monthly payments.
    During  the  first  month that the Department pays grants
which include amounts authorized in the preceding  paragraph,
the  grant amounts for all sized assistance units within each
program the Department administers under Article IV  of  this
Code  and  for assistance units of more than one person under
Article VI of this Code shall be adjusted  to  approach  more
closely  a  single  percentage  of the standard of assistance
established under this Section, with grant amounts  expressed
in  whole dollar amounts.  The percentage used for Article IV
need not be the same percentage used for Article  VI.  Energy
Assistance   money   provided   in  a  separate  payment  and
identified as being exclusively for energy  assistance  shall
not  be considered as a part of the grant for the purposes of
this paragraph;  all  of  the  grant  amount,  including  any
portion  thereof  that  may  be  provided  for the purpose of
energy assistance provided  under  the  preceding  paragraph,
shall be considered under this paragraph.
    Aid payments shall not be reduced except: (1) for changes
in the cost of items included in the grant amounts standards,
or  (2)  for changes in the expenses of the recipient, or (3)
for changes in the  income  or  resources  available  to  the
recipient,  or  (4)  for  changes  in  grants  resulting from
adoption of a consolidated grant amount standard, or  (5)  to
accomplish   the   adjustment   described  in  the  preceding
paragraph, or (6) beginning July 1,  1992,  to  reduce  grant
amounts for recipients of cash assistance under Sections 3-1a
and 6-11 of this Code during fiscal year 1993.
    If  recipients  can  obtain  adequate  shelter  only if a
security deposit is given the landlord,  the  Department  may
furnish  one  month's  rent  as  a  security  deposit.   This
provision  shall be operative only to the extent that it does
not foster the granting of duplicate assistance.
    In fixing standards to govern payments or  reimbursements
for  funeral  and  burial expenses, the Department shall take
into account the services essential to a dignified,  low-cost
funeral  and  burial, but no payment shall be authorized from
public aid funds for the funeral in excess of $630, exclusive
of reasonable amounts as may be necessary  for  burial  space
and  cemetery  charges,  and  any  applicable  taxes or other
required governmental fees or charges. The  Department  shall
authorize no payment in excess of $315 for a cemetery burial.
    Nothing contained in this Section or in any other Section
of  this  Code  shall  be  construed to prohibit the Illinois
Department (1) from consolidating existing standards  on  the
basis  of  any  standards  which are or were in effect on, or
subsequent to  July  1,  1969,  or  (2)  from  employing  any
consolidated standards in determining need for public aid and
the   amount   of  money  payment  or  grant  for  individual
recipients or recipient families.
    Notwithstanding any other provision of this Code  to  the
contrary,  the  Illinois  Department  is authorized to reduce
payment levels under Article VI  as  necessary  to  implement
contingency reserves under the Emergency Budget Act of Fiscal
Year  1992, to the extent permitted by federal law.  Any such
reduction shall expire on July 1, 1992.
(Source: P.A. 89-507, eff. 7-1-97.)

    (305 ILCS 5/12-10.3) (from Ch. 23, par. 12-10.3)
    Sec. 12-10.3.  Employment and Training Fund; uses.
    (a)  The Employment and Training Fund is  hereby  created
in  the  State  Treasury  for  the  purpose  of receiving and
disbursing moneys in accordance with the provisions of  Title
IV-F  of  the  federal  Social Security Act, known as the Job
Opportunities and Basic Skills (JOBS)  Program  and,  on  and
after July 1, 1997, Title IV-A of the federal Social Security
Act;  the  Food Stamp Act, Title 7 of the United States Code;
and related rules and regulations governing the use of  those
moneys  for the purposes of providing employment and training
services.
    (b)  All  federal  funds   received   by   the   Illinois
Department  as  reimbursement for expenditures for employment
and training programs made by the  Illinois  Department  from
grants,  gifts, or legacies as provided in Section 12-4.18 or
by an entity other than the Department, except as a result of
appropriations  made  for  the  costs  of   providing   adult
education to public assistance recipients, shall be deposited
into  the  Employment  and  Training Fund; provided, however,
that all funds,  except  those  that  are  specified  in  the
interagency  agreement between the Illinois Community College
Board and the Department, that are received by the Department
as reimbursement under  Title  IV-F  of  the  federal  Social
Security Act the JOBS programs for expenditures that are made
by  the  Illinois  Community  College  Board or by any public
community college of  this  State  shall  be  credited  to  a
special  account that the State Treasurer shall establish and
maintain within the Employment  and  Training  Fund  for  the
purpose and in the manner provided in Section 12-5.
    (c)  Except   as  provided  in  subsection  (d)  of  this
Section,  the  Employment  and   Training   Fund   shall   be
administered  by  the  Illinois  Department, and the Illinois
Department may make payments from the Employment and Training
Fund to clients for supportive  services  or  to  public  and
private  entities for employment and training services.  Such
payments shall not include any funds  generated  by  Illinois
community colleges as part of the Opportunities Program.
    (d)  On or before the 10th day of August, 1992, and on or
before  the  10th  day  of  each  month thereafter, the State
Treasurer and State Comptroller shall automatically  transfer
to the TANF AFDC Opportunities Fund of the Illinois Community
College  Board  from  the  special  account  established  and
maintained  in  the  Employment and Training Fund all amounts
credited to that special account as provided in Section  12-5
during  the preceding month as reimbursement for expenditures
under Title IV-F of the federal Social Security Act the  JOBS
programs  made by the Illinois Community College Board or any
public community college of this State.
    (e)  The Illinois  Department  shall  execute  a  written
contract  when  purchasing  employment  and training services
from  entities  qualified  to  provide  services  under   the
programs.   The  contract  shall  be  filed with the Illinois
Department and the State Comptroller.
(Source: P.A. 88-429; 89-641, eff. 8-9-96.)

    (305 ILCS 5/12-13.05 new)
    Sec. 12-13.05.  Emergency rules to  implement  amendatory
changes.    The   Illinois   Department   may  implement  the
amendatory changes to this Code made by this  amendatory  Act
of  1997  and  any  other  changes  made  as  the  result  of
implementing  the  Temporary  Assistance  to  Needy  Families
Program   under   the   Personal   Responsibility   and  Work
Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (P.L. 104-193) through
the use of emergency rules in accordance with the  provisions
of Section 5-45 of the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act.
For  purposes  of  the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act,
the adoption of rules to implement  these  changes  shall  be
deemed  an  emergency  and necessary for the public interest,
safety,  and  welfare.   The  emergency   rulemaking   powers
authorized  in  this  Section  apply  only  to rules filed to
implement the TANF plan effective July 1, 1997.
    All rules regulating the Temporary Assistance  for  Needy
Families   program   and   all  other  rules  regulating  the
amendatory changes to this Code made by this  amendatory  Act
of  1997  shall be promulgated pursuant to this Section.  All
rules regulating the Temporary Assistance for Needy  Families
program and all other rules regulating the amendatory changes
to this Code made by this amendatory Act of 1997 are repealed
on  June  1,  1999.   On and after June 1, 1999, the Illinois
Department  may  not  promulgate  any  rules  regulating  the
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program or regulating
the amendatory changes to this Code made by  this  amendatory
Act of 1997.
    (305 ILCS 5/4-1.2b rep.)
    (305 ILCS 5/4-1.3 rep.)
    (305 ILCS 5/4-1.4 rep.)
    (305 ILCS 5/4-1.11 rep.)
    (305 ILCS 5/4-5 rep.)
    (305 ILCS 5/4-16 rep.)
    (305 ILCS 5/9-6.3 rep.)
    (305 ILCS 5/9-6.4 rep.)
    (305 ILCS 5/9A-6 rep.)
    (305 ILCS 5/12-4.15 rep.)
    Section  15.   The Illinois Public Aid Code is amended by
repealing Sections 4-1.2b, 4-1.3, 4-1.4, 4-1.11,  4-5,  4-16,
9-6.3, 9-6.4, 9A-6, and 12-4.15.

    Section  95.   No  acceleration or delay.  Where this Act
makes changes in a statute that is represented in this Act by
text that is not yet or no longer in effect (for  example,  a
Section  represented  by  multiple versions), the use of that
text does not accelerate or delay the taking  effect  of  (i)
the  changes made by this Act or (ii) provisions derived from
any other Public Act.

    Section 99.  Effective date.  This Act takes effect  July
1, 1997, except that this Section and the provisions changing
Section  11-6.2  of  the Illinois Public Aid Code take effect
upon becoming law.

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