Illinois 2023-2024 Regular Session

Illinois Senate Bill SB1278 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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1	1	103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2023 and 2024 SB1278 Introduced 2/3/2023, by Sen. Kimberly A. Lightford SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: New Act Creates the Task Force on Grandparents Raising their Grandchildren to conduct public hearings throughout the State regarding services needed by and available to grandparents raising their grandchildren. Provides that the Task Force shall be comprised of 10 appointed members of the General Assembly who shall serve without compensation. Requires the Department on Aging, in collaboration with the Departments of Children and Family Services, Healthcare and Family Services, and Human Services and any other relevant agencies, to issue a report to the Task Force by July 1, 2023 that assesses existing State and federal assistance programs that include the following: (1) a review of all guaranteed benefits and other available support provided to grandparents through the Department of Children and Family Services' foster care program, the Children's Health Insurance Program, the Covering ALL KIDS Health Insurance program, and other relevant programs; (2) a review of all guaranteed benefits and other available support provided to grandparents through the Department of Human Services' Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program and other relevant programs; (3) a review of all other means of grandparent-related support provided by State-funded and federally funded programs; and (4) the estimated cost to the State if grandparents were not willing to or refused to take custody of and raise their grandchildren. Requires the Task Force to submit a report to the General Assembly no later than January 1, 2024 that makes recommendations on changes that should be made to services provided to grandparents raising their grandchildren through the foster care and TANF "child-only" grant programs. Effective immediately. LRB103 29994 KTG 56414 b A BILL FOR 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2023 and 2024 SB1278 Introduced 2/3/2023, by Sen. Kimberly A. Lightford SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: New Act New Act Creates the Task Force on Grandparents Raising their Grandchildren to conduct public hearings throughout the State regarding services needed by and available to grandparents raising their grandchildren. Provides that the Task Force shall be comprised of 10 appointed members of the General Assembly who shall serve without compensation. Requires the Department on Aging, in collaboration with the Departments of Children and Family Services, Healthcare and Family Services, and Human Services and any other relevant agencies, to issue a report to the Task Force by July 1, 2023 that assesses existing State and federal assistance programs that include the following: (1) a review of all guaranteed benefits and other available support provided to grandparents through the Department of Children and Family Services' foster care program, the Children's Health Insurance Program, the Covering ALL KIDS Health Insurance program, and other relevant programs; (2) a review of all guaranteed benefits and other available support provided to grandparents through the Department of Human Services' Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program and other relevant programs; (3) a review of all other means of grandparent-related support provided by State-funded and federally funded programs; and (4) the estimated cost to the State if grandparents were not willing to or refused to take custody of and raise their grandchildren. Requires the Task Force to submit a report to the General Assembly no later than January 1, 2024 that makes recommendations on changes that should be made to services provided to grandparents raising their grandchildren through the foster care and TANF "child-only" grant programs. Effective immediately. LRB103 29994 KTG 56414 b LRB103 29994 KTG 56414 b A BILL FOR
2	2	103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2023 and 2024 SB1278 Introduced 2/3/2023, by Sen. Kimberly A. Lightford SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
3	3	New Act New Act
4	4	New Act
5	5	Creates the Task Force on Grandparents Raising their Grandchildren to conduct public hearings throughout the State regarding services needed by and available to grandparents raising their grandchildren. Provides that the Task Force shall be comprised of 10 appointed members of the General Assembly who shall serve without compensation. Requires the Department on Aging, in collaboration with the Departments of Children and Family Services, Healthcare and Family Services, and Human Services and any other relevant agencies, to issue a report to the Task Force by July 1, 2023 that assesses existing State and federal assistance programs that include the following: (1) a review of all guaranteed benefits and other available support provided to grandparents through the Department of Children and Family Services' foster care program, the Children's Health Insurance Program, the Covering ALL KIDS Health Insurance program, and other relevant programs; (2) a review of all guaranteed benefits and other available support provided to grandparents through the Department of Human Services' Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program and other relevant programs; (3) a review of all other means of grandparent-related support provided by State-funded and federally funded programs; and (4) the estimated cost to the State if grandparents were not willing to or refused to take custody of and raise their grandchildren. Requires the Task Force to submit a report to the General Assembly no later than January 1, 2024 that makes recommendations on changes that should be made to services provided to grandparents raising their grandchildren through the foster care and TANF "child-only" grant programs. Effective immediately.
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11	11	1 AN ACT concerning grandparent caregiver.
12	12	2 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
13	13	3 represented in the General Assembly:
14	14	4 Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Task
15	15	5 Force on Grandparents Raising their Grandchildren Act.
16	16	6 Section 5. Findings. The General Assembly finds the
17	17	7 following:
18	18	8 (1) In Illinois, over 200,000 children under the age
19	19	9 of 18 are living with and being cared for by more than
20	20	10 100,000 grandparents.
21	21	11 (2) Grandparent caregivers, the majority of whom are
22	22	12 single women ranging in age from 30 to 90 with an average
23	23	13 annual income of $15,000 to $25,000, typically raise one
24	24	14 to 2 grandchildren and have been doing so for 5 years or
25	25	15 longer.
26	26	16 (3) Factors contributing to the growing number of
27	27	17 grandparents raising grandchildren include, but are not
28	28	18 limited to, alcohol and drug abuse, neglect, abuse,
29	29	19 abandonment, death of a parent, HIV/AIDS, divorce,
30	30	20 unemployment, poverty, parental incarceration, teen
31	31	21 pregnancy, and welfare reform.
32	32	22 (4) Due to their assumed caregiving responsibilities,
33	33	23 many grandparents deplete their savings and retirement
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37	37	103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2023 and 2024 SB1278 Introduced 2/3/2023, by Sen. Kimberly A. Lightford SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
38	38	New Act New Act
39	39	New Act
40	40	Creates the Task Force on Grandparents Raising their Grandchildren to conduct public hearings throughout the State regarding services needed by and available to grandparents raising their grandchildren. Provides that the Task Force shall be comprised of 10 appointed members of the General Assembly who shall serve without compensation. Requires the Department on Aging, in collaboration with the Departments of Children and Family Services, Healthcare and Family Services, and Human Services and any other relevant agencies, to issue a report to the Task Force by July 1, 2023 that assesses existing State and federal assistance programs that include the following: (1) a review of all guaranteed benefits and other available support provided to grandparents through the Department of Children and Family Services' foster care program, the Children's Health Insurance Program, the Covering ALL KIDS Health Insurance program, and other relevant programs; (2) a review of all guaranteed benefits and other available support provided to grandparents through the Department of Human Services' Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program and other relevant programs; (3) a review of all other means of grandparent-related support provided by State-funded and federally funded programs; and (4) the estimated cost to the State if grandparents were not willing to or refused to take custody of and raise their grandchildren. Requires the Task Force to submit a report to the General Assembly no later than January 1, 2024 that makes recommendations on changes that should be made to services provided to grandparents raising their grandchildren through the foster care and TANF "child-only" grant programs. Effective immediately.
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43	43	A BILL FOR
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49	49	New Act
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68	68	1 income and face severe financial risk and economic strains
69	69	2 while struggling to pay for expenses related to caring for
70	70	3 their grandchildren, such as, but not limited to, food,
71	71	4 diapers, clothing, child care, medical treatment, legal
72	72	5 assistance, and housing needs.
73	73	6 (5) Many grandparents take custody of and raise their
74	74	7 grandchildren after a harmful incident has been suffered
75	75	8 by their grandchildren that has caused the Department of
76	76	9 Children and Family Services to designate them to be "at
77	77	10 risk".
78	78	11 (6) Many other grandparents take preventive measures
79	79	12 by choosing to take custody of and raise their
80	80	13 grandchildren prior to their grandchildren suffering a
81	81	14 harmful incident when they recognize that their
82	82	15 grandchildren's health, safety, and welfare are at risk.
83	83	16 (7) Grandparents who take custody of their
84	84	17 grandchildren prior to the grandchildren's suffering of a
85	85	18 harmful incident are ineligible for foster care funding
86	86	19 and assistance from the Department of Children and Family
87	87	20 Services.
88	88	21 (8) The only financial assistance option for this
89	89	22 group of grandparents is "child only" grants from the
90	90	23 Department of Human Services' Temporary Assistance to
91	91	24 Needy Families (TANF) program.
92	92	25 (9) The Department of Children and Family Services'
93	93	26 foster care program provides monthly financial assistance
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104	104	1 that is 3 to 4 times greater than the TANF "child only"
105	105	2 grants, and it also provides counseling, child care
106	106	3 support, education services, college scholarships, and
107	107	4 health services.
108	108	5 (10) Grandparents raising grandchildren who are not in
109	109	6 the foster care program are as valuable to the
110	110	7 grandchildren and to the State as those who are in the
111	111	8 foster care program.
112	112	9 (11) A significant function of government is to
113	113	10 promote the health, safety, and welfare of its citizens.
114	114	11 Section 10. Task Force on Grandparents Raising their
115	115	12 Grandchildren.
116	116	13 (a) The Task Force on Grandparents Raising their
117	117	14 Grandchildren is created and shall be comprised of 10 members
118	118	15 of the General Assembly appointed as follows:
119	119	16 (1) Three members of the Senate, one of whom shall be
120	120	17 co-chairperson, appointed by the President of the Senate.
121	121	18 (2) Two members of the Senate appointed by the
122	122	19 Minority Leader of the Senate.
123	123	20 (3) Three members of the House of Representatives, one
124	124	21 of whom shall be co-chairperson, appointed by the Speaker
125	125	22 of the House of Representatives.
126	126	23 (4) Two members of the House of Representatives
127	127	24 appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of
128	128	25 Representatives.
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139	139	1 (b) Task Force members shall serve without compensation.
140	140	2 The Department on Aging shall provide administrative support
141	141	3 to the Task Force.
142	142	4 Section 15. Agency reports. The Department on Aging, in
143	143	5 collaboration with the Departments of Children and Family
144	144	6 Services, Healthcare and Family Services, and Human Services
145	145	7 and any other relevant agencies, shall issue a report to the
146	146	8 Task Force no later than July 1, 2023 that assesses existing
147	147	9 State and federal assistance programs, including the
148	148	10 following:
149	149	11 (1) a review of all guaranteed benefits and other
150	150	12 available support provided to grandparents through the
151	151	13 Department of Children and Family Services' foster care
152	152	14 program, including counseling, child care support,
153	153	15 education services, college scholarships, and health
154	154	16 services; the Children's Health Insurance Program; the
155	155	17 Covering ALL KIDS Health Insurance program; and other
156	156	18 relevant programs;
157	157	19 (2) a review of all guaranteed benefits and other
158	158	20 available support provided to grandparents through the
159	159	21 Department of Human Services' Temporary Assistance for
160	160	22 Needy Families (TANF) program and other relevant programs;
161	161	23 (3) a review of all other means of grandparent-related
162	162	24 support provided by State-funded and federally funded
163	163	25 programs; and
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174	174	1 (4) the estimated cost to the State if grandparents
175	175	2 were not willing to or refused to take custody of and raise
176	176	3 their grandchildren.
177	177	4 Section 20. Public hearings. The Task Force shall hold
178	178	5 public hearings throughout the State regarding services needed
179	179	6 by and available to grandparents raising their grandchildren.
180	180	7 Section 25. Task Force reports. The Task Force shall issue
181	181	8 a report to the General Assembly no later than January 1, 2024
182	182	9 that makes recommendations on changes that should be made to
183	183	10 services provided to grandparents raising their grandchildren
184	184	11 through the foster care and TANF "child-only" grant programs.
185	185	12 Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
186	186	13 becoming law.
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