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| Public Act 101-0560 | ||||
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AN ACT concerning public aid.
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Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
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represented in the General Assembly:
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Section 5. The Illinois Public Aid Code is amended by | ||||
changing Section 12-4.13b and adding Section 12-4.13c as | ||||
follows: | ||||
(305 ILCS 5/12-4.13b) | ||||
Sec. 12-4.13b. College student eligibility for | ||||
supplemental nutrition assistance benefits. | ||||
(a) For the purposes of Section 273.5(b)(11)(ii) of Title 7 | ||||
of the Code of Federal Regulations, a career and technical an | ||||
educational program offered at a community college and approved | ||||
by the Illinois Community College Board under the Carl D. | ||||
Perkins Career and Technical Education Improvement Act of 2006 | ||||
(Public Law 109-270) that could be a component of a SNAP | ||||
Employment and Training (E&T) program, as identified by the | ||||
Department of Human Services, shall be considered an employment | ||||
and training program under Section 273.7 of Title 7 of the Code | ||||
of Federal Regulations, unless prohibited by federal law. | ||||
(b) The Department of Human Services, in consultation with | ||||
representatives of the Illinois Community College Board, the | ||||
Illinois Student Assistance Commission ISAC, the Illinois | ||||
Workforce Innovation Board Investment Board, and advocates for | ||||
students and SNAP recipients, shall establish a protocol to | ||
identify and verify all potential exemptions to the eligibility | ||
rule described in Section 273.5(a) of Title 7 of the Code of | ||
Federal Regulations, and to identify and verify a student's | ||
participation in educational programs, including, but not | ||
limited to, self-initiated placements, that would exempt a | ||
student from the eligibility rule described in Section 273.5(a) | ||
of Title 7 of the Code of Federal Regulations. To the extent | ||
possible, this consultation shall take place through existing | ||
workgroups convened by the Department of Human Services. | ||
(c) If the United States Department of Agriculture requires | ||
federal approval of the exemption designation established | ||
pursuant to subsection (a) and the protocol established | ||
pursuant to subsection (b), the Department of Human Services | ||
shall seek and obtain that approval before publishing the | ||
guidance or regulation required by subsection (e). | ||
(d)(1) This Section does not require the Department of | ||
Human Services to offer a particular component, support | ||
services, or workers' compensation to a college student found | ||
eligible for an exemption pursuant to this Section. | ||
(2) This Section does not restrict or require the use of | ||
federal funds for the financing of SNAP E&T programs. | ||
(3) This Section does not require an institution of higher | ||
education to verify eligibility for SNAP. | ||
(e) The Department of Human Services shall adopt any rules | ||
necessary to implement the provisions of subsections (a), (b), | ||
(c), and (d).
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(Source: P.A. 100-620, eff. 7-20-18.) | ||
(305 ILCS 5/12-4.13c new) | ||
Sec. 12-4.13c. SNAP eligibility notification; college | ||
students. | ||
(a) To complement student financial assistance programs | ||
and to enhance their effectiveness for students with financial | ||
need, the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) shall | ||
annually include information about the Supplemental Nutrition | ||
Assistance Program (SNAP) in the language that schools are | ||
required to provide to students eligible for the Monetary Award | ||
Program grant. The language shall, at a minimum, direct | ||
students to information about college student eligibility | ||
criteria for SNAP, and it shall direct students to the | ||
Department of Human Services and to the Illinois Hunger | ||
Coalition's Hunger Hotline for additional information. | ||
(b) Illinois institutions of higher education that | ||
participate in the Monetary Award Program (MAP) shall provide | ||
the notice described in subsection (a) to all students who are | ||
enrolled, or who are accepted for enrollment and intending to | ||
enroll, and who have been identified by ISAC as MAP-eligible at | ||
the institution. If possible, the institution may designate a | ||
public benefits liaison or single point person to assist | ||
students in taking the necessary steps to obtain public | ||
benefits if eligible. | ||
(c) ISAC shall adopt any rules necessary to implement the | ||
provisions of this Section on or before October 1, 2020.
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Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon | ||
becoming law. | ||