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| | 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2023 and 2024
HB1222 Introduced , by Rep. Maurice A. West, II SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
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Creates the Home Modification Program Act. Provides that the purpose of the Act is to establish a home modification funding system that is streamlined, effective, and administered by experts within the disability community. Provides that, subject to appropriation, the Department of Human Services shall establish a Home Modification Program to provide financial assistance to persons with disabilities for home modification projects. Requires the Department to designate a statewide association that represents centers for independent living to serve as the lead agency to administer the Program. Requires the Department to provide funding for the Program. Requires the lead agency to distribute any moneys it receives from the Department to the State's 22 centers for independent living, covering all 102 counties. Provides that the lead agency shall ensure that each center for independent living has access to at least $105,000 to use for home modification projects, with the excess funds subject to reallocation during the 4th fiscal quarter of each year. Contains provisions concerning eligibility requirements for applicants under the Program; standards and qualifications for home modification projects; the lead agency's establishment of a Home Modification Subcommittee to provide additional oversight of the home modification projects; and an administrative fee to the lead agency.
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| | A BILL FOR |
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1 | | AN ACT concerning State government.
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2 | | Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
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3 | | represented in the General Assembly:
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4 | | Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Home |
5 | | Modification Program Act.
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6 | | Section 5. Findings. The General Assembly finds and |
7 | | declares the following: |
8 | | (1) The national average monthly cost for a private |
9 | | nursing home room in 2020 was $8,821 ($105,852 annually). |
10 | | Home modifications paired with other resources can allow |
11 | | individuals to remain in their homes at a lower overall |
12 | | expense. |
13 | | (2) According to an AARP study, 90% of people age 65 |
14 | | and over would prefer to stay in their own homes as they |
15 | | get older and not go to a nursing home or assisted living |
16 | | facility. |
17 | | (3) On June 22, 1999, the United States Supreme Court |
18 | | held in Olmstead v. L.C., 119 S. Ct. 2176 (1999), that |
19 | | unjustified segregation of persons with disabilities |
20 | | constitutes discrimination in violation of Title II of the |
21 | | Americans with Disabilities Act. At the heart of its |
22 | | decision were 2 concepts. First, "institutional placement |
23 | | of persons who can handle and benefit from community |
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1 | | settings perpetuates unwarranted assumptions that persons |
2 | | so isolated are incapable of or unworthy of participating |
3 | | in community life". Second, "confinement in an institution |
4 | | severely diminishes the everyday life activities of |
5 | | individuals, including family relations, social contacts, |
6 | | work options, economic independence, educational |
7 | | advancement, and cultural enrichment". |
8 | | (4) The United States has roughly 1,200,000 adults in |
9 | | nursing homes and over 360,000 people in psychiatric and |
10 | | other 24-hour care institutions across the country, and |
11 | | waiting lists for housing subsidies across the country |
12 | | average over 2,000 households per list and have a median |
13 | | of 1.5 years, and up to 7-year waits in some areas. |
14 | | (5) There is an estimated shortage of 7,000,000 |
15 | | affordable housing units and less than 5% of the units |
16 | | that do exist fit access standards for individuals with |
17 | | moderate mobility needs. In Chicago, less than 1% of units |
18 | | are accessible. |
19 | | (6) With a growing shortage of nurses and caregivers, |
20 | | home modifications can reduce the need for home support |
21 | | and alleviate stress on the health care system. |
22 | | (7) Current grant recipients of home modifications |
23 | | funding have not had access to the expertise needed to |
24 | | effectively provide resources and or services for people |
25 | | with disabilities. Centers for independent living possess |
26 | | the expertise to provide knowledgeable guidance to assist |
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1 | | people with disabilities with home modifications through |
2 | | accessibility audits of current or prospective homes to |
3 | | guarantee equal opportunity to live in the community.
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4 | | Section 10. Purpose. The purpose of this Act is to |
5 | | establish a home modification funding system that is |
6 | | streamlined, effective, and administered by experts within the |
7 | | disability community.
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8 | | Section 15. Definitions. As used in this Act: |
9 | | "Department" means the Department of Human Services. |
10 | | "Disability" means, with respect to an individual: |
11 | | (1) a physical or mental impairment that |
12 | | substantially limits one or more major life activities |
13 | | of the individual; |
14 | | (2) a record of such an impairment; or |
15 | | (3) being regarded as having such an impairment. |
16 | | An individual meets the requirement of "being regarded |
17 | | as having such an impairment" if the individual |
18 | | establishes that he or she has been subjected to an |
19 | | action prohibited under the Americans with |
20 | | Disabilities Act of 1990 because of an actual or |
21 | | perceived physical or mental impairment whether or not |
22 | | the impairment limits or is perceived to limit a major |
23 | | life activity. |
24 | | "Home modification" means any change to the structure |
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1 | | of a residential home or property to create barrier free |
2 | | living, provide access to and from the home, or avoid |
3 | | institutionalized or congregate placement for persons with |
4 | | a disability.
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5 | | Section 20. Home Modification Program. Subject to the |
6 | | availability of appropriations in an
amount sufficient to |
7 | | implement and administer the provisions of this Act, the |
8 | | Department shall establish a Home Modification Program to |
9 | | provide financial assistance to persons with disabilities for |
10 | | home modification projects. The Department shall designate a |
11 | | statewide association that represents centers for independent |
12 | | living to serve as the lead agency to administer the program. |
13 | | The Department shall provide funding to the lead agency for |
14 | | the program. The lead agency shall distribute any moneys it |
15 | | receives from the Department to the State's 22 centers for |
16 | | independent living, covering all 102 counties. The lead agency |
17 | | shall ensure that each center for independent living has |
18 | | access to at least $105,000 to use for home modification |
19 | | projects, with the excess funds subject to reallocation during |
20 | | the 4th fiscal quarter of each year.
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21 | | Section 25. Home modification standards and |
22 | | qualifications. |
23 | | (a) To qualify for financial assistance under the Home |
24 | | Modification Program, an applicant must: |
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1 | | (1) be a resident of the State of Illinois; |
2 | | (2) be a person with a disability as defined in |
3 | | Section 15; |
4 | | (3) have proof of disability from an agency other than |
5 | | a center for independent living; |
6 | | (4) be a homeowner or a residential tenant who has |
7 | | obtained the permission of his or her landlord to make the |
8 | | home modification. If a tenant and landlord agree to the |
9 | | home modification, both parties must sign off on final |
10 | | approval, as well as sign a statement of non-fraudulent |
11 | | intent; and |
12 | | (5) have income that does not exceed 200% of area |
13 | | median income. |
14 | | An applicant may be subject to additional reasonable |
15 | | requirements established by the lead agency that further the |
16 | | purposes of this Act. |
17 | | (b) Assessment. |
18 | | (1) An applicant's home must undergo a thorough |
19 | | assessment by a trained center for independent living |
20 | | staff member. The staff member shall make a written report |
21 | | of the results of the assessment. |
22 | | (2) The lead agency shall establish a Home |
23 | | Modification Subcommittee of experienced center for |
24 | | independent living staff to provide additional oversight, |
25 | | including, but not limited to: |
26 | | (A) Reviewing the submitted assessment report and |
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1 | | bid for at least the first 3 home modification |
2 | | requests from a center for independent living or when |
3 | | new staff is hired. |
4 | | (B) Reviewing any request for more than $35,000. |
5 | | (c) Contractors. |
6 | | (1) When selecting a contractor, a center for |
7 | | independent living must seek bids from at least 2 |
8 | | contractors, choosing the lowest responsible bidder. |
9 | | (2) All contractors must be licensed, where |
10 | | applicable, insured, and follow all local, State, and |
11 | | federal requirements.
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12 | | Section 30. Administration of home modification funds. The |
13 | | lead agency shall receive an administrative fee of 3% from all |
14 | | moneys that are passed through the lead agency for the purpose |
15 | | of the Home Modification Program.
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