Bill Text: IL HB0029 | 2013-2014 | 98th General Assembly | Engrossed

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Bill Title: Amends the Department of Human Services Act. In regard to the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), requires the Department of Human Services to adopt a rule that expressly permits all WIC participants, regardless of their postal zip code, to redeem their WIC food vouchers at any grocery or retail food establishment authorized to accept WIC food vouchers or at any WIC Food Center.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 5-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2013-04-16 - Third Reading - Short Debate - Lost 035-079-001 [HB0029 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2013-HB0029-Engrossed.html

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AN ACT concerning State government.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
Section 5. The Department of Human Services Act is amended
by changing Section 10-25 as follows:
(20 ILCS 1305/10-25)
Sec. 10-25. Women, Infants, and Children Nutrition
Program.
(a) The Department shall participate in the Women, Infants
and Children Nutrition program of the federal government to the
maximum extent permitted by the federal appropriation and
allocation to the State of Illinois. The Department shall
report quarterly to the Governor and the General Assembly the
status of obligations and expenditures of the WIC nutrition
program appropriation and make recommendations on actions
necessary to expend all available federal funds. Other
appropriations and funds from any public or private source in
addition to federal funds may be used by the Department for the
purpose of maximum participation in the WIC nutrition program.
(b) The Department shall maintain a drug abuse education
program for participants in the Women, Infants and Children
Nutrition Program. The program shall include but need not be
limited to (1) the provision of information concerning the

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dangers of drug abuse and (2) the referral of participants who
are suspected drug abusers to drug abuse clinics, treatment
programs, counselors or other drug abuse treatment providers.
(c) The Department shall cooperate with the Department of
Public Health for purposes of the smoking cessation program for
participants in the Women, Infants and Children Nutrition
Program maintained by the Department of Public Health under
Section 2310-435 of the Department of Public Health Powers and
Duties Law (20 ILCS 2310/2310-435).
(d) The Department may contract with any bank as defined by
the Illinois Banking Act to redeem bank drafts issued by the
Department under the United States Department of Agriculture
Special Supplemental Food Program for Women, Infants and
Children (WIC). Any bank with which the Department has entered
into a contract to redeem bank drafts may receive, pursuant to
an appropriation to the Department, an initial advance and
periodic payment of funds for the Women, Infants and Children
Program in amounts determined by the Secretary.
Notwithstanding any other law, such funds shall be retained in
a separate account by the bank. Any interest earned by monies
in such account shall accrue to the USDA Women, Infants and
Children Fund and shall be used exclusively for the redemption
of bank drafts issued by the Department. WIC program food funds
received by the bank from the Department shall be used
exclusively for the redemption of bank drafts. The bank shall
not use such food funds, or interest accrued thereon, for any

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other purpose including, but not limited to, reimbursement of
administrative expenses or payments of administrative fees due
the bank pursuant to its contract or contracts with the
Department.
Such initial and periodic payments by the Department to the
bank shall be effected, pursuant to an appropriation, in an
amount needed for the redemption of bank drafts issued by the
Department under the United States Department of Agriculture
Special Supplemental Food Program for Women, Infants and
Children in any initial or succeeding period. The State
Comptroller shall, upon presentation by the Secretary of
adequate certification of funds needed for redemption of bank
drafts, promptly draw a warrant payable to the bank for deposit
to the separate account of the bank. Such certification may be
in magnetic tape or computer output form, indicating the amount
of the total payment made by the bank for the redemption of
bank drafts from funds provided to the bank under this Section.
The separate account of the bank established under this
Section, any payments to that account, and the use of such
account and funds shall be subject to (1) audit by the
Department or a private contractor authorized by the Department
to conduct audits, including but not limited to such audits as
may be required by State law, (2) audit by the federal
government or a private contractor authorized by the federal
government, and (3) post audit pursuant to the Illinois State
Auditing Act.

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(e) The Department may include a program of lactation
support services as part of the benefits and services provided
for pregnant and breast feeding participants in the Women,
Infants and Children Nutrition Program. The program may include
payment for breast pumps, breast shields, or any supply deemed
essential for the successful maintenance of lactation, as well
as lactation specialists who are registered nurses, licensed
dietitians, or persons who have successfully completed a
lactation management training program.
(f) The Department shall coordinate the operation of the
Women, Infants and Children program with the Medicaid program
by interagency agreement whereby each program provides
information about the services offered by the other to
applicants for services.
(g) To ensure that the nutritional goals of the Special
Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and
Children (WIC) are met and that WIC participants have equal
opportunities for accessing and purchasing WIC approved
products, including fresh fruits and vegetables and dairy
products, the Department shall adopt a rule that expressly
permits all WIC participants, regardless of their postal zip
code, to redeem their WIC food vouchers at any grocery or
retail food establishment authorized to accept WIC food
vouchers or at any WIC Food Center.
(Source: P.A. 90-290, eff. 1-1-98; 91-239, eff. 1-1-00.)