Progress Illinois

A while back we spotlighted HB 2383, a bill sponsored by State Rep. Will Burns (D-Chicago) to expand the eligibility criteria for Illinois' Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, which provides a safety net for the state's poorest families.  Currently, a family of four earning no more than 30 percent of the federal poverty level ($6,615 annually) is eligible to apply.  Burns' measure raises that maximum income level to $10,000 per year for a family that size.  It also enables the program to begin doling out benefits at a quicker rate, removing a disincentive to enrollment.  (As of spring 2008, more than 75 percent of Illinois households eligible for TANF cash grants and housing assistance were note enrolled, according to the Heartland Alliance.) In addition, 80 percent of the new costs will be picked up by the federal government thanks to the stimulus bill.

After passing the House in late March, the bill was carried in the Senate by Kwame Raoul (D-Chicago).  Yesterday, it reached the floor where it passed by a vote of 38-12. 

Watch the video of the debate and roll call below, in which Raoul emphasizes that this "modest investment" will help "working people who are trying to lift their way out of poverty to be contributing members of society."  As you can see GOP Rep. Dale Righter (R-Mattoon) raises concerns about the cost of this expansion over time -- concerns that both Raoul and Sen. Don Harmon point out are unwarranted considering TANF is up for reauthorization at the federal level next year: