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SB 1302

AGING-BENEFITS ACCESS PROGRAM

104th Regular Session Introduced by Mattie Hunter

Creates the Benefits Access Program under the Dept on Aging to streamline eligibility for reduced vehicle fees and free/subsidized transit for seniors and people with disabilities.

Referred to Assignments
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Bill Summary · SB 1302

Summary — SB 1302: Aging — Benefits Access Program

Status: Introduced February 14, 2025; referred to Assignments
Primary sponsor (intro.): Sen. Mattie Hunter
Related/companion bills: HB 4485, HB 1258

Note: The source material included multiple unrelated bills from other states that share the SB 1302 number. This summary focuses on the Illinois “Aging — Benefits Access Program” provisions in the bill.

Main purpose

Create and consolidate a state-run Benefits Access Program under the Illinois Department on Aging to establish eligibility and administration for several benefits aimed at older adults and people with disabilities (vehicle fee reductions, free fixed-route transit, and transit services for people with disabilities). The bill also restructures parts of the Illinois Act on the Aging and removes the Senior Citizens and Persons with Disabilities Property Tax Relief Act.

Key provisions and changes

  • Establishes the Benefits Access Program in the Illinois Act on the Aging and directs the Department on Aging to implement and administer it.
  • Repeals the Senior Citizens and Persons with Disabilities Property Tax Relief Act and removes its cross‑references from other statutes.
  • Requires the Department to set eligibility criteria under the Benefits Access Program for:
    • Secretary of State actions relating to reduced vehicle fees for qualified vehicle owners (Illinois Vehicle Code).
    • Special districts and regional transit authorities that provide free fixed-route public transit to qualified older adults (Local Mass Transit District Act, Metropolitan Transit Authority Act, Regional Transportation Authority Act).
    • Transit services offered to qualified individuals with disabilities under the same transit statutes.
  • Sets household income eligibility limits and other eligibility requirements for the program (text indicates limits are specified in the bill; excerpt did not include numeric thresholds).
  • Authorizes the Department to adopt rules on automatic renewals and appeal rights under the program.
  • Makes corresponding changes to multiple statutes: Metropolitan Transit Authority Act, Local Mass Transit District Act, Regional Transportation Authority Act, Illinois Public Aid Code, Older Adult Services Act, and Illinois Vehicle Code to align with the Benefits Access Program.
  • Amends the Illinois Act on the Aging:
    • Removes prior requirements that the Department study feasibility of an affirmative action employment plan for recruiting/training persons 60+ and develop a multilingual pharmaceutical pamphlet for people 65+.
    • Adds a requirement that the Department implement provisions of the federal Older Americans Act.
    • Eliminates the Community Care Program Medicaid Initiative and the Community Care Program Medicaid Enrollment Oversight Subcommittee.
    • Updates definitions and Department powers/duties (areas, “greatest social need,” data‑sharing authorities, etc.).

Who is affected

  • Older adults (seniors) and qualified persons with disabilities who may be eligible for reduced vehicle fees and free or subsidized public transit.
  • County, regional and local transit authorities and special districts that administer transit services and fares.
  • Secretary of State’s office (vehicle registration/fee processing).
  • Department on Aging (administration and rulemaking responsibilities).
  • Area agencies on aging and organizations that previously relied on the repealed property tax relief statute.
  • Potential fiscal impact to State agencies and transit districts depending on program uptake and benefit costs (no explicit fiscal figures in the excerpt).

Administrative and procedural aspects

  • The Department on Aging must implement and administer the program and may adopt rules (including for renewals and appeals).
  • The bill makes statutory changes across multiple codes to centralize eligibility and program administration.
  • Procedural status (from provided record): introduced and referred to committees (Assigns). Companion House bills have been filed.

Potential impacts and considerations

  • Simplifies or consolidates benefit access by centralizing eligibility under one State program, which could improve coordination and enrollment.
  • Repeal of the existing Property Tax Relief Act may shift or eliminate benefits formerly delivered under that law — potential impacts for recipients should be clarified by the Department and fiscal analyses.
  • Transit agencies and the Secretary of State will need operational changes to implement the program and track eligibility.
  • The Department’s rulemaking will be important to define income thresholds, automatic renewal processes, documentation requirements, and appeals — these rules determine program reach and administrative burden.

If you want, I can:
- Extract and summarize the exact household income thresholds and eligibility criteria if you can provide the bill pages that contain those numeric details.
- Prepare a short briefing on expected fiscal and operational impacts for the Department on Aging, Secretary of State, and transit districts.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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