Bill
SB 1968
Creates a temporary Illinois Health Care and Public Benefits Stakeholder Council to identify program gaps and propose reforms to improve access to benefits.
Status
- Introduced by Sen. Mike Simmons (2/6/2025).
- Passed both chambers; filed without the Governor’s signature (6/22/2025).
- Effective date: January 1, 2026.
Purpose
- Create a temporary stakeholder council to ensure that Illinois residents impacted by health care systems and public benefits have a structured voice in how State programs are implemented and coordinated across agencies. The council is intended to identify program shortfalls and recommend an overarching organizational structure to improve access to benefits.
Key provisions
- Creation: Establishes the Illinois Health Care and Public Benefits Stakeholder Council (statutory authority is temporary; see timeline below).
- Objectives and duties:
- Ensure meaningful inclusion of people with lived experience (families, youth, persons with disabilities, older adults, etc.) in Council work.
- Identify current shortfalls in State-implemented programs, including (as listed) Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Women, Infants and Children (WIC), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Child Care Assistance Program, Medical Assistance, and the Community Care Program.
- Recommend an overarching organizational structure to improve coordination, alignment, and progress so Illinoisans can access benefits more effectively.
- Membership:
- Members appointed by the Governor.
- Members must reflect State diversity and relevant lived experience/expertise.
- Specified seats include: one person with a disability, one older Illinoisan, one health care worker, one parent/guardian with lived experience accessing benefits, plus additional representatives from community-based organizations with expertise in health care, public health, child welfare, and human services (the bill text indicates unspecified additional slots for such organizations).
- Council members select a chairperson or co‑chairpersons from among themselves at the initial meeting.
- State agency participation: Heads (or designees) of Department of Human Services; Department of Children and Family Services; Department on Aging; Department of Healthcare and Family Services; and Department of Early Childhood must attend at least two Council hearings in an advisory capacity.
- Meetings: The Council must meet at the call of the chair at least four times beginning January 1, 2026.
- Report: The Council must submit findings and recommendations to the Governor and General Assembly by July 1, 2027.
- Sunset: Council is dissolved and the Act is repealed on July 1, 2028.
Who is affected / likely impact
- Directly: Illinois residents who rely on public benefits (families, children, older adults, people with disabilities), community-based organizations working in health and human services, and participating State agencies.
- Functionally: The Council is advisory — it identifies gaps and proposes organizational/administrative reforms; it does not by itself change program eligibility or appropriate funding. Its report could inform future legislation, administrative reorganizations, or budget requests.
Procedural timeline (summary)
- Council convenes starting 1/1/2026; minimum of 4 meetings required.
- Advisory agency attendance at a minimum of 2 hearings.
- Final report due 7/1/2027.
- Council dissolved and statutory repeal on 7/1/2028.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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