DCFS-APPRENTICESHIP STIPENDS

Amends the Children and Family Services Act. Requires the Department of Children and Family Services, subject to appropriations, to provide eligible youth an apprenticeship stipend to cover those costs associated with entering an apprenticeship, including, but not limited to fees, tuition for classes, work clothes, rain gear, boots, and occupation-specific tools. Provide that the following youth shall be eligible for an apprenticeship stipend: youth for whom the Department has court-ordered legal responsibility; youth who aged out of care at age 18 or older; or youth formerly under care who have been adopted and were the subject of an adoption assistance agreement or who have been placed in private guardianship and were the subject of a subsidized guardianship agreement. Limits the stipend to eligible youth who: (i) are enrolled in an approved apprenticeship training program; (ii) are not a recipient of any other scholarship or fee waiver provided by the Department; and (iii) are under the age of 26. Provides that apprenticeship stipends shall be available to an eligible youth for a maximum of 5 years after the youth enrolls in a qualifying apprenticeship program. Waives the age requirement and 5-year cap on the stipend for applicants who were unable to enroll in a qualifying apprenticeship program because the applicant: (i) was called into active duty with the United States Armed Forces; (ii) was deployed for service in the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps; or (iii) volunteered in the Peace Corps or the AmeriCorps. Requires the Department to develop outreach programs to ensure qualifying youths are aware of the availability of the apprenticeship stipends. Effective January 1, 2020. Senate Floor Amendment No. 2 Provides that the Department of Children and Family Services shall provide eligible youth an apprenticeship stipend to cover those costs associated with entering and sustaining through completion an apprenticeship (rather than those costs associated with entering an apprenticeship), including, but not limited to fees, tuition for classes, work clothes, rain gear, boots, and occupation-specific tools. Provides that certain youth may (rather than shall) be eligible for the apprenticeship stipend. Provides that, to receive a stipend, an applicant must be enrolled in an apprenticeship training program approved or recognized by the Illinois Department of Employment Security or an apprenticeship program approved by the United States Department of Labor (rather than an apprenticeship training program approved or recognized by the Illinois Department of Employment Security or a similar federal entity). House Floor Amendment No. 2 Provides that youth for whom the Department of Children and Family Services has court-ordered legal responsibility, youth who aged out of care at age 18 or older, and youth formerly under care who have been adopted or who have been placed in private guardianship shall receive a tuition and fee waiver to assist them in attending and completing their post-secondary education at any community college, university, or college maintained by the State of Illinois (rather than providing that such youth shall receive a tuition and fee waiver if they are not selected to receive a scholarship or fee waiver under a specified provision of the Children and Family Services Act).