Sec. 9.05. Electronic benefits transfer.

329 words·~1 min read·/il/chapter-15/act-405/9-05

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(a)For the purpose of this Section, "Department" means the Department of Human Services, "EBT" means the method of electronically distributing financial aid or benefits known as electronic benefits transfer, and "EBT contractor" means an electronic benefits transfer contractor that has been engaged by the Department to provide electronic benefits transfer services.

(b)There is hereby created a fund outside the State Treasury to be known as the Electronic Benefits Transfer Fund. The State Treasurer shall be ex-officio custodian of the Fund.

(c)The Department shall inform the EBT contractor of the financial assistance cases and benefit amounts authorized by the Department to be made available for each case on the basis of the Department's established benefit distribution schedule under Section 11-3.1 of the Illinois Public Aid Code. At the direction of the Department, the EBT contractor shall process individual transactions for recipients of financial assistance or benefits as authorized by the Department. Concurrently, the Department shall inform the Comptroller of the summary information relating to the individual transactions and shall issue a voucher for the total amount so authorized and present the voucher to the State Comptroller. The Comptroller shall then draw a warrant for that amount to be paid into the Electronic Benefits Transfer Fund. Upon receipt of the warrant, the State Treasurer shall pay the indicated amount into the Electronic Benefits Transfer Fund.

(d)Whenever the Department directs the State Treasurer to reimburse an electronic benefits transfer contractor under Section 11-3.1 of the Illinois Public Aid Code after the warrant for that transaction has been drawn by the State Comptroller, the State Treasurer shall transfer the amount of funds directed by the Department to the electronic benefits transfer contractor from the Electronic Benefits Transfer Fund solely for the purpose of reimbursing the contractor for financial assistance distributed to eligible individuals.

(e)The Department, the State Comptroller, and the State Treasurer shall jointly make any rules necessary to effectively administer this Section.