(a) Effective October 1, 1999 the Illinois Department shall establish a State Disbursement Unit in accordance with the requirements of Title IV-D of the Social Security Act. The Illinois Department shall enter into an agreement with a State or local governmental unit or private entity to perform the functions of the State Disbursement Unit as set forth in this Section. The State Disbursement Unit shall collect and disburse support payments made under court and administrative support orders:

(1) being enforced in cases in which child and spouse support services are being provided under this Article X; and

(2) in all cases in which child and spouse support services are not being provided under this Article X and in which support payments are made under the provisions of the Income Withholding for Support Act.

(a-2) The contract entered into by the Illinois Department with a public or private entity or an individual for the operation of the State Disbursement Unit is subject to competitive bidding. In addition, the contract is subject to Section 10-26.2 of this Code. As used in this subsection (a-2), "contract" has the same meaning as in the Illinois Procurement Code.

(a-5) If the State Disbursement Unit receives a support payment that was not appropriately made to the Unit under this Section, the Unit shall immediately return the payment to the sender, including, if possible, instructions detailing where to send the support payments.

(b) All payments received by the State Disbursement Unit:

(1) shall be deposited into an account obtained by the Illinois Department, and

(2) distributed and disbursed by the State Disbursement Unit, in accordance with the directions of the Illinois Department, pursuant to Title IV-D of the Social Security Act and rules promulgated by the Department.

(c) All support payments assigned to the Illinois Department under Article X of this Code and rules promulgated by the Illinois Department that are disbursed to the Illinois Department by the State Disbursement Unit shall be paid into the Child Support Enforcement Trust Fund.

(d) If the agreement with the State or local governmental unit or private entity provided for in this Section is not in effect for any reason, the Department shall perform the functions of the State Disbursement Unit as set forth in this Section for a maximum of 12 months before July 1, 2001, and for a maximum of 24 months after June 30, 2001. If the Illinois Department is performing the functions of the State Disbursement Unit on July 1, 2001, then the Illinois Department shall make an award on or before December 31, 2002, to a State or local government unit or private entity to perform the functions of the State Disbursement Unit. Payments received by the Illinois Department in performance of the duties of the State Disbursement Unit shall be deposited into the State Disbursement Unit Revolving Fund established under Section 12-8.1. Nothing in this Section shall prohibit the Illinois Department from holding the State Disbursement Unit Revolving Fund after June 30, 2003.

(e) By February 1, 2000, the Illinois Department shall conduct at least 4 regional training and educational seminars to educate the clerks of the circuit court on the general operation of the State Disbursement Unit, the role of the State Disbursement Unit, and the role of the clerks of the circuit court in the collection and distribution of child support payments.

(f) By March 1, 2000, the Illinois Department shall conduct at least 4 regional educational and training seminars to educate payors, as defined in the Income Withholding for Support Act, on the general operation of the State Disbursement Unit, the role of the State Disbursement Unit, and the distribution of income withholding payments pursuant to this Section and the Income Withholding for Support Act.

(Source: P.A. 92-44, eff. 7-1-01; 93-20, eff. 6-20-03.)