Public Act 102-0912
 
HB1571 EnrolledLRB102 03602 RJF 13615 b



    AN ACT concerning State government.

 
    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, 
represented in the General Assembly: 



 
    Section 1. This Act may be referred to as the Off-Hours 
Child Care Act.
 
    Section 5. The Department of Human Services Act is amended  
by adding Section 1-75 as follows:
 
    (20 ILCS 1305/1-75 new)
    Sec. 1-75. Off-Hours Child Care Program. 
    (a) Legislative intent. The General Assembly finds that: 
        (1) Finding child care can be a challenge for 
    firefighters, paramedics, police officers, nurses, and 
    other third shift workers across the State who often work 
    non-typical work hours. This can impact home life, school, 
    bedtime routines, job safety, and the mental health of 
    some of our most critical front line workers and their 
    families.
        (2) There is a need for increased options for 
    off-hours child care in the State. A majority of the 
    State's child care facilities do not provide care outside 
    of normal work hours, with just 3,251 day care homes and 
    435 group day care homes that provide night care.
        (3) Illinois has a vested interest in ensuring that 
    our first responders and working families can provide 
    their children with appropriate care during off hours to 
    improve the morale of existing first responders and to 
    improve recruitment into the future.
    (b) As used in this Section, "first responders" means 
emergency medical services personnel as defined in the   
Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Systems Act, firefighters, 
law enforcement officers, and, as determined by the 
Department, any other workers who, on account of their work 
schedule, need child care outside of the hours when licensed 
child care
facilities typically operate. 
    (c) Subject to appropriation, the Department of Human 
Services shall establish and administer an Off-Hours Child 
Care Program to help first responders and other workers 
identify and access off-hours, night, or sleep time child 
care. Services funded under the program must address  the child 
care needs of first responders. Funding provided under the 
program may also be used to cover any capital and operating 
expenses related to the provision of off-hours, night, or 
sleep time child care for first responders. Funding awarded 
under this Section shall be funded through appropriations from 
the Off-Hours Child Care Program Fund created under subsection 
(d). The Department shall implement the program by July 1, 
2023. The Department may adopt any
rules necessary to 
implement the program. 
    (d) The Off-Hours Child Care Program Fund is created as a 
special fund in the State treasury. The Fund shall consist of 
any moneys appropriated to the Department of Human Services 
for the Off-Hours Child Care Program. Moneys in the Fund shall 
be expended for the Off-Hours Child Care Program and for no 
other purpose. All interest earned on moneys in the Fund shall 
be deposited into the Fund. 
 
    Section 10. The State Finance Act is amended by adding 
Section 5.970 as follows:
 
    (30 ILCS 105/5.970 new)
    Sec. 5.970. The Off-Hours Child Care Program Fund.
 

    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon 
becoming law.