Rep. Joyce Mason
Filed: 3/17/2026
 
 

 
 

 
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1
AMENDMENT TO HOUSE BILL 5204 

2    AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend House Bill 5204 by replacing 
3everything after the enacting clause with the following:
 
4    "Section 5. The Illinois Early Learning Council Act is 
5amended by changing Sections 5, 10, and 15 and by adding 
6Section 20 as follows:
 
7    (20 ILCS 3933/5)
8    Sec. 5. Illinois Early Learning Council. The Illinois 
9Early Learning Council is hereby created to advise on 
10statewide coordinate existing programs and services for 
11children from the prenatal period birth to 5 years of age in 
12order to better meet the early learning needs of children and 
13their families. The goal of the Council is to fulfill the 
14vision of Illinois being the best state in the nation to raise 
15young children by providing a statewide, high-quality, 
16accessible, and comprehensive early learning system to benefit 
 
 
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1all young children whose parents choose it. The Council shall 
2guide collaborative efforts to improve and expand upon 
3existing early childhood programs and services, including 
4those related to education and care, such as nutrition, 
5nutrition education, and physical activity, in coordination 
6with the Interagency Nutrition Council. This work shall 
7include making use of existing reports, research, and planning 
8efforts.
9(Source: P.A. 93-380, eff. 7-24-03; 94-124, eff. 1-1-06.)
 
10    (20 ILCS 3933/10)
11    Sec. 10. Membership. The Illinois Early Learning Council 
12shall include representation from both public and private 
13organizations, and its membership shall reflect regional, 
14racial, and cultural diversity to ensure representation of the 
15needs of all Illinois children. One member shall be appointed 
16by the President of the Senate; , one member shall be appointed 
17by the Minority Leader of the Senate; , one member shall be 
18appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives; , one 
19member shall be appointed by the Minority Leader of the House 
20of Representatives; , and other members shall be appointed by 
21the Governor. The Governor's appointments shall include, 
22without limitation, the following:
23        (1) The Secretary of Early Childhood or the 
24    Secretary's designee, who shall serve as co-chairperson of 
25    the Council. 
 
 
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1        (2) (1) A leader of stature from the Governor's 
2    office, to serve as co-chairperson of the Council.
3        (3) (2) The chief administrators of the following 
4    State agencies or their designees: Department of Early 
5    Childhood, the State Board of Education; the Department of 
6    Human Services; the Department of Children and Family 
7    Services; the Department of Public Health; the Department 
8    of Healthcare and Family Services; the Board of Higher 
9    Education; and the Illinois Community College Board.
10        (4) Parents and caregivers of children 5 years of age 
11    or younger. 
12        (5) A representative of a statewide advocacy 
13    organization that represents multiple Head Start and Early 
14    Head Start providers. 
15        (6) The State Director of Head Start Collaboration. 
16        (7) (3) Local government stakeholders and 
17    nongovernment stakeholders with an interest in early 
18    childhood care and education, including representation 
19    from the following private-sector fields and 
20    constituencies: early childhood education and development; 
21    child care; child advocacy; parenting support; local 
22    community collaborations among early care and education 
23    programs and services; maternal and child health; children 
24    with special needs; business; labor; and law enforcement. 
25    The Governor shall designate one of the members who is a 
26    nongovernment stakeholder to serve as co-chairperson of 
 
 
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1    the Council.
2In addition, the Governor shall request that the Region V 
3office of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' 
4Administration for Children and Families appoint a member to 
5the Council to represent federal children's programs and 
6services.
7    Members appointed by General Assembly members and members 
8appointed by the Governor who are local government or 
9nongovernment stakeholders shall serve 3-year terms, except 
10that of the initial appointments, half of these members, as 
11determined by lot, shall be appointed to 2-year terms so that 
12terms are staggered. Members shall serve on a voluntary, 
13unpaid basis.
14(Source: P.A. 103-594, eff. 6-25-24.)
 
15    (20 ILCS 3933/15)
16    Sec. 15. Management and accountability Accountability. The 
17Department of Early Childhood shall provide staffing and 
18administrative support to the Council. The Illinois Early 
19Learning Council shall annually report to the Governor, the 
20and General Assembly, and the Department of Early Childhood on 
21the Council's progress toward towards its goals and 
22objectives.
23(Source: P.A. 93-380, eff. 7-24-03.)
 
24    (20 ILCS 3933/20 new)
 
 
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1    Sec. 20. Conflicts of interest. No member of the Council 
2shall cast a vote on or participate substantially in any 
3matter that would provide a direct financial benefit to that 
4member or otherwise give the appearance of a conflict of 
5interest under State law. All provisions and reporting 
6requirements of the Illinois Governmental Ethics Act shall 
7apply to Council members.
 
8    Section 10. The Early Childhood Access Consortium for 
9Equity Act is amended by changing Section 25 as follows:
 
10    (110 ILCS 28/25)
11    Sec. 25. Advisory committee; membership. 
12    (a) The Board of Higher Education, the Illinois Community 
13College Board, the State Board of Education, the Department of 
14Human Services, and the Department of Early Childhood shall 
15jointly convene a Consortium advisory committee to provide 
16guidance on the operation of the Consortium.
17    (b) Membership on the advisory committee shall be 
18comprised of employers and experts appointed by the Board of 
19Higher Education, the Illinois Community College Board, the 
20Department of Early Childhood, the Department of Human 
21Services, and the State Board of Education. Membership shall 
22also include all of the following members:
23        (1) An employer from a community-based child care 
24    provider, appointed by the Department of Early Childhood 
 
 
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1    Human Services.
2        (2) An employer from a for-profit child care provider, 
3    appointed by the Department of Early Childhood Human 
4    Services.
5        (3) An employer from a nonprofit child care provider, 
6    appointed by the Department of Early Childhood Human 
7    Services.
8        (4) A provider of family child care, appointed by the 
9    Department of Early Childhood Human Services.
10        (5) An employer located in southern Illinois, 
11    appointed by the Department of Early Childhood.
12        (6) An employer located in central Illinois, appointed 
13    by the Department of Early Childhood.
14        (7) At least one member who represents an urban school 
15    district, appointed by the State Board of Education.
16        (8) At least one member who represents a suburban 
17    school district, appointed by the State Board of 
18    Education.
19        (9) At least one member who represents a rural school 
20    district, appointed by the State Board of Education.
21        (10) At least one member who represents a school 
22    district in a city with a population of 500,000 or more, 
23    appointed by the State Board of Education.
24        (11) Two early childhood advocates with statewide 
25    expertise in early childhood workforce issues, appointed 
26    by the Department of Early Childhood.
 
 
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1        (12) The Chairperson or Vice-Chairperson and the 
2    Minority Spokesperson or a designee of the Senate 
3    Committee on Higher Education.
4        (13) The Chairperson or Vice-Chairperson and the 
5    Minority Spokesperson or a designee of the House Committee 
6    on Higher Education.
7        (14) One member representing the Illinois Community 
8    College Board, who shall serve as co-chairperson, 
9    appointed by the Illinois Community College Board.
10        (15) One member representing the Board of Higher 
11    Education, who shall serve as co-chairperson, appointed by 
12    the Board of Higher Education.
13        (16) One member representing the Illinois Student 
14    Assistance Commission, appointed by the Illinois Student 
15    Assistance Commission.
16        (17) One member representing the State Board of 
17    Education, who shall serve as co-chairperson, appointed by 
18    the State Board of Education.
19        (18) One member representing the Department of Early 
20    Childhood, who shall serve as co-chairperson, appointed by 
21    the Department of Early Childhood.
22        (19) One member representing the Department of Human 
23    Services, who shall serve as co-chairperson, appointed by 
24    the Department of Human Services.
25        (20) One member representing INCCRRA, appointed by the 
26    Department of Early Childhood.
 
 
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1        (21) One member representing the Department of 
2    Children and Family Services, appointed by the Department 
3    of Children and Family Services.
4        (22) One member representing an organization that 
5    advocates on behalf of community college trustees, 
6    appointed by the Illinois Community College Board.
7        (23) One member of a union representing child care and 
8    early childhood providers, appointed by the Department of 
9    Early Childhood Human Services.
10        (24) Two members of unions representing higher 
11    education faculty, appointed by the Board of Higher 
12    Education.
13        (25) A representative from the College of Education of 
14    an urban public university, appointed by the Board of 
15    Higher Education.
16        (26) A representative from the College of Education of 
17    a suburban public university, appointed by the Board of 
18    Higher Education.
19        (27) A representative from the College of Education of 
20    a rural public university, appointed by the Board of 
21    Higher Education.
22        (28) A representative from the College of Education of 
23    a private university, appointed by the Board of Higher 
24    Education.
25        (29) A representative of an urban community college, 
26    appointed by the Illinois Community College Board.
 
 
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1        (30) A representative of a suburban community college, 
2    appointed by the Illinois Community College Board.
3        (31) A representative of a rural community college, 
4    appointed by the Illinois Community College Board.
5    (c) The advisory committee shall meet at least twice a 
6year. The committee meetings shall be open to the public in 
7accordance with the provisions of the Open Meetings Act.
8    (d) Except for the co-chairpersons of the advisory 
9committee, the initial terms for advisory committee members 
10after June 5, 2024 (the effective date of Public Act 103-588) 
11shall be set by lottery at the first meeting after June 5, 2024 
12(the effective date of Public Act 103-588) as follows:
13        (1) One-third of members shall serve a one-year term.
14        (2) One-third of members shall serve a 2-year term.
15        (3) One-third of members shall serve a 3-year term.
16    (e) The initial term of co-chairpersons of the advisory 
17committee shall be for 3 years. 
18    (f) After the initial term, each subsequent term for the 
19members of the advisory committee shall be for 3 years or until 
20a successor is appointed.
21    (g) The members of the advisory committee shall serve 
22without compensation, but shall be entitled to reimbursement 
23for all necessary expenses incurred in the performance of 
24their official duties as members of the advisory committee 
25from funds appropriated for that purpose. 
26(Source: P.A. 103-588, eff. 6-5-24; 103-594, eff. 6-25-24; 
 
 
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1104-417, eff. 8-15-25.)".