HB1571 EnrolledLRB102 03602 RJF 13615 b

1    AN ACT concerning State government.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 1. This Act may be referred to as the Off-Hours
5Child Care Act.
 
6    Section 5. The Department of Human Services Act is amended
7by adding Section 1-75 as follows:
 
8    (20 ILCS 1305/1-75 new)
9    Sec. 1-75. Off-Hours Child Care Program.
10    (a) Legislative intent. The General Assembly finds that:
11        (1) Finding child care can be a challenge for
12    firefighters, paramedics, police officers, nurses, and
13    other third shift workers across the State who often work
14    non-typical work hours. This can impact home life, school,
15    bedtime routines, job safety, and the mental health of
16    some of our most critical front line workers and their
17    families.
18        (2) There is a need for increased options for
19    off-hours child care in the State. A majority of the
20    State's child care facilities do not provide care outside
21    of normal work hours, with just 3,251 day care homes and
22    435 group day care homes that provide night care.

 

 

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1        (3) Illinois has a vested interest in ensuring that
2    our first responders and working families can provide
3    their children with appropriate care during off hours to
4    improve the morale of existing first responders and to
5    improve recruitment into the future.
6    (b) As used in this Section, "first responders" means
7emergency medical services personnel as defined in the
8Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Systems Act, firefighters,
9law enforcement officers, and, as determined by the
10Department, any other workers who, on account of their work
11schedule, need child care outside of the hours when licensed
12child care facilities typically operate.
13    (c) Subject to appropriation, the Department of Human
14Services shall establish and administer an Off-Hours Child
15Care Program to help first responders and other workers
16identify and access off-hours, night, or sleep time child
17care. Services funded under the program must address the child
18care needs of first responders. Funding provided under the
19program may also be used to cover any capital and operating
20expenses related to the provision of off-hours, night, or
21sleep time child care for first responders. Funding awarded
22under this Section shall be funded through appropriations from
23the Off-Hours Child Care Program Fund created under subsection
24(d). The Department shall implement the program by July 1,
252023. The Department may adopt any rules necessary to
26implement the program.

 

 

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1    (d) The Off-Hours Child Care Program Fund is created as a
2special fund in the State treasury. The Fund shall consist of
3any moneys appropriated to the Department of Human Services
4for the Off-Hours Child Care Program. Moneys in the Fund shall
5be expended for the Off-Hours Child Care Program and for no
6other purpose. All interest earned on moneys in the Fund shall
7be deposited into the Fund.
 
8    Section 10. The State Finance Act is amended by adding
9Section 5.970 as follows:
 
10    (30 ILCS 105/5.970 new)
11    Sec. 5.970. The Off-Hours Child Care Program Fund.
 
12    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
13becoming law.