103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2023 and 2024
HB4521

 

Introduced 1/31/2024, by Rep. Martin McLaughlin

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
225 ILCS 10/5.12 new
225 ILCS 10/7  from Ch. 23, par. 2217

    Amends the Child Care Act of 1969. Provides that, on or before January 1, 2025, the Department of Children and Family Services shall require each licensed day care center to maintain a video security system and maintain video surveillance of all public areas within the premises of the day care center, including, but not limited to, hallways, entrances, play areas, common rooms, and eating areas. Provides that video surveillance shall not take place in private areas within the day care center, including, but not limited to, bathrooms and changing areas. Provides that, if a video security system is deemed inadequate by the Department, the day care center shall have 30 days to correct the inadequacy. Provides that each licensed day care center must notify all parents of children attending the day care center that public areas are under video surveillance and must post a sign at the entrance of the day care center that informs visitors that the area is under video surveillance. Provides that the minimum standards for licensing shall require that each child care institution, maternity center, day care center, group home, day care home, and group day care home require that every staff member involved in the direct care of children be certified in first aid, in the Heimlich maneuver, and in cardiopulmonary resuscitation(rather than have on its premises during its hours of operation at least one staff member certified in first aid, in the Heimlich maneuver, and in cardiopulmonary resuscitation).


LRB103 34911 SPS 64783 b

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

HB4521LRB103 34911 SPS 64783 b

1    AN ACT concerning regulation.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Child Care Act of 1969 is amended by
5changing Section 7 and by adding Section 5.12 as follows:
 
6    (225 ILCS 10/5.12 new)
7    Sec. 5.12. Video surveillance.
8    (a) On or before January 1, 2025, the Department shall
9require each licensed day care center to maintain a video
10security system and maintain video surveillance of all public
11areas within the premises of the day care center, including,
12but not limited to, hallways, entrances, play areas, common
13rooms, and eating areas. Video surveillance shall not take
14place in private areas within the day care center, including,
15but not limited to, bathrooms and changing areas. If a video
16security system is deemed inadequate by the Department, the
17day care center shall have 30 days to correct the inadequacy.
18    (b) Each licensed day care center must notify all parents
19of children attending the day care center that public areas
20are under video surveillance and must post a sign at the
21entrance of the day care center that informs visitors that the
22area is under video surveillance.
 

 

 

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1    (225 ILCS 10/7)  (from Ch. 23, par. 2217)
2    Sec. 7. (a) The Department must prescribe and publish
3minimum standards for licensing that apply to the various
4types of facilities for child care defined in this Act and that
5are equally applicable to like institutions under the control
6of the Department and to foster family homes used by and under
7the direct supervision of the Department. The Department shall
8seek the advice and assistance of persons representative of
9the various types of child care facilities in establishing
10such standards. The standards prescribed and published under
11this Act take effect as provided in the Illinois
12Administrative Procedure Act, and are restricted to
13regulations pertaining to the following matters and to any
14rules and regulations required or permitted by any other
15Section of this Act:
16        (1) The operation and conduct of the facility and
17    responsibility it assumes for child care;
18        (2) The character, suitability and qualifications of
19    the applicant and other persons directly responsible for
20    the care and welfare of children served. All child day
21    care center licensees and employees who are required to
22    report child abuse or neglect under the Abused and
23    Neglected Child Reporting Act shall be required to attend
24    training on recognizing child abuse and neglect, as
25    prescribed by Department rules;
26        (3) The general financial ability and competence of

 

 

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1    the applicant to provide necessary care for children and
2    to maintain prescribed standards;
3        (4) The number of individuals or staff required to
4    insure adequate supervision and care of the children
5    received. The standards shall provide that each child care
6    institution, maternity center, day care center, group
7    home, day care home, and group day care home shall require
8    that every staff member involved in the direct care of
9    children be have on its premises during its hours of
10    operation at least one staff member certified in first
11    aid, in the Heimlich maneuver, and in cardiopulmonary
12    resuscitation by the American Red Cross or other
13    organization approved by rule of the Department. Child
14    welfare agencies shall not be subject to such a staffing
15    requirement. The Department may offer, or arrange for the
16    offering, on a periodic basis in each community in this
17    State in cooperation with the American Red Cross, the
18    American Heart Association or other appropriate
19    organization, voluntary programs to train operators of
20    foster family homes and day care homes in first aid and
21    cardiopulmonary resuscitation;
22        (5) The appropriateness, safety, cleanliness, and
23    general adequacy of the premises, including maintenance of
24    adequate fire prevention and health standards conforming
25    to State laws and municipal codes to provide for the
26    physical comfort, care, and well-being of children

 

 

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1    received;
2        (6) Provisions for food, clothing, educational
3    opportunities, program, equipment and individual supplies
4    to assure the healthy physical, mental, and spiritual
5    development of children served;
6        (7) Provisions to safeguard the legal rights of
7    children served;
8        (8) Maintenance of records pertaining to the
9    admission, progress, health, and discharge of children,
10    including, for day care centers and day care homes,
11    records indicating each child has been immunized as
12    required by State regulations. The Department shall
13    require proof that children enrolled in a facility have
14    been immunized against Haemophilus Influenzae B (HIB);
15        (9) Filing of reports with the Department;
16        (10) Discipline of children;
17        (11) Protection and fostering of the particular
18    religious faith of the children served;
19        (12) Provisions prohibiting firearms on day care
20    center premises except in the possession of peace
21    officers;
22        (13) Provisions prohibiting handguns on day care home
23    premises except in the possession of peace officers or
24    other adults who must possess a handgun as a condition of
25    employment and who reside on the premises of a day care
26    home;

 

 

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1        (14) Provisions requiring that any firearm permitted
2    on day care home premises, except handguns in the
3    possession of peace officers, shall be kept in a
4    disassembled state, without ammunition, in locked storage,
5    inaccessible to children and that ammunition permitted on
6    day care home premises shall be kept in locked storage
7    separate from that of disassembled firearms, inaccessible
8    to children;
9        (15) Provisions requiring notification of parents or
10    guardians enrolling children at a day care home of the
11    presence in the day care home of any firearms and
12    ammunition and of the arrangements for the separate,
13    locked storage of such firearms and ammunition;
14        (16) Provisions requiring all licensed child care
15    facility employees who care for newborns and infants to
16    complete training every 3 years on the nature of sudden
17    unexpected infant death (SUID), sudden infant death
18    syndrome (SIDS), and the safe sleep recommendations of the
19    American Academy of Pediatrics; and
20        (17) With respect to foster family homes, provisions
21    requiring the Department to review quality of care
22    concerns and to consider those concerns in determining
23    whether a foster family home is qualified to care for
24    children.
25    By July 1, 2022, all licensed day care home providers,
26licensed group day care home providers, and licensed day care

 

 

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1center directors and classroom staff shall participate in at
2least one training that includes the topics of early childhood
3social emotional learning, infant and early childhood mental
4health, early childhood trauma, or adverse childhood
5experiences. Current licensed providers, directors, and
6classroom staff shall complete training by July 1, 2022 and
7shall participate in training that includes the above topics
8at least once every 3 years.
9    (b) If, in a facility for general child care, there are
10children diagnosed as mentally ill or children diagnosed as
11having an intellectual or physical disability, who are
12determined to be in need of special mental treatment or of
13nursing care, or both mental treatment and nursing care, the
14Department shall seek the advice and recommendation of the
15Department of Human Services, the Department of Public Health,
16or both Departments regarding the residential treatment and
17nursing care provided by the institution.
18    (c) The Department shall investigate any person applying
19to be licensed as a foster parent to determine whether there is
20any evidence of current drug or alcohol abuse in the
21prospective foster family. The Department shall not license a
22person as a foster parent if drug or alcohol abuse has been
23identified in the foster family or if a reasonable suspicion
24of such abuse exists, except that the Department may grant a
25foster parent license to an applicant identified with an
26alcohol or drug problem if the applicant has successfully

 

 

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1participated in an alcohol or drug treatment program,
2self-help group, or other suitable activities and if the
3Department determines that the foster family home can provide
4a safe, appropriate environment and meet the physical and
5emotional needs of children.
6    (d) The Department, in applying standards prescribed and
7published, as herein provided, shall offer consultation
8through employed staff or other qualified persons to assist
9applicants and licensees in meeting and maintaining minimum
10requirements for a license and to help them otherwise to
11achieve programs of excellence related to the care of children
12served. Such consultation shall include providing information
13concerning education and training in early childhood
14development to providers of day care home services. The
15Department may provide or arrange for such education and
16training for those providers who request such assistance.
17    (e) The Department shall distribute copies of licensing
18standards to all licensees and applicants for a license. Each
19licensee or holder of a permit shall distribute copies of the
20appropriate licensing standards and any other information
21required by the Department to child care facilities under its
22supervision. Each licensee or holder of a permit shall
23maintain appropriate documentation of the distribution of the
24standards. Such documentation shall be part of the records of
25the facility and subject to inspection by authorized
26representatives of the Department.

 

 

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1    (f) The Department shall prepare summaries of day care
2licensing standards. Each licensee or holder of a permit for a
3day care facility shall distribute a copy of the appropriate
4summary and any other information required by the Department,
5to the legal guardian of each child cared for in that facility
6at the time when the child is enrolled or initially placed in
7the facility. The licensee or holder of a permit for a day care
8facility shall secure appropriate documentation of the
9distribution of the summary and brochure. Such documentation
10shall be a part of the records of the facility and subject to
11inspection by an authorized representative of the Department.
12    (g) The Department shall distribute to each licensee and
13holder of a permit copies of the licensing or permit standards
14applicable to such person's facility. Each licensee or holder
15of a permit shall make available by posting at all times in a
16common or otherwise accessible area a complete and current set
17of licensing standards in order that all employees of the
18facility may have unrestricted access to such standards. All
19employees of the facility shall have reviewed the standards
20and any subsequent changes. Each licensee or holder of a
21permit shall maintain appropriate documentation of the current
22review of licensing standards by all employees. Such records
23shall be part of the records of the facility and subject to
24inspection by authorized representatives of the Department.
25    (h) Any standards involving physical examinations,
26immunization, or medical treatment shall include appropriate

 

 

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1exemptions for children whose parents object thereto on the
2grounds that they conflict with the tenets and practices of a
3recognized church or religious organization, of which the
4parent is an adherent or member, and for children who should
5not be subjected to immunization for clinical reasons.
6    (i) The Department, in cooperation with the Department of
7Public Health, shall work to increase immunization awareness
8and participation among parents of children enrolled in day
9care centers and day care homes by publishing on the
10Department's website information about the benefits of
11immunization against vaccine preventable diseases, including
12influenza and pertussis. The information for vaccine
13preventable diseases shall include the incidence and severity
14of the diseases, the availability of vaccines, and the
15importance of immunizing children and persons who frequently
16have close contact with children. The website content shall be
17reviewed annually in collaboration with the Department of
18Public Health to reflect the most current recommendations of
19the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). The
20Department shall work with day care centers and day care homes
21licensed under this Act to ensure that the information is
22annually distributed to parents in August or September.
23    (j) Any standard adopted by the Department that requires
24an applicant for a license to operate a day care home to
25include a copy of a high school diploma or equivalent
26certificate with the person's application shall be deemed to

 

 

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1be satisfied if the applicant includes a copy of a high school
2diploma or equivalent certificate or a copy of a degree from an
3accredited institution of higher education or vocational
4institution or equivalent certificate.
5(Source: P.A. 102-4, eff. 4-27-21; 103-22, eff. 8-8-23.)