SB1235enr 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SB1235 Enrolled LRB097 02740 KTG 42761 b

AN ACT concerning State government.

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

Section 5. The Children and Family Services Act is amended by changing Section 22.1 as follows:

(20 ILCS 505/22.1) (from Ch. 23, par. 5022.1)

Sec. 22.1. Grants-in-aid for child care services; Department of Human Services.

(a) Blank. The Department of Human Services may make grants-in-aid to units of local government, voluntary agencies and not-for-profit associations which provide day care services. Such grants-in-aid shall be made for the purpose of operating, extending and improving existing day facilities which fall within the priorities set forth in subparagraphs (A) through (F) of paragraph (4) of subsection (e) of Section 5 of this Act, or for the purpose of providing day care services by contracting with day facilities licensed under the Child Care Act of 1969, regardless of whether such facilities are organized on a for-profit or not-for-profit basis, and to encourage the development and operation of new day care facilities in areas of the state where they are deemed by the Department to be most needed. The Department shall, by official regulation, establish and publish criteria for determining the amounts of grants-in-aid so that all interested individuals, agencies and associations may have ready access to such information.

(b) Blank. The General Assembly in recognition of the severe shortage of available child care facilities, particularly for families with special needs, hereby authorizes the Department of Human Services to establish a program for the expansion of child care which shall be known as the Child Care Expansion Program.

The Department of Human Services shall award a one-time only grant to persons, organizations, or schools needing assistance to start a child care center or mini center, as defined by the Department, or to existing licensed child care providers, including family home providers, for the purpose of making capital improvements in order to accommodate handicapped children, sick children, or infant care or children needing night time care. No grant shall exceed $10,000. Start-up costs shall not include operational costs after the first 3 months of business.

The Department of Human Services shall adopt rules setting forth criteria, application procedures, and methods to assure compliance with the purposes described in Section 1.

(c) The Department of Human Services shall establish and operate day care facilities for the children of migrant workers in areas of the State where they are needed. The Department may provide these day care services by contracting with private centers if practicable. "Migrant worker" means any person who moves seasonally from one place to another, within or without the State, for the purpose of employment in agricultural activities.

(Source: P.A. 89-507, eff. 7-1-97.)

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