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| | HB1571 Enrolled | | LRB102 03602 RJF 13615 b |
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| 1 | | AN ACT concerning State government.
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| 2 | | Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, |
| 3 | | represented in the General Assembly:
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| 4 | | Section 1. This Act may be referred to as the Off-Hours |
| 5 | | Child Care Act.
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| 6 | | Section 5. The Department of Human Services Act is amended |
| 7 | | by adding Section 1-75 as follows:
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| 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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| | HB1571 Enrolled | - 2 - | LRB102 03602 RJF 13615 b |
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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 |
| 7 | | emergency medical services personnel as defined in the |
| 8 | | Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Systems Act, firefighters, |
| 9 | | law enforcement officers, and, as determined by the |
| 10 | | Department, any other workers who, on account of their work |
| 11 | | schedule, need child care outside of the hours when licensed |
| 12 | | child care
facilities typically operate. |
| 13 | | (c) Subject to appropriation, the Department of Human |
| 14 | | Services shall establish and administer an Off-Hours Child |
| 15 | | Care Program to help first responders and other workers |
| 16 | | identify and access off-hours, night, or sleep time child |
| 17 | | care. Services funded under the program must address the child |
| 18 | | care needs of first responders. Funding provided under the |
| 19 | | program may also be used to cover any capital and operating |
| 20 | | expenses related to the provision of off-hours, night, or |
| 21 | | sleep time child care for first responders. Funding awarded |
| 22 | | under this Section shall be funded through appropriations from |
| 23 | | the Off-Hours Child Care Program Fund created under subsection |
| 24 | | (d). The Department shall implement the program by July 1, |
| 25 | | 2023. The Department may adopt any
rules necessary to |
| 26 | | implement the program. |
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| 1 | | (d) The Off-Hours Child Care Program Fund is created as a |
| 2 | | special fund in the State treasury. The Fund shall consist of |
| 3 | | any moneys appropriated to the Department of Human Services |
| 4 | | for the Off-Hours Child Care Program. Moneys in the Fund shall |
| 5 | | be expended for the Off-Hours Child Care Program and for no |
| 6 | | other purpose. All interest earned on moneys in the Fund shall |
| 7 | | be deposited into the Fund.
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| 8 | | Section 10. The State Finance Act is amended by adding |
| 9 | | Section 5.970 as follows:
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| 10 | | (30 ILCS 105/5.970 new) |
| 11 | | Sec. 5.970. The Off-Hours Child Care Program Fund.
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| 12 | | Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon |
| 13 | | becoming law.
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