HB1571ham001 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Rep. Natalie A. Manley

Filed: 4/4/2022

10200HB1571ham001 LRB102 03602 KTG 38600 a

AMENDMENT TO HOUSE BILL 1571

AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend House Bill 1571 by replacing everything after the enacting clause with the following:

"Section 1. This Act may be referred to as the First Responders Child Care Act.

Section 5. The Department of Human Services Act is amended by adding Section 1-75 as follows:

(20 ILCS 1305/1-75 new)

Sec. 1-75. Off-Hours Child Care Grant Program.

(a) Legislative intent. The General Assembly finds that:

(1) Finding child care is a challenge for firefighters, paramedics, police officers, nurses, and other third shift workers across the State who often work non-typical work hours. This affects home life, school, bedtime routines, job safety, and the mental health of some of our most critical front line workers.

(2) There is a need for increased options for off-hours child care in the State. A majority of the State's child care facilities do not provide care outside of normal work hours, with just 3,251 day care homes and 435 group home care programs that provide night care.

(3) Illinois has a vested interest in ensuring that our first responders and working families can provide their children with appropriate care during off hours to improve the morale of existing first responders and to improve recruitment into the future.

(b) As used in this Section, "first responders" means emergency medical services personnel as defined in the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Systems Act, firefighters, law enforcement officers, and, as determined by the Department, any other workers who, on account of their work schedule, need child care outside of the hours when licensed child care facilities typically operate.

(c) Subject to appropriation, the Department of Human Services shall establish and administer an Off-Hours Child Care Grant Program to provide grants to licensed child care facilities to expand their program of services to include off-hours, night, or sleep time child care for first responders and third shift workers who, on account of their work schedule, need child care outside of the hours when licensed child care facilities typically operate. Services funded under the grant program must address the child care needs of first responders. Grants provided under the program may also be used to cover any capital and operating expenses related to the provision of off-hours, night, or sleep time child care for first responders. Child care facilities seeking funding under the grant program must apply to the Department in a form and manner prescribed by the Department. Grants awarded under this Section shall be funded through appropriations from the Off-Hours Child Care Grant Program Fund created under subsection (d). The Department shall implement the program by the date the Child Care Advisory Council submits its final report to the General Assembly as provided under Senate Resolution 862 of the 102nd General Assembly or by December 31, 2022, whichever is earlier. The Department may adopt any rules necessary to implement the grant program.

(d) The Off-Hours Child Care Grant Program Fund is created as a special fund in the State treasury. The Fund shall consist of any moneys appropriated to the Department of Human Services for the Off-Hours Child Care Grant Program. Moneys in the Fund shall be expended for the Off-Hours Child Care Grant Program and for no other purpose. All interest earned on moneys in the Fund shall be deposited into the Fund.

Section 10. The State Finance Act is amended by adding Section 5.970 as follows:

(30 ILCS 105/5.970 new)

Sec. 5.970. The Off-Hours Child Care Grant Program Fund.

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