SB2237 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB103 29151 RJT 55537 b

103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2023 and 2024
SB2237

Introduced 2/10/2023, by Sen. Meg Loughran Cappel

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

30 ILCS 105/5.990 new
105 ILCS 5/2-3.196 new

Amends the State Board of Education Article of the School Code. Provides that, Subject to appropriation, the State Board of Education shall distribute grants to early childhood education and care nonprofit organizations that are established as a Section 501(c)(3) organization and that are dedicated to providing early childhood education and care services to children and families to provide transportation services to families that have trouble affording transportation to early childhood education and care centers. Creates the Early Childhood Education and Care Transportation Fund. Provides that the State Board of Education shall develop an application process for this grant program. Provides that grant funds be distributed annually. Provides that the application process shall require that early childhood education and care nonprofit organizations detail how many families and children would receive transportation assistance from the program, the amount of funding needed per child in their area to fund adequate transportation for the year, and how the funding will be used to provide transportation for each family in the application. Provides that the State Board of Education shall require that any early childhood education and care nonprofit organizations that receive funding shall report the amount of money used for transportation during the State's previous fiscal year and return unused funds back to the Early Childhood Education and Care Transportation Fund. Amends the State Finance Act to make a conforming change.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning education.

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

Section 5. The State Finance Act is amended by adding Section 5.990 as follows:

(30 ILCS 105/5.990 new)

Sec. 5.990. The Early Childhood Education and Care Transportation Fund.

Section 10. The School Code is amended by adding Section 2-3.196 as follows:

(105 ILCS 5/2-3.196 new)

Sec. 2-3.196. Early Childhood Education and Care Transportation grant program.

(a) Subject to appropriation, the State Board of Education shall distribute grants to early childhood education and care nonprofit organizations that are established as a Section 501(c)(3) organization and that are dedicated to providing early childhood education and care services to children and families to provide transportation services to families that have trouble affording transportation to early childhood education and care centers.

(b) The Early Childhood Education and Care Transportation Fund is created as a special fund in the State Treasury. Moneys in the fund shall be used for any purposes under this Section.

(c) The State Board of Education shall develop an application process for this grant program. Grant funds shall be distributed annually. The application process shall require that early childhood education and care nonprofit organizations detail how many families and children would receive transportation assistance from the program, the amount of funding needed per child in their area to fund adequate transportation for the year, and how the funding will be used to provide transportation for each family in the application.

(d) Grant funds may be used for transportation of families if the incomes of families being provided transportation with these funds are at or below 185% of the federal poverty level.

(e) The State Board of Education shall require that any early childhood education and care nonprofit organizations that receive funding shall report the amount of money used for transportation during the State's previous fiscal year and return unused funds back to the Early Childhood Education and Care Transportation Fund.