SB4188 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB102 26565 AMQ 37255 b

102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2021 and 2022
SB4188

Introduced 3/4/2022, by Sen. Sally J. Turner, Dan McConchie, Steve McClure and Win Stoller

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

225 ILCS 10/7.11 new

Amends the Child Care Act of 1969. Provides that the Department of Children and Family Services shall adopt and implement rules to adjust licensing requirements, including, but not limited to, worker qualifications for child care providers within child care deserts that reflect local labor market conditions in order to grant local child care providers enhanced hiring flexibility and expand child care into currently underserved areas. Defines "child care deserts" and "child care provider". Provides that the Department shall submit proposed rules to implement the provisions concerning emergency licensing to the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules no later than December 31, 2023. Effective immediately.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning regulation.

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

Section 5. The Child Care Act of 1969 is amended by adding Section 7.11 as follows:

(225 ILCS 10/7.11 new)

Sec. 7.11. Emergency licensing.

(a) The General Assembly finds the following:

(1) Early childhood education and care programs provide child care, so parents can maintain stable employment, provide for themselves and their families, and advance their career or educational goals.

(2) Countless children and families have benefited from child care services and have had the opportunity to enter school ready to learn and succeed.

(3) Child care providers across the State are struggling to find qualified child care workers, reducing the facilities' ability to offer quality child care services.

(4) Shortages of child care services are particularly acute in child care deserts.

(5) Child care deserts, as defined by the Center for American Progress, are census tracts with more than 50 children under the age of 5 that contain either no child care providers or so few options that there are more than 3 times as many children as licensed care slots.

(6) Child care deserts exist throughout the State, particularly in rural communities, where working parents struggle to find fully-licensed child care facilities.

(7) Adopting more flexible licensing requirements, which put the health and well-being of children at the forefront, would assist working parents to find quality child care services for their families and address the ongoing child care shortages across the State.

(b) The Department of Children and Family Services shall adopt and implement rules to adjust licensing requirements, including, but not limited to, worker qualifications for child care providers within child care deserts that reflect local labor market conditions in order to grant local child care providers enhanced hiring flexibility and expand child care into currently underserved areas.

(c) As used in this Section:

"Child care deserts" means census tracts with more than 50 children under the age of 5 that contain either no child care providers or so few options that there are more than 3 times as many children as licensed care slots.

"Child care provider" means "day care center" and "part day child care facility" as defined in Sections 2.09 and 2.10 of this Act.

(d) The Department of Children and Family Services shall submit proposed rules to implement this Section to the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules no later than December 31, 2023.

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