Illinois General Assembly - Bill Status for SB2321

Amends the Child Care Act of 1969. Provides that, for the purposes of defining "day care center", "special activities programs" includes programs or portions of programs that: (1) serve school-age children only; (2) are operated by an entity that is a local affiliate of a national organization and a non-profit as described in Section 501(c)(3) of the federal Internal Revenue Code of 1986; and (3) meet appropriate State or local health and fire safety standards and those of its associated national entity, including performing background checks on employees. Effective immediately.

Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Child Care Act of 1969. Provides an exemption from the definition of "day care center" for programs that serve only school-age children and youth, that are operated by an entity organized to promote childhood learning, child and youth development, educational or recreational activities, or character-building, that also operate primarily during out-of-school time or at times when school is not normally in session, that meet any appropriate State or local health and fire safety standards, that perform criminal background checks and sexual abuse and child abuse checks on all employees and volunteers who work with children, that have standards of care adopted by the governing body of the entity that, at a minimum, include staff ratios and staff training and have mechanisms for assessing and enforcing the program's compliance with the standards, that provide parents with written disclosure that the operations of the program are not regulated by licensing requirements, and that obtain records showing the first and last name and date of birth of the child, name, address, and telephone number of each parent, emergency contact information, and written authorization for medical care. Provides that programs or portions of programs under the exemption that request funding from the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) must annually meet the eligibility requirements under the CCAP. Provides that certain day care providers are exempt from licensure, and the Department of Children and Family Services shall provide written verification of exemption and description of compliance with standards for the health, safety, and development of the children who receive the services upon submission by the provider of, in addition to any other documentation required by the Department, a notarized statement that the facility complies with: (1) the standards of the Department of Public Health or local health department, (2) the fire safety standards of the State Fire Marshal, and (3) if operated in a public school building, the health and safety standards of the State Board of Education. Effective immediately.

Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Reinserts the contents of the bill as amended by Senate Committee Amendment No. 2 with the following changes: In exemptions from the definition of "day care center", includes programs that comply with the standards of the Illinois Department of Public Health or the local health department, the Illinois State Fire Marshal, and specific health and safety requirements (rather than meet any appropriate State or local health and fire safety standards). Provides that the programs perform and maintain authorization and results of criminal history checks through specified law enforcement agencies and registries (rather than perform criminal background checks and sexual abuse and child abuse checks). Provides that the programs make hiring decisions in accordance with prohibitions against specified barrier crimes (rather than have standards of care adopted by the governing body of the entity with specified requirements). Provides that the programs must comply with staff qualification and training standards established by rule by the Department of Human Services. Provides that the standards shall be set after review of specific information. Provides that an out-of-school time program must comply with only those staff qualifications and training standards set for the program by the State or federal entity issuing funds. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.

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