Public Act 102-0912
 
HB1571 EnrolledLRB102 03602 RJF 13615 b

    AN ACT concerning State government.
 
    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
 
    Section 1. This Act may be referred to as the Off-Hours
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 Program.
    (a) Legislative intent. The General Assembly finds that:
        (1) Finding child care can be a challenge for
    firefighters, paramedics, police officers, nurses, and
    other third shift workers across the State who often work
    non-typical work hours. This can impact home life, school,
    bedtime routines, job safety, and the mental health of
    some of our most critical front line workers and their
    families.
        (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 day care homes 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 Program to help first responders and other workers
identify and access off-hours, night, or sleep time child
care. Services funded under the program must address the child
care needs of first responders. Funding 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. Funding awarded
under this Section shall be funded through appropriations from
the Off-Hours Child Care Program Fund created under subsection
(d). The Department shall implement the program by July 1,
2023. The Department may adopt any rules necessary to
implement the program.
    (d) The Off-Hours Child Care 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 Program. Moneys in the Fund shall
be expended for the Off-Hours Child Care 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 Program Fund.
 
    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
becoming law.

Effective Date: 5/27/2022