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HB2420 • 2026
SMART START WORKFORCE GRANT
This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.
Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.
SMART START WORKFORCE GRANT
Rule 19(a) / Re-referred to Rules Committee
Assigned to Child Care Accessibility & Early Childhood Education
Rule 19(a) / Re-referred to Rules Committee
Assigned to Child Care Accessibility & Early Childhood Education
First Reading
Referred to Rules Committee
Filed with the Clerk by Rep. Maura Hirschauer
SMART START WORKFORCE GRANT
Illinois General Assembly - Full Text of HB2420 Select Language × The Illinois General Assembly offers the Google Translate™ service for visitor convenience. In no way should it be considered accurate as to the translation of any content herein. Visitors of the Illinois General Assembly website are encouraged to use other translation services available on the internet. The English language version is always the official and authoritative version of this website. NOTE: To return to the original English language version, select the "Show Original" button on the Google Translate™ menu bar at the top of the window. 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Full Text of HB2420 Home Legislation Full Text HB2420 - 104th General Assembly Bill Status Full Text Votes Witness Slips Select Menu Bill Status Full Text Votes Witness Slips Printer Friendly Version Introduced Printer Friendly Version Introduced Open PDF 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 HB2420 Introduced 2/4/2025, by Rep. Maura Hirschauer SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: 325 ILCS 85/95-10 Amends the Smart Start Illinois Act. Sets forth eligibility requirements for Smart Start Workforce Grants. Provides that a grant applicant must: (i) be a licensed day care home, day care center, or group day care home as of the month prior to the applicant submitting an application and maintain the applicable license for the duration of the grant; (ii) regularly provide year-round child care; (iii) meet minimum enrollment levels for children whose care is paid for by the Child Care Assistance Program, child care subsidies for foster child care, or military child care subsidies. Provides that if an applicant does not meet the minimum enrollment requirements under the Child Care Assistance Program, the applicant may qualify if the applicant maintains specified enrollment levels for children with an individualized education program or children who are English learners. Sets forth the eligibility requirements for licensed day care centers applying for a Smart Start Workforce Grant. Effective July 1, 2025. LRB104 10080 KTG 20152 b A BILL FOR HB2420 LRB104 10080 KTG 20152 b 1 AN ACT concerning children. 2 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, 3 represented in the General Assembly: 4 Section 5. The Smart Start Illinois Act is amended by 5 changing Section 95-10 as follows: 6 (325 ILCS 85/95-10) 7 Sec. 95-10. Smart Start Child Care Workforce Compensation 8 Program. 9 (a) The Department of Human Services shall create and 10 establish the Smart Start Child Care Workforce Compensation 11 Program. The purpose of the Smart Start Child Care Workforce 12 Compensation Program is to invest in early childhood education 13 and care service providers, including, but not limited to, 14 providers participating in the Child Care Assistance Program; 15 to expand the supply of high-quality early childhood education 16 and care; and to create a strong and stable early childhood 17 education and care system with attractive wages, high-quality 18 services, and affordable costs. 19 (b) The purpose of the Smart Start Child Care Workforce 20 Compensation Program is to stabilize community-based early 21 childhood education and care service providers, raise the 22 wages of early childhood educators, and support quality 23 enhancements that can position service providers to HB2420 - 2 - LRB104 10080 KTG 20152 b 1 participate in other public funding streams, such as Preschool 2 for All, in order to further enhance and expand quality 3 service delivery. 4 (c) Subject to appropriation, the Department of Human 5 Services shall implement the Smart Start Child Care Workforce 6 Compensation Program for eligible licensed day care centers, 7 licensed day care homes, and licensed group day care homes by 8 October 1, 2024, or as soon as practicable, following 9 completion of a planning and transition year. By October 1, 10 2025, or as soon as practicable, and for each year thereafter, 11 subject to appropriation, the Department of Human Services or 12 the Department of Early Childhood shall continue to operate 13 the Smart Start Child Care Workforce Compensation Program 14 annually with all licensed day care centers, licensed day care 15 homes, and licensed group day care homes that meet eligibility 16 requirements. The Smart Start Child Care Workforce 17 Compensation Program shall operate separately from and shall 18 not supplant the Child Care Assistance Program as provided for 19 in Section 9A-11 of the Illinois Public Aid Code. 20 (d) The Department of Human Services shall adopt 21 administrative rules by October 1, 2024 to facilitate 22 administration of the Smart Start Child Care Workforce 23 Compensation Program, including, but not limited to, 24 provisions for program eligibility, the application and 25 funding calculation process, eligible expenses, required wage 26 floors, and requirements for financial and personnel reporting HB2420 - 3 - LRB104 10080 KTG 20152 b 1 and monitoring requirements. Eligibility and funding 2 provisions shall be based on appropriation and a current model 3 of the cost to provide child care services by a licensed child 4 care center or licensed family child care home. 5 (e) To qualify for the Smart Start Workforce Grants, the 6 applicant must meet all of the following requirements in 7 addition to any other applicable requirements adopted by rule: 8 (1) Be a licensed day care home, licensed day care 9 center, or licensed group day care home, as defined in 89 10 Ill. Adm. Code 406.2, 407.45, and 408.5, as of the month 11 prior to the applicant submitting an application and 12 maintain the applicable license for the duration of the 13 grant. 14 (2) Regularly provide year-round child care. As used 15 in this subsection, "year-round child care" means child 16 care that is open and offering at least 8 consecutive 17 hours of care per day, 5 days per week for at least 47 18 weeks per year. 19 (3) Demonstrate the following enrollment of children 20 paid for by the Child Care Assistance Program, as provided 21 in 89 Ill. Adm. Code 50, the Department of Children and 22 Family Services' child care subsidies for foster child 23 care, as provided under Section 5a of the Children and 24 Family Services Act, and military child care subsidies 25 paid for by the United States Department of Defense, in at 26 least one month beginning on or after January of the HB2420 - 4 - LRB104 10080 KTG 20152 b 1 previous calendar year, and prior to the date of 2 application. The minimum enrollments shall be: 3 (A) For day care centers, at least 15% of licensed 4 capacity. 5 (B) For day care homes, at least one child. 6 (C) For group day care homes, at least 2 children. 7 (4) If an applicant does not meet the minimum 8 enrollment requirements under the Child Care Assistance 9 Program, the applicant may qualify if the applicant 10 demonstrates the following enrollment of children with an 11 individualized education program (IEP): 12 (A) For day care centers, at least 10% of licensed 13 capacity. 14 (B) For day care homes, at least one child. 15 (C) For group day care homes, at least 2 children. 16 (5) If an applicant does not meet the minimum 17 enrollment requirements under the Child Care Assistance 18 Program, the applicant may qualify if the applicant 19 demonstrates the following enrollment of children who are 20 English learners as defined in Section 14C-2 of the School 21 Code: 22 (A) For day care centers, at least 10% of licensed 23 capacity. 24 (B) For day care homes, at least one child. 25 (C) For group day care homes, at least 2 children. 26 (f) For licensed day care centers, eligibility shall be HB2420 - 5 - LRB104 10080 KTG 20152 b 1 determined at the classroom level. A classroom must meet the 2 following requirements to be eligible to receive an award: 3 (1) May receive Early Childhood Block Grant, Head 4 Start, or Early Head Start funds. 5 (2) Not serve school-age children as defined in 89 6 Ill. Adm. Code 407.45. 7 (3) If serving infants or toddlers (children under 2 8 years of age), care for a minimum of 4 children. 9 (4) If serving 2-year-olds or both 2-year-olds and 10 3-year-olds, care for a minimum of 8 children. 11 (5) If serving children 3 to 5 years old, care for a 12 minimum of 12 children. 13 (Source: P.A. 103-8, eff. 6-7-23; 103-605, eff. 7-1-24.) 14 Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect July 1, 15 2025. Footer Disclaimer This site is maintained for the Illinois General Assembly by the Legislative Information System, 705 Stratton Building, Springfield, Illinois 62706. Contact ILGA Webmaster ILGA.gov uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. 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