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HB4791 • 2026
SMART START GRANTS-HEAD START
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 GRANTS-HEAD START
These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.
Plain English: Illinois General Assembly - Full Text of HB4791 Select Language × The Illinois General Assembly offers the Google Translate™ service for visitor convenience.
Added as Alternate Co-Sponsor Sen. Javier L. Cervantes
Rule 3-9(a) / Re-referred to Assignments
Rule 2-10 Committee Deadline Established As May 22, 2026
Rule 2-10 Committee Deadline Established As May 15, 2026
Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Emanuel "Chris" Welch
Assigned to Appropriations- Education
Added as Alternate Co-Sponsor Sen. Meg Loughran Cappel
Arrive in Senate
Placed on Calendar Order of First Reading
Chief Senate Sponsor Sen. Kimberly A. Lightford
First Reading
Referred to Assignments
House Floor Amendment No. 1 Recommends Be Adopted Child Care Accessibility & Early Childhood Education ; 013-000-000
House Floor Amendment No. 1 Adopted
Placed on Calendar Order of 3rd Reading - Short Debate
Third Reading - Short Debate - Passed 106-000-000
Added Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. Lilian Jiménez
House Floor Amendment No. 1 Rules Refers to Child Care Accessibility & Early Childhood Education
Second Reading - Short Debate
Held on Calendar Order of Second Reading - Short Debate
House Floor Amendment No. 1 Filed with Clerk by Rep. Maura Hirschauer
House Floor Amendment No. 1 Referred to Rules Committee
Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Barbara Hernandez
Do Pass / Short Debate Child Care Accessibility & Early Childhood Education ; 013-000-000
Placed on Calendar 2nd Reading - Short Debate
Assigned to Child Care Accessibility & Early Childhood Education
First Reading
Referred to Rules Committee
Filed with the Clerk by Rep. Maura Hirschauer
SMART START GRANTS-HEAD START
Illinois General Assembly - Full Text of HB4791 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 HB4791 Home Legislation Full Text HB4791 - 104th General Assembly Bill Status Full Text Votes Witness Slips Select Menu Bill Status Full Text Votes Witness Slips Printer Friendly Version Introduced Engrossed House Amendment 001 Printer Friendly Version Introduced Engrossed House Amendment 001 Open PDF HB4791 Engrossed LRB104 18416 KTG 31858 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 or in a Head Start or Early Head Start Program ; to expand the 16 supply of high-quality early childhood education and care; and 17 to create a strong and stable early childhood education and 18 care system with attractive wages, high-quality services, and 19 affordable costs. 20 (b) The purpose of the Smart Start Child Care Workforce 21 Compensation Program is to stabilize community-based early 22 childhood education and care service providers, raise the 23 wages of early childhood educators, and support quality HB4791 Engrossed - 2 - LRB104 18416 KTG 31858 b 1 enhancements that can position service providers to 2 participate in other public funding streams, such as Preschool 3 for All, in order to further enhance and expand quality 4 service delivery. 5 (c) Subject to appropriation, the Department of Human 6 Services shall implement the Smart Start Child Care Workforce 7 Compensation Program for eligible licensed day care centers, 8 licensed day care homes, and licensed group day care homes by 9 October 1, 2024, or as soon as practicable, following 10 completion of a planning and transition year. As By October 1, 11 2025, or as soon as practicable, and for each year thereafter, 12 subject to appropriation, the Department of Human Services 13 shall continue to operate the Smart Start Child Care Workforce 14 Compensation Program annually with all licensed day care 15 centers, licensed day care homes, and licensed group day care 16 homes that meet eligibility requirements. Head Start programs 17 and Early Head Start programs may be deemed eligible to 18 participate in the Smart Start Child Care Workforce 19 Compensation Program to the extent that appropriations are 20 made available for new program entrants and shall not result 21 in the reduction, reallocation, or displacement of funding for 22 existing recipients. The Smart Start Child Care Workforce 23 Compensation Program shall operate separately from and shall 24 not supplant the Child Care Assistance Program as provided for 25 in Section 9A-11 of the Illinois Public Aid Code. 26 (d) The Department of Human Services shall adopt HB4791 Engrossed - 3 - LRB104 18416 KTG 31858 b 1 administrative rules by October 1, 2024 to facilitate 2 administration of the Smart Start Child Care Workforce 3 Compensation Program, including, but not limited to, 4 provisions for program eligibility, the application and 5 funding calculation process, eligible expenses, required wage 6 floors, and requirements for financial and personnel reporting 7 and monitoring requirements. Eligibility and funding 8 provisions shall be based on appropriation and a current model 9 of the cost to provide child care services by a licensed child 10 care center or licensed family child care home. 11 (e) Participation in multiple funding streams. A provider 12 participating in the Smart Start Child Care Workforce 13 Compensation Program may simultaneously receive funding 14 through Head Start or Early Head Start programs. Receipt of 15 funding under one program shall not disqualify or otherwise 16 limit eligibility for funding under the other, provided that: 17 (1) funds are used in accordance with the requirements 18 of each respective program; and 19 (2) funds are not used to supplant existing federal 20 Head Start or Early Head Start funding, but may be used to 21 supplement and enhance workforce compensation and program 22 quality. 23 (Source: P.A. 103-8, eff. 6-7-23; 103-605, eff. 7-1-24.) 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. By continuing to browse ILGA.gov you consent to our use of cookies. 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