Bill
SB 1782
Illinois expands CCAP to cover non-TANF families with newborns for 12 weeks, paying the full-day care rate to a parent/guardian who stops work, with required training.
Status: Re-referred to Assignments (Rule 3‑9(a)) — introduced Feb 5, 2025 (IL); passed Senate May 19, 2025; referred to Human Services May 21, 2025. Sponsors: Sen. Rachel Ventura (primary), Sen. Karina Villa (co‑sponsor).
Purpose
- Amend the Illinois Public Aid Code (305 ILCS 5/9A‑11) to expand Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) eligibility to include families that are not TANF recipients but need temporary financial help so a responsible adult in the household can forgo paid work and provide care for a newborn during the child’s first 12 weeks of life.
Key provisions
- New eligibility category: Families that are not TANF recipients but require financial assistance so that a responsible adult can stop working and care for a newborn for the newborn’s first 12 weeks.
- Responsible adult requirement: The adult receiving the assistance must be the newborn’s parent or legal guardian.
- Training requirement: The responsible adult must participate in a Department of Human Services (DHS)-approved training program in health, safety, and early childhood development for the full 12‑week assistance period. The Department will set training components by rule; at minimum the bill requires those three topics. It authorizes use of Gateways Registry / Illinois Action for Children–approved courses and allows training requirements to be less intensive than those for licensed child care providers.
- Payment amount and frequency: Eligible families receive weekly assistance payments equal to the “full day” rate used for licensed child care providers who provide 17–24 hours of care per day.
- Adjustment for multiple newborns: Payment amounts are adjusted for the number of newborns receiving care, up to a maximum of three children.
- Rulemaking and program details: DHS will adopt rules specifying eligibility conditions, application processes, types/amounts/duration of services, and other program mechanics.
- Reporting: Beginning Oct. 1, 2027, and annually thereafter, the Department of Children and Family Services must report to the General Assembly on children who received child care via vouchers paid for by the Department of Early Childhood — including ages, type of care, and months of care received.
- Other program administration provisions (redetermination windows, calculator updates, etc.) remain subject to DHS rulemaking as updated in the statute.
Who is affected
- Primary beneficiaries: Non‑TANF families in Illinois with newborns whose households need financial assistance to allow a parent/legal guardian to forgo employment to provide in‑home care for the newborn’s first 12 weeks.
- Administrative impact: DHS (and Department of Children and Family Services for reporting) — requires rulemaking, training coordination, payment processing, and annual reporting.
- Potential fiscal impacts: Not specified in the bill text; implementation will have budgetary implications for state agencies (assistance payments, administrative costs, training delivery/oversight). The bill directs rulemaking to establish specifics that will affect costs.
Procedural/timeline notes
- Introduced Feb. 5, 2025 (SB1782).
- Advanced through Senate committee and floor votes; passed the Senate May 19, 2025.
- Referred to the House Human Services committee (May 21, 2025) and later re‑referred under Rule 3‑9(a) to Assignments (June 2, 2025).
- Reporting requirement for voucher usage begins Oct. 1, 2027.
Implications
- Seeks to support early parental caregiving by creating a time‑limited financial bridge for families not otherwise on TANF.
- Language ties receipt of benefits to participation in short‑term training on newborn/early childhood care.
- Costs and operational details will depend on DHS rulemaking and demand; state budget committees will likely evaluate fiscal impact during further consideration.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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