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HB 2638

Relating to family law.

2025 Regular Session

Illinois now requires licensed day cares to have surveillance in public areas and mandates first aid/CPR/Heimlich certification for all direct-care staff.

In committee upon adjournment.
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · HB 2638

Summary — HB 2638 (Illinois) — Child Care: Video Surveillance; staff certification

Status: Enacted (Signed by Governor June 10, 2025)
Chamber: Illinois General Assembly, 104th — Sponsor: Rep. Martin McLaughlin
Companion bill: SB 1230

Purpose

To strengthen child safety and oversight in licensed child care settings by (1) requiring video surveillance of public areas in licensed day care centers and (2) expanding first‑aid/CPR/Heimlich certification requirements for child‑care staff under the Child Care Act of 1969.

Key provisions

  • Video surveillance requirement (new Section 5.13)

    • On or before July 1, 2026, the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) must require every licensed day care center to maintain a video security system that records all public areas of the facility (examples listed: hallways, entrances, play areas, common rooms, eating areas).
    • Surveillance is expressly prohibited in private areas (e.g., bathrooms and changing areas).
    • If DCFS deems a center’s video security system inadequate, the center has 30 days to correct the deficiency.
    • Licensed centers must notify all parents that public areas are under surveillance and post a notice at the facility entrance informing visitors of surveillance.

  • Staffing certification standard (amendment to Section 7 / minimum licensing standards)

    • The minimum licensing standards are revised so that each child care institution, maternity center, day care center, group home, day care home, and group day care home must require that every staff member involved in the direct care of children be certified in first aid, the Heimlich maneuver, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
    • This replaces the prior standard that required at least one staff member on the premises during operating hours to hold those certifications.

Who is affected

  • Directly: Licensed day care centers in Illinois (surveillance requirement) and most types of licensed child‑care facilities (expanded staff certification requirement).
  • Indirectly: Children in care, parents/guardians, center staff (training/certification obligations), DCFS (implementation, enforcement, and approval of adequacy).

Implementation, enforcement, and impacts

  • DCFS implements the surveillance requirement by July 1, 2026 and enforces adequacy with a 30‑day cure period for deficiencies.
  • Anticipated impacts include increased costs for centers (camera systems, data storage, maintenance, and staff certification/training) and administrative responsibilities (notifications, signage).
  • Expected benefits include enhanced monitoring for child safety, stronger evidence for incident investigations, and broader emergency response capacity via fully certified direct‑care staff.
  • Privacy protections are built in by excluding bathrooms and changing areas from surveillance.

For more detail, see the text added as Section 5.13 to the Child Care Act of 1969 and the amended Section 7 (minimum standards).

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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