Tracy sponsors new law to provide flexible daycare scheduling options for working parents

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — A new law sponsored by State Sen. Jil Tracy (R-Quincy) creates flexibility for working parents by providing more daycare scheduling options for shift employees.

Senate Bill 3207 authorizes daycare centers to operate for 24 hours and provide care for children for up to 12 hours if the parent of the child is employed in a position that requires regularly scheduled shifts. A 10-hour period must elapse between daycare visits.

“This new law was requested by a daycare provider in Quincy who wanted an option to provide 24-hour daycare availability for shift employees,” Tracy said in a press release. “It is not meant to allow a child to be in a daycare facility for 24 hours, but it provides flexibility for caregivers and the working parents they serve.”

Senate Bill 3207 directs the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services to adopt rules necessary to implement and administer the new system.

“Families throughout Illinois are finding it difficult to make ends meet as high inflation and other economic pressures impact their bottom line,” Tracy said. “As employment conditions change, we need a more flexible childcare system to meet the different needs of working parents.”

Senate Bill 3207 received the unanimous support of the Senate on April 12 and the House of Representatives on May 17. It has an effective date of Jan. 1, 2025.