Senate Republicans Seek to Make Childcare More Affordable and Accessible
On April 11, Illinois Senate Republicans unveiled a legislative package to make childcare more affordable for Illinois families and businesses.
According to Capitol News Illinois, the state has lost nearly 4,300 licensed childcare providers – approximately 33 percent – over the past decade. Meanwhile, nearly 60 percent of Illinoisans live in a childcare desert, and that percentage rises to 70 percent in rural areas, where working families are often forced to travel long distances for care.
Key proposals of the package proposal include:
- Senate Bill 1120 creates the Child Care Providers Working in Child Care Deserts Student Loan Forgiveness Act, offering up to $4,000 in loan forgiveness funds per year for undergraduate degrees and $8,000 per year for graduate degrees, for up to two years. It also extends daycare license renewals from three to four years, requires free online training for childcare providers by July 1, 2026, and raises income eligibility for childcare assistance to 250% of the federal poverty level starting in fiscal year 2026.
- Senate Bill 1121 modernizes licensing rules specifically for childcare deserts by allowing the state to reduce unnecessary red tape, streamline the approval process, and adjust licensing requirements to better reflect local needs and workforce conditions.
- Senate Bill 2382 establishes an income tax credit equal to the fair market value of donated real property for onsite childcare facilities.
- Senate Bill 2277 increases the income tax credit for businesses offering childcare services to employees.
The Illinois Senate Republican Caucus will continue to push legislation to strengthen their local economies and encourage pro-business, pro-family solutions.
Democrats Locking Away Gun Owner Rights
Democrat lawmakers have voted to criminalize victims of theft by advancing Senate Bill 8, a controversial measure known as the Safe Gun Storage and Reporting Act.
Under SB 8, the time frame to report lost or stolen firearms to local law enforcement would be slashed from 72 to just 48 hours. Repeat violations could result in steep fines and even the revocation of a person’s FOID card.
Republican lawmakers pushed back, arguing that the bill punishes law-abiding gun owners rather than criminals. They pointed out that it’s unrealistic to expect someone to notice a missing firearm within 48 hours – especially when many guns are securely stored in safes, seasonal cabins, or vehicles that aren’t checked daily.
Rather than focusing on the real problem, such as those who steal and misuse firearms, SB 8 creates a one-size-fits-all mandate that targets responsible gun owners and makes them criminals for circumstances beyond their control.
Senate Bill 8 now moves to the House for further consideration.
“Andrew’s Law” Proposed to Strengthen Protections Against Child Predators
Illinois legislators held a press conference last week alongside advocate Michelle Peterson to call for action on Andrew’s Law, a legislative proposal aimed at closing dangerous loopholes in Illinois’ criminal code that allow child predators to escape full accountability.
Senate Bill 284 would prohibit plea deals for individuals charged with grooming, trafficking in persons, or involuntary sexual servitude of a minor.
The legislation would also impose stricter restrictions on where convicted child sex offenders can be present, barring them from facilities specifically designed for minors. Similar grooming-related legislation has been successfully passed in Florida, Iowa, Arizona, Georgia, and most recently, Montana.
The bill was inspired by the experiences of Michelle Peterson, whose son was the victim of grooming.
Senate Bill 284 and House Bill 1140, the House companion bill to Andrew’s Law, are currently awaiting assignment to committees in their respective chambers.
Deadline Week Comes and Passes – Homeschool Bill Stopped for Now
Last week marked the final week for Senate and House bills to pass out of their original chambers and move over to the other chamber for further consideration. Lawmakers spent long hours debating and voting on legislation as the clock wound down.
While many bills did not make it out of their respective chamber before the deadline, it is important to remember that it does not mean those bills are completely dead. There are still procedural tools available, including deadline extensions and the use of shell bills, which are existing legislation that can be amended to carry a proposal forward.
One bill that received considerable attention this spring that did not advance was the highly controversial House Bill 2827, which sought to create burdensome regulations for parents seeking to homeschool their children. State Senator Terri Bryant says that its failure to pass out of the House was welcomed news, but it is important for those opposed to the legislation to stay vigilant, as it could be revived later during the spring session.
As the General Assembly moves into the second half of the session, lawmakers will now begin considering bills from the opposite chamber, with May 9 being the deadline for House Bills to get out of committee within the Senate.
Agriculture Day at the Capitol
On April 9, high school FFA students, farmers, and ag professionals gathered at the Illinois State Capitol for the annual Illinois Ag Lobby Day tradition.
Each spring during the legislative session, participants come to Springfield to advocate for the future of agriculture and highlight the industry’s critical role in the state’s economy. Attendees visit the Capitol to speak to lawmakers about key issues, such as the importance of ag education, raising awareness around conservation efforts, and voicing concerns around the state’s burdensome estate tax, which continues to threaten the survival of family farms.
State Senator Terri Bryant said Ag Lobby Day is a valuable opportunity for the agricultural community to connect with legislators and share their perspectives, and she is always impressed by the work of FFA students who serve as ambassadors of the event.
Senator Bryant also said it’s encouraging to see young ag leaders stepping up and making their voices heard on issues that directly affect their future.