Bill > HB4412

This bill amends the Child Care Act of 1969 to clarify and expand background check procedures for child care facilities, day care centers, and non-licensed service providers. The bill introduces a definition for "third-party vendor" as a fingerprinting vendor licensed by the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation and regulated by specific administrative code. The legislation allows child care facilities and related providers to authorize either the Department of Children and Family Services or a third-party vendor to collect fingerprints for criminal background investigations. If a third-party vendor is used, the facility must pay directly for the fingerprinting service. The bill maintains existing requirements that all applicants, employees, and volunteers must authorize a criminal background investigation, submit fingerprints to the Illinois State Police, and undergo checks against state and federal criminal history databases. The proposed changes also preserve confidentiality provisions, ensuring that criminal background information can only be used for evaluating employment suitability in child care settings and cannot be improperly disclosed. The bill continues to allow child care facilities to hire employees on a probationary basis while background checks are pending, with the understanding that employment can be terminated based on the investigation's results.