By Cole Lauterbach/Illinois Radio Network
SPRINGFIELD – Democrats are pushing through a child care bill that gives assistance to parents making up to nearly $60,000 annually.
The bill would raise the Child Care Assistance Program, or CCAP, eligibility threshold for a family of four to almost $60,000 per year as well as expand assistance to other groups.
State Rep. Litesa Wallace, D-Rockford, said her bill would protect Illinois children from sudden CCAP eligibility changes like what Gov. Bruce Rauner did last fall.
“We did come to a supposed compromise in November, but it still continued to leave over 40,000 families without access to safe, affordable, and adequate child care,” Wallace said.
The Department of Human Services estimates the bill will cost an additional $700 million over two years. State Rep. Patti Bellock, R-Hinsdale, said Illinois cannot afford that.
“I don’t see how we could continue to vote on bills after bills that raise the issue by $700 million or thereafter,” she said.
State Rep. Tom Demmer, R-Dixon, said new liabilities would only add to the state’s bill backlog.
“We would simply push liabilities into future years,” Demmer said. “That would add to our unpaid bills. That would add to our unmet liabilities.”
State Rep. Mary Flowers, D-Chicago, said the bill would be a boon to Illinois’ economy since it would allow thousands of parents to get work knowing their kids are safe.
“The economy of the state will be better as a result of Senate Bill 730,” she said.
The child care program is funded by court order so it would come out of the state’s coffers before most other payments.
