225 ILCS 10/4.2a: License eligibility; Department of Early Childhood.

(This Section may contain text from a Public Act with a delayed effective date)

(a) No applicant may receive a license or recognition as a Recognized Alternative Provider from the Department of Early Childhood and no person may be employed by a licensed early care and education provider or Recognized Alternative Provider who refuses to authorize an investigation as required by Section 4.1.

(b) In addition to the other provisions of this Section, no applicant may receive a license or registration as a Recognized Alternative Provider from the Department of Early Childhood and no person may be employed by a licensed early care and education provider or Recognized Alternative Provider who has been declared a sexually dangerous person under the Sexually Dangerous Persons Act, or convicted of committing or attempting to commit any of the following offenses stipulated under the Criminal Code of 1961 or the Criminal Code of 2012:

(1) murder;

(1.1) solicitation of murder;

(1.2) solicitation of murder for hire;

(1.3) intentional homicide of an unborn child;

(1.4) voluntary manslaughter of an unborn child;

(1.5) involuntary manslaughter;

(1.6) reckless homicide;

(1.7) concealment of a homicidal death;

(1.8) involuntary manslaughter of an unborn child;

(1.9) reckless homicide of an unborn child;

(1.10) drug-induced homicide;

(2) a sex offense under Article 11, except offenses described in Sections 11-7, 11-8, 11-12, 11-13, 11-35, 11-40, and 11-45;

(3) kidnapping;

(3.1) aggravated unlawful restraint;

(3.2) forcible detention;

(3.3) harboring a runaway;

(3.4) aiding and abetting child abduction;

(4) aggravated kidnapping;

(5) child abduction;

(6) aggravated battery of a child as described in Section 12-4.3 or subdivision (b)(1) of Section 12-3.05;

(7) criminal sexual assault;

(8) aggravated criminal sexual assault;

(8.1) predatory criminal sexual assault of a child;

(9) criminal sexual abuse;

(10) aggravated sexual abuse;

(11) heinous battery as described in Section 12-4.1 or subdivision (a)(2) of Section 12-3.05;

(12) aggravated battery with a firearm as described in Section 12-4.2 or subdivision (e)(1), (e)(2), (e)(3), or (e)(4) of Section 12-3.05;

(13) tampering with food, drugs, or cosmetics;

(14) drug induced infliction of great bodily harm as described in Section 12-4.7 or subdivision (g)(1) of Section 12-3.05;

(15) hate crime;

(16) stalking;

(17) aggravated stalking;

(18) threatening public officials;

(19) home invasion;

(20) vehicular invasion;

(21) criminal transmission of HIV;

(22) criminal abuse or neglect of an elderly person or person with a disability as described in Section 12-21 or subsection (e) of Section 12-4.4a;

(23) child abandonment;

(24) endangering the life or health of a child;

(25) ritual mutilation;

(26) ritualized abuse of a child;

(27) an offense in any other jurisdiction the elements of which are similar and bear a substantial relationship to any of the foregoing offenses.

(b-1) In addition to the other provisions of this Section, beginning January 1, 2004, no new applicant and, on the date of licensure renewal, no current licensee may operate or receive a license from the Department of Early Childhood to operate, no person may be employed by, and no adult person may reside in an early care and education provider's location licensed by the Department of Early Childhood who has been convicted of committing or attempting to commit any of the following offenses or an offense in any other jurisdiction the elements of which are similar and bear a substantial relationship to any of the following offenses:

(I) BODILY HARM

(1) Felony aggravated assault.

(2) Vehicular endangerment.

(3) Felony domestic battery.

(4) Aggravated battery.

(5) Heinous battery.

(6) Aggravated battery with a firearm.

(7) Aggravated battery of an unborn child.

(8) Aggravated battery of a senior citizen.

(9) Intimidation.

(10) Compelling organization membership of persons.

(11) Abuse and criminal neglect of a long term care facility resident.

(12) Felony violation of an order of protection.

(II) OFFENSES AFFECTING PUBLIC HEALTH, SAFETY, AND DECENCY

(1) Felony unlawful use of weapons.

(2) Aggravated discharge of a firearm.

(3) Reckless discharge of a firearm.

(4) Unlawful use of metal piercing bullets.

(5) Unlawful sale or delivery of firearms on the premises of any school.

(6) Disarming a police officer.

(7) Obstructing justice.

(8) Concealing or aiding a fugitive.

(9) Armed violence.

(10) Felony contributing to the criminal delinquency of a juvenile.

(III) DRUG OFFENSES

(1) Possession of more than 30 grams of cannabis.

(2) Manufacture of more than 10 grams of cannabis.

(3) Cannabis trafficking.

(4) Delivery of cannabis on school grounds.

(5) Unauthorized production of more than 5 cannabis sativa plants.

(6) Calculated criminal cannabis conspiracy.

(7) Unauthorized manufacture or delivery of controlled substances.

(8) Controlled substance trafficking.

(9) Manufacture, distribution, or advertisement of look-alike substances.

(10) Calculated criminal drug conspiracy.

(11) Street gang criminal drug conspiracy.

(12) Permitting unlawful use of a building.

(13) Delivery of controlled, counterfeit, or look-alike substances to persons under age 18, or at truck stops, rest stops, or safety rest areas, or on school property.

(14) Using, engaging, or employing persons under 18 to deliver controlled, counterfeit, or look-alike substances.

(15) Delivery of controlled substances.

(16) Sale or delivery of drug paraphernalia.

(17) Felony possession, sale, or exchange of instruments adapted for use of a controlled substance, methamphetamine, or cannabis by subcutaneous injection.

(18) Felony possession of a controlled substance.

(19) Any violation of the Methamphetamine Control and Community Protection Act.

(b-1.5) In addition to any other provision of this Section, for applicants with access to confidential financial information or who submit documentation to support billing, the Department of Early Childhood may, in its discretion, deny or refuse to renew a license to an applicant who has been convicted of committing or attempting to commit any of the following felony offenses:

(1) financial institution fraud under Section 17-10.6 of the Criminal Code of 1961 or the Criminal Code of 2012;

(2) identity theft under Section 16-30 of the Criminal Code of 1961 or the Criminal Code of 2012;

(3) financial exploitation of an elderly person or a person with a disability under Section 17-56 of the Criminal Code of 1961 or the Criminal Code of 2012;

(4) computer tampering under Section 17-51 of the Criminal Code of 1961 or the Criminal Code of 2012;

(5) aggravated computer tampering under Section 17-52 of the Criminal Code of 1961 or the Criminal Code of 2012;

(6) computer fraud under Section 17-50 of the Criminal Code of 1961 or the Criminal Code of 2012;

(7) deceptive practices under Section 17-1 of the Criminal Code of 1961 or the Criminal Code of 2012;

(8) forgery under Section 17-3 of the Criminal Code of 1961 or the Criminal Code of 2012;

(9) State benefits fraud under Section 17-6 of the Criminal Code of 1961 or the Criminal Code of 2012;

(10) mail fraud and wire fraud under Section 17-24 of the Criminal Code of 1961 or the Criminal Code of 2012;

(11) theft under paragraphs (1.1) through (11) of subsection (b) of Section 16-1 of the Criminal Code of 1961 or the Criminal Code of 2012.

(b-2) Notwithstanding subsection (b-1), the Department of Early Childhood may make an exception and, for an early care and education center, early care and education home, or group early care and education home, issue a new early care and education provider license to or renew the existing early care and education provider license of an applicant, a person employed by an early care and education provider, or an applicant who has an adult residing in a home early care and education provider who was convicted of an offense described in subsection (b-1), provided that all of the following requirements are met:

(1) The relevant criminal offense occurred more than 5 years prior to the date of application or renewal, except for drug offenses. The relevant drug offense must have occurred more than 10 years prior to the date of application or renewal, unless the applicant passed a drug test, arranged and paid for by the early care and education provider, no less than 5 years after the offense.

(2) The Department of Early Childhood must conduct a background check and assess all convictions and recommendations of the early care and education provider to determine if hiring or licensing the applicant is in accordance with Department of Early Childhood administrative rules and procedures.

(3) The applicant meets all other requirements and qualifications to be licensed as the pertinent type of early care and education provider under this Act and the Department of Early Childhood administrative rules.

(c) Except for programs operating under subsection (d-10) of Section 3 that are organized under the Park District Code or the Chicago Park District Act, beginning July 1, 2027, the Department of Early Childhood shall have the sole responsibility for evaluating criminal history for early care and education provider applicants and their employees and volunteers and determining whether to issue a license, issue a registration as a Recognized Alternative Provider, or approve an individual to work in an early care and education setting based on the early care and education provider's, employee's, or volunteer's criminal history record. In evaluating the background check requirements under this Section and Section 4.1, the Department shall associate the record with the individual. In evaluating the exception pursuant to subsection (b-2), the Department of Early Childhood must carefully review any relevant documents to determine whether the applicant, despite the disqualifying convictions, poses a substantial risk to State resources or clients. In making such a determination, the following guidelines shall be used:

(1) the age of the applicant when the offense was committed;

(2) the circumstances surrounding the offense;

(3) the length of time since the conviction;

(4) the specific duties and responsibilities necessarily related to the license being applied for and the bearing, if any, that the applicant's conviction history may have on the applicant's fitness to perform these duties and responsibilities;

(5) the applicant's employment references;

(6) the applicant's character references and any certificates of achievement;

(7) an academic transcript showing educational attainment since the disqualifying conviction;

(8) a Certificate of Relief from Disabilities or Certificate of Good Conduct; and

(9) anything else that speaks to the applicant's character.