Illinois Rep. Dias’s interim child care director bill passes House and Senate

Passed bill authored by State Rep. Laura Faver Dias aims to permit licensed day care centers to hire interim directors meeting experience and coursework criteria while they pursue required education, following approval in both chambers, according to the Illinois General Assembly.

In the House, 71 Democrats and six Republicans voted in favor of the bill, while 28 Republicans opposed it.

Meanwhile, in the Senate, 40 Democrats and 14 Republicans voted in favor of the bill, while three Republicans voted against it.

Dias introduced the bill in the Illinois House on Jan. 26, 2026 during the 104th session.

The legislation, known as HB4587, was passed on May 27, 2026 during the general assembly session 104.

According to the Illinois General Assembly site, the legislature summarized the bill’s official text as follows: “Amends the Child Care Act of 1969. Provides that a licensed day care center may hire an individual who is in the process of completing the educational requirements set forth in administrative rules as an Interim Conditional Child Care Director for a period of 12 months. Requires the hired individual to provide documentation that shows that the individual is enrolled in courses that meet the requirements set forth in administrative rules. Provides that the individual shall be enrolled in an accredited college or university. Provides that during the 12-month employment period, an Interim Conditional Child Care Director with specified qualifications is exempt from the educational requirements set forth in administrative rules.”

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, this bill allows licensed day care centers to hire an Interim Conditional Child Care Director for up to 12 months if the person is enrolled at an accredited college or university in courses that meet existing director education rules. During that 12-month period, the interim director is temporarily exempt from those education requirements if they meet specified experience and coursework thresholds, including at least two years or 3,120 hours as an early childhood teacher at the same center and minimum college credits in early childhood-related fields. The bill requires such directors to complete additional early childhood credits or obtain an Illinois director credential or equivalent training within the 12 months.

The bill was sponsored by Rep. Abdelnasser Rashid (Democrat-21st District), Sen. Darby A. Hills (Republican-26th District), and Sen. Meg Loughran Cappel (Democrat-49th District), along with one other sponsor.

Bills in Illinois follow a multi-step legislative process, beginning with introduction in either the House or Senate, followed by committee review, floor debates, and votes in both chambers before reaching the governor for approval or veto. The General Assembly operates on a biennial schedule, and while typically thousands of bills are introduced each session, only a fraction successfully pass through the process to become law.

You can read more about bills and other measures here.

Dias graduated from Indiana University with a BS.

Dias, a Democrat, was elected to the Illinois State House in 2023 to represent the state’s 62nd House District, replacing previous state representative Sam Yingling.

Lawmakers listed as “Not Voting” were present for the vote but did not cast a vote. Those marked as having an “Excused Absence” were not present and formally provided a reason for their absence, which was accepted.

While the final vote determined the bill’s passage, lawmakers in both chambers held an additional vote related to a concurrence. This earlier vote is included below for context.