SPRINGFIELD (WGEM) – Daycare centers in Illinois may soon be able to operate 24 hours per day. The state House of Representatives unanimously passed a bill Friday allowing daycares to operate 24 hours and provide care for children up to 12 hours at a time if their parent has a job requiring regularly scheduled shifts.

After 12 hours, there must be a 10-hour waiting period before the kid can return to the daycare center.

The bill’s sponsors, state Rep. Randy Frese, R-Quincy, and state Sen. Jil Tracy, R-Quincy, said the goal is to provide flexibility to shift workers.

“As employment conditions change, we need a more flexible childcare system to meet the different needs of working parents,” Tracy said.

The state Senate passed the bill unanimously on April 12. It now heads to Gov. JB Pritzker’s desk.

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