The Illinois Senate passed a plan Friday to address the constant revolving door in the early childhood education industry.

According to our news partners at WAND TV, House Bill 3566 requires the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services to file emergency rules to allow staffing flexibility for early childhood assistants to supervise classrooms outside the core learning hours of each day.

Sen. Cristina Pacione-Zayas (D-Chicago) has led the effort to improve early childhood services for the state throughout the past year. She told colleagues Friday that this bill can help address problems with absences and vacancies at child care facilities.

The sponsor also explained that this flexibility was allowed during the COVID-19 pandemic, but the emergency rule is about to expire at the end of May.

Sen. Cristina Pacione-Zayas (D-Chicago) has led the effort to improve early childhood services for the state throughout the past year.

Sen. Sue Rezin (R-Morris) said Republicans agree that this plan will help address the accessibility issue with child care by having enough staff to meet the demand.

House Bill 3566 passed unanimously out of the Senate. The legislation now heads back to the House on concurrence.