SMART START GRANTS-HEAD START
Summary
Amends the Smart Start Illinois Act. Expands eligibility under the Smart Start Child Care Workforce Compensation Program to Head Start and Early Head Start programs.
Bill status
passed
3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Apr 2026
Committee Review
May 2026
House Passage
Apr 2026
Senate Passage
Governor
Introduced Apr 21, 2026
Last action May 26, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison
What changed between versions
Introduced
→
Engrossed
·
4 edits
·
Apr 16, 2026
MODERATE
This bill expands the Smart Start Child Care Workforce Compensation Program to include Head Start and Early Head Start programs, which were previously excluded. The changes ensure that providers in these programs can receive wage support without losing existing federal funding, allowing the program to grow without displacing current resources.
Scope change
The bill's scope now explicitly includes Head Start and Early Head Start programs as eligible participants in the compensation program.
ELIGIBILITY
Added eligibility for Head Start and Early Head Start programs to the compensation program.
Allowed providers to receive funding from both the Smart Start program and Head Start/Early Head Start programs simultaneously.
FISCAL
Clarified that new entrants (including Head Start programs) will not reduce funding for existing recipients.
REQUIREMENT
Added a requirement that funds must supplement, not supplant, existing federal Head Start or Early Head Start funding.
Floor votes · House Apr 16, 2026
How they voted
104–0
Passed · 12 other
Total votes 116
Apr 16, 2026
D
Democratic76
92% Yea
R
Republican40
85% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea
All Nay
Mixed
No data
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
29
Key actions
6
Committee
10
Amendments
3
May 22, 2026
Committee
Rule 3-9(a) / Re-referred to Assignments
upper
May 15, 2026
Upper · Passed
Rule 2-10 Committee Deadline Established As May 22, 2026
upper
May 8, 2026
Upper · Passed
Rule 2-10 Committee Deadline Established As May 15, 2026
upper
Apr 28, 2026
Committee
Assigned to Appropriations- Education
upper
Apr 21, 2026
Committee
Referred to Assignments
upper
Apr 21, 2026
Introduced
Arrive in Senate
upper
Apr 16, 2026
Lower · Passed
Third Reading - Short Debate - Passed 106-000-000
lower
Apr 16, 2026
Lower · Passed
House Floor Amendment No. 1 Adopted
lower
Apr 16, 2026
Lower · Passed
House Floor Amendment No. 1 Recommends Be Adopted Child Care Accessibility & Early Childhood Education; 013-000-000
lower
Apr 14, 2026
Introduced
House Floor Amendment No. 1 Rules Refers to Child Care Accessibility & Early Childhood Education
lower
Apr 10, 2026
Committee
House Floor Amendment No. 1 Referred to Rules Committee
lower
Apr 10, 2026
Introduced
House Floor Amendment No. 1 Filed with Clerk by Rep. Maura Hirschauer
lower
Mar 20, 2026
Lower · Passed
Do Pass / Short Debate Child Care Accessibility & Early Childhood Education; 013-000-000
lower
Feb 17, 2026
Committee
Assigned to Child Care Accessibility & Early Childhood Education
lower
Feb 6, 2026
Committee
Referred to Rules Committee
lower
2 primary · 5 co-sponsors
Sponsors
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