From State Rep. Marty McLaughlin:
State Rep. Martin McLaughlin Advances HB2190 to Help Protect Children in Daycare Centers
SPRINGFIELD, IL – On Friday, State Rep. Martin McLaughlin (R-Barrington Hills) and Chairwoman, State Rep. Joyce Mason (D-Gurnee) worked in bipartisan fashion to unanimously pass HB2190 through the Illinois House of Representative’s Child Care Accessibility and Early Childhood Education Committee.
The bill seeks to protect children in Illinois daycare centers by requiring at least two adults certified in CPR and the Heimlich maneuver to be present in facilities with more than 12 children.
During his testimony, the lawmaker from Barrington Hills said: “As someone who has worked with children for more than 22 years and coached young women in athletics, it was always a minimum requirement to have two people CPR-certified and trained at every athletic event.
“When we discovered that was not a minimum requirement in daycare centers, we were surprised.
“What we are attempting to do here is apply a minimum safety standard for children in daycare centers, and that is the impetus for this bill.”
Representative McLaughlin was joined by Felicia Walters, the mother of a 23-month-old toddler who was found unresponsive only an hour after being dropped off by his parents at daycare.
“We would never again see our son’s eyes open, hear his laugh, or hold him without cords and wires.
“The love of our lives was taken from us in an instant.
“Not everyone at Callum’s daycare was CPR-certified and fully equipped to care for children, and precious time was wasted.
“We are fighting to make this change so that no other parent has to endure the heartbreak we live with every day.” said Walters.
McLaughlin concluded his committee testimony by saying: “We are going to be referencing this as ‘Callum‘s Bill’ in honor of Callum. Together we can show the public it’s possible to produce important legislation without political division. Please join me as we move forward on this legislation so it can become ‘Callum’s Law’ by the end of this session and help to protect children all across Illinois.”
Watch the full committee hearing video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fU0HM3TNJY
For more information, contact Rep. Martin McLaughlin’s office at 224-634-8300 or by email at RepMcLaughlin@gmail.com.
