(This Section may contain text from a Public Act with a delayed effective date)

Any person, group of persons, association, or corporation that:

1. (1) conducts, operates, or acts as a day care center, day care home, or group day care home without a license or permit to do so in violation of Section 3.01 of this Act;
2. (2) makes materially false statements in order to obtain a license or permit;
3. (3) fails to keep the records and make the reports provided under this Act;
4. (4) advertises any service not authorized by license or permit held;
5. (5) publishes any advertisement in violation of this Act;
6. (6) receives within this State any child in violation of Section 16.1 of this Act; or

7. (7) violates any other provision of this Act or any reasonable rule or regulation adopted and published by the Department of Early Childhood for the enforcement of the provisions of this Act;is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor and, in the case of an association or corporation, imprisonment may be imposed upon its officers who knowingly participated in the violation.

   Any day care center, day care home, or group day care home that continues to operate after its license is revoked under Section 8 or 8a of this Act or after its license expires and the Department of Early Childhood refused to renew the license as provided in Section 8 or 8a of this Act is guilty of a business offense and shall be fined an amount in excess of $500 but not exceeding $10,000. Each day of violation is a separate offense.

   In a prosecution under this Act, a defendant who relies upon the relationship of any child to the defendant has the burden of proof as to that relationship.

(Source: P.A. 103-594, eff. 7-1-26; 104-417, eff. 8-15-25.)