Amends the Adoption Act. Changes the definition of "post-placement and post-adoption support services". Provides that the Department of Children and Family Services shall establish and maintain a toll-free number to respond to requests from the public about its post-placement and post-adoption support services. Provides that the Department shall provide information about post-placement and post-adoption support services to prospective adoptive parents and guardians as part of its adoption and guardianship training. Provides that the Department shall include specific information in its annual notification letter. Provides that the Department shall review and update annually all information relating to its post-placement and post-adoption support services. Provides that beginning one year after the effective date of the Act (instead of 1 year after the effective date of Public Act 99-49), the Department shall report annually to the General Assembly regarding specified information. To the reporting requirements, adds: the number of guardians, prospective adoptive parents, and adoptive families in this State who have received the Department's post-placement and post-adoption support services and the types of services provided and for each, the length of time between their initial contact to the Department to request post-placement and post-adoption support services and their first receipt of services, the type of services received, and a description of the coordination between the Department and the Department of Healthcare and Family Services to develop resources.
Sponsored bills
Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that a prosecution for criminal sexual assault, aggravated criminal sexual assault, or aggravated criminal sexual abuse may be commenced at any time (rather than within 10 years of the commission of the offense if the victim reported the offense to law enforcement authorities within 3 years after the commission of the offense). Makes conforming changes.
Amends the School Code. Provides that, upon request, the school board of a school district that maintains grades 10 through 12 may posthumously award a diploma to any service member who was killed in action while performing active military duty in the armed forces of the United States if he or she: (1) resided in an area currently within the district; (2) left high school before graduating to serve in the armed forces of the United States; and (3) did not receive a high school diploma. Effective immediately.
Amends the Children and Family Services Act. Requires the Department of Children and Family Services, in coordination with specified entities, to develop and process a standardized survey to gather feedback from children who are aging out of foster care and from children who have transitioned out of the foster care system. Provides that the survey shall include requests for information regarding the children's experience with and opinion of State foster care services, the children's recommendations for improvement of such services, the amount of time the children spent in the foster care system, and any other information deemed relevant by the Department. Provides that after the survey is created the Department shall circulate the survey to all youth participating in transitional living programs, independent living programs, or Youth in College and to all youth receiving scholarships or tuition waivers under the DCFS Scholarship Program. Requires the Department to conduct the survey every 5 years and to submit a report to the Governor and the General Assembly at the completion of each survey. Provides that the first report shall be submitted no later than December 1, 2021 and shall provide a detailed review of the survey results. House Floor Amendment No. 1 Adds reference to: 20 ILCS 505/39.3 Further amends the Children and Family Services Act. Requires the Department of Children and Family Services to place a locked suggestion box in each group home, shelter, and transitional living arrangement that accepts youth in care for placement by the Department. Requires the Department to submit a report to the General Assembly each year outlining the issues and concerns submitted to the locked suggestion box and the solution to each issue and concern.
Amends the Children with Disabilities Article of the School Code. With regard to the speech-language pathologist provision, provides that notwithstanding the requirements of the provision, a Professional Educator License with a school support personnel endorsement for non-teaching speech-language pathologist shall be issued to a speech-language pathologist who (i) holds a regular license as a speech-language pathologist pursuant to the Illinois Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Practice Act and (ii) holds a current Certificate of Clinical Competence in speech-language pathology from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.
Amends the Juvenile Court Act of 1987. Provides that a minor is subject to the Act if the court has made a finding of probable cause to believe that the minor is abused, neglected, or dependent under the Act prior to the minor's 18th birthday (rather than any minor under 18 years of age). Makes conforming changes. Effective immediately. Senate Floor Amendment No. 1 Adds reference to: 705 ILCS 405/2-27 from Ch. 37, par. 802-27 705 ILCS 405/5-710 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Juvenile Court Act of 1987. Provides that "neglected" for purposes of the Act includes any minor under 18 years of age or a minor 18 years of age or older for whom the court has made a finding of probable cause to believe the that minor is abused, neglected, or dependent under the Act prior to the minor's 18th birthday. Provides that those who are dependent include any minor under 18 years of age or a minor 18 years of age or older for whom the court has made a finding of probable cause to believe the that minor is abused, neglected, or dependent under the Act prior to the minor's 18th birthday. Provides that these changes apply to a case that is pending on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act. Makes conforming changes. Effective immediately.
Amends the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act. Provides that within 10 days after completing an investigation of alleged physical abuse, sexual abuse, or neglect, if the report is unfounded or indicated, the Child Protective Service Unit shall send a copy of its final finding report to the Director of Public Health and the Director of Healthcare and Family Services. Requires the Director of Public Health and the Director of Healthcare and Family Services to ensure that the report remains confidential. In a provision that grants the Department of Public Health and other investigative bodies access to records concerning child abuse and neglect reports, removes language that requires the Director of Children and Family Services to approve such access. House Floor Amendment No. 1 Deletes reference to: 325 ILCS 5/8.7 new Adds reference to: 325 ILCS 5/4.4c new 325 ILCS 5/7.4 from Ch. 23, par. 2057.4 325 ILCS 5/7.8 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act. Provides that whenever the Department of Children and Family Services receives, by means of its statewide toll-free telephone number established for the purpose of reporting suspected child abuse or neglect or by any other means or from any mandated reporter, a report of suspected abuse or neglect of a child and the child is alleged to have been abused or neglected while receiving care in a hospital, including a freestanding psychiatric hospital licensed by the Department of Public Health, the Department of Children and Family Services shall: (i) notify the Directors of Public Health and Healthcare and Family Services of the report; and (ii) send a copy of the final finding to the Directors of Public Health and Healthcare and Family Services. Provides that the Department of Public Health shall receive information from unfounded reports involving children alleged to have been abused or neglected while hospitalized, including while hospitalized in freestanding psychiatric hospitals licensed by the Department of Public Health, as necessary for the Department of Public Health to conduct its licensing investigation. In a provision that grants the Department of Public Health and other investigative bodies access to records concerning child abuse and neglect reports, removes language that requires the Director of Children and Family Services to approve such access.
Amends the Child Care Act of 1969. Provides that "foster family home" means a facility for child care in residences of families who receive no more than 6 (rather than 8) children unrelated to them, unless all the children are of common parentage, or residences of relatives who receive no more than 6 related children placed by the Department of Children and Family Services, unless the children are of common parentage, for the purpose of providing family care and training for the children on a full-time basis, except the Director of Children and Family Services, pursuant to Department regulations, may waive the numerical limitation of foster children who may be cared for in a foster family home for any of the following reasons to allow: (1) a parenting youth in foster care to remain with the child of the parenting youth; (2) siblings to remain together; (3) a child with an established meaningful relationship with the family to remain with the family; or (4) a family with special training or skills to provide care to a child who has a severe disability. Amends the Juvenile Court Act of 1987. Provides that within 35 days after placing a child in its care in a qualified residential treatment program, as defined by the federal Social Security Act, the Department shall file a written report with the court and send copies of the report to all parties. Provides that within 20 days of the filing of the report, the court shall hold a hearing to consider the Department's report and determine whether placement of the child in a qualified residential treatment program provides the most effective and appropriate level of care for the child in the least restrictive environment and if the placement is consistent with the short-term and long-term goals for the child, as specified in the permanency plan for the child. Makes other changes. Effective October 1, 2019. House Committee Amendment No. 1 Adds reference to: 225 ILCS 10/4 from Ch. 23, par. 2214 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Reinserts the provisions of the introduced bill. Further amends the Child Care Act of 1969. Provides that an application to operate a foster family home shall include the name and address of at least one relative who can attest to the applicant's capability to care for the child or children. Effective July 1, 2019, except the Juvenile Court Act of 1987 provisions of the bill are effective October 1, 2019.
Proposes to amend the Legislature Article of the Illinois Constitution. Creates the Independent Redistricting Commission to adopt and file with the Secretary of State a redistricting plan for Legislative and Representative Districts. Provides for the selection of Commissioners and establishes the authority of a Special Commissioner to design a redistricting plan in the event that the Commission fails to properly adopt and file a redistricting plan. Effective beginning with redistricting in 2021 and applies to members elected in 2022 and thereafter.
Proposes to amend the Legislature and Revenue Articles of the Illinois Constitution. Provides that the General Assembly may increase the rate of an existing tax or impose a new tax only by a law approved by the vote of two-thirds of the members elected to each house. Provides that the General Assembly may override the veto of the Governor of a bill to increase the rate of an existing tax or impose a new tax only by a record vote of two-thirds of the members elected to each house. Effective upon being declared adopted.