94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2005 and 2006
SB1941

 

Introduced 2/25/2005, by Sen. John J. Cullerton

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
New Act

    Creates the Children's Parental Responsibility Act. Applies to the custody, support, and visitation of a child if 2 persons of the same sex have been responsible for the child's needs and have held themselves out as being the parents of the child, the child is no longer living with both persons, and it is in the best interests of the child for the court to take jurisdiction over the child and the child's parents and the persons holding themselves out to be the child's parents and provide for the child's best interests. Provides that a parent or a person who holds himself or herself out to be a parent of the child may access the courts by filing a petition to provide for the parental responsibility of the child. Sets forth requirements for petitions, responsive pleadings, and hearings. Provides that, if the court takes jurisdiction, it shall apply the provisions of the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act and the Illinois Parentage Act of 1984 regarding custody, support, and visitation.


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A BILL FOR

 

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1     AN ACT concerning children.
 
2     Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3 represented in the General Assembly:
 
4     Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
5 Children's Parental Responsibility Act.
 
6     Section 5. Findings. The General Assembly finds that:
7         (1) It is the responsibility of the State of Illinois
8     to provide for the welfare of all children in the State of
9     Illinois.
10         (2) The courts can currently provide, under the
11     Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act, for the
12     best interests of children who are products of a marriage
13     and the custody, visitation, and support of those children.
14         (3) The courts can currently provide, under the
15     Illinois Parentage Act of 1984, for the best interests of
16     children who are the products of the relationship of 2
17     heterosexual partners whose relationship does not include
18     marriage and the custody, visitation, and support of those
19     children.
20         (4) Children in the State of Illinois are currently
21     being raised in families where the parents are of the same
22     sex.
23         (5) It is in the best interests of these children that
24     the courts of the State of Illinois have the jurisdiction
25     and ability to provide for their custody, support, and
26     visitation.
27         (6) It is hereby determined that, in order to provide
28     for the well being and the best interests of all the
29     children in the State of Illinois that the Illinois
30     Children's Parental Responsibility Act be created.
 
31     Section 10. Jurisdiction. The purpose of this Act is to

 

 

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1 provide for the best interests of a child including, but not
2 limited to, custody, support, and visitation under the
3 following circumstances:
4         (1) where a child has been parented, for more than one
5     year, in a setting in which 2 persons of the same sex have
6     been responsible for the child's needs and have held
7     themselves out, to the child, each other, and the public as
8     being the parents of the child; however, this Act applies
9     immediately if (i) one person is the natural parent of the
10     child and the other person has legally adopted the child or
11     (ii) the relationship of the persons has been legally
12     recognized in another state;
13         (2) where, for whatever reason, the child is no longer
14     living with both persons and questions arise regarding the
15     child's support, custody, visitation, and best interests;
16     and
17         (3) it would be in the best interests of the child for
18     the court to take jurisdiction over the child and the
19     child's parents and the persons holding themselves out to
20     be the child's parents and provide for the child's best
21     interests.
 
22     Section 15. Contents of petition. Access to the courts
23 shall be by filing a petition to provide for the parental
24 responsibility of the child by one person allegedly holding
25 himself or herself out as a parent. The petition shall state:
26         (1) the name and address of the petitioner and the
27     respondents;
28         (2) whether there is any other person who has been
29     found by a court to be a parent and whether that person's
30     parental rights have been terminated;
31         (3) whether either of the parties is currently married
32     and whether any child or children were born during the
33     marriage;
34         (4) the length of time that the petitioner and
35     respondent have co-parented the child;

 

 

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1         (5) the name and age of the child;
2         (6) the location of the child;
3         (7) the grounds upon which the court should find that
4     the petitioner co-parented the child; and
5         (8) why it is in the best interest of the child that
6     the court take jurisdiction over the parties and the
7     proceeding.
8     A copy of any other court orders or documents from this
9 State or any other state affecting, relating to, or deciding
10 the custody, support, or visitation rights of the child shall
11 be attached to the petition.
 
12     Section 20. Notice; responsive pleadings.
13     (a) The petition shall be served on the respondent and any
14 other person named in the petition as being a parent who has
15 standing in the same manner as in all other civil cases.
16     (b) A respondent shall file a responsive pleading within 30
17 days.
18     (c) If any person exists who has been previously found to
19 be the parent of the child or who is currently married to one
20 of the parties and the child was born during the marriage, that
21 person shall be served and shall file a responsive pleading
22 within 30 days.
 
23     Section 25. Hearing. The court shall hold a hearing to
24 determine whether it shall take jurisdiction under this Act. If
25 the court finds that it shall take jurisdiction, then the court
26 shall apply the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage
27 Act and the Illinois Parentage Act of 1984 regarding custody,
28 support, and visitation.
 
29     Section 30. Rights of child. Nothing in this Act dilutes or
30 negates any right a child has under the law.