HB4636 EngrossedLRB098 17076 HEP 52161 b

1    AN ACT concerning civil law.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Child Care Act of 1969 is amended by
5changing Sections 2.04, 2.05, 2.17, 4, and 5 as follows:
 
6    (225 ILCS 10/2.04)  (from Ch. 23, par. 2212.04)
7    Sec. 2.04. "Related" means any of the following
8relationships by blood, marriage, civil union, or adoption:
9parent, grandparent, great-grandparent, great-uncle,
10great-aunt, brother, sister, stepgrandparent, stepparent,
11stepbrother, stepsister, uncle, aunt, nephew, niece, or first
12cousin or second cousin. A person is related to a child as a
13first cousin or a second cousin if they are both related to the
14same ancestor as either grandchild or great-grandchild. A child
15whose parent has executed a consent, a surrender, or a waiver
16pursuant to Section 10 of the Adoption Act, whose parent has
17signed a denial of paternity pursuant to Section 12 of the
18Vital Records Act or Section 12a of the Adoption Act, or whose
19parent has had his or her parental rights terminated is not a
20related child to that person, unless (1) the consent is
21determined to be void or is void pursuant to subsection O of
22Section 10 of the Adoption Act; or (2) the parent of the child
23executed a consent to adoption by a specified person or persons

 

 

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1pursuant to subsection A-1 of Section 10 of the Adoption Act
2and a court finds that the consent is void; or (3) the order
3terminating the parental rights of the parent is vacated by a
4court of competent jurisdiction.
5(Source: P.A. 80-459.)
 
6    (225 ILCS 10/2.05)  (from Ch. 23, par. 2212.05)
7    Sec. 2.05. "Facility for child care" or "child care
8facility" means any person, group of persons, agency,
9association, organization, corporation, institution, center,
10or group, whether established for gain or otherwise, who or
11which receives or arranges for care or placement of one or more
12children, unrelated to the operator of the facility, apart from
13the parents, with or without the transfer of the right of
14custody in any facility as defined in this Act, established and
15maintained for the care of children. "Child care facility"
16includes a relative, as defined in Section 2.17 of this Act,
17who is licensed as a foster family home under Section 4 of this
18Act.
19(Source: P.A. 94-586, eff. 8-15-05.)
 
20    (225 ILCS 10/2.17)  (from Ch. 23, par. 2212.17)
21    Sec. 2.17. "Foster family home" means a facility for child
22care in residences of families who receive no more than 8
23children unrelated to them, unless all the children are of
24common parentage, or residences of relatives who receive no

 

 

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1more than 8 related children placed by the Department, unless
2the children are of common parentage, for the purpose of
3providing family care and training for the children on a
4full-time basis, except the Director of Children and Family
5Services, pursuant to Department regulations, may waive the
6limit of 8 children unrelated to an adoptive family for good
7cause and only to facilitate an adoptive placement. The
8family's or relative's own children, under 18 years of age,
9shall be included in determining the maximum number of children
10served. For purposes of this Section, a "relative" includes any
11person, 21 years of age or over, other than the parent, who (i)
12is currently related to the child in any of the following ways
13by blood or adoption: grandparent, sibling, great-grandparent,
14uncle, aunt, nephew, niece, first cousin, great-uncle, or
15great-aunt; or (ii) is the spouse of such a relative; or (iii)
16is a child's step-father, step-mother, or adult step-brother or
17step-sister; "relative" also includes a person related in any
18of the foregoing ways to a sibling of a child, even though the
19person is not related to the child, when the child and its
20sibling are placed together with that person. For purposes of
21placement of children pursuant to Section 7 of the Children and
22Family Services Act and for purposes of licensing requirements
23set forth in Section 4 of this Act, for children under the
24custody or guardianship of the Department pursuant to the
25Juvenile Court Act of 1987, after a parent signs a consent,
26surrender, or waiver and after a parent's rights are

 

 

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1terminated, and while the child remains in the custody or
2guardianship of the Department, the child is considered to be
3related to those to whom the child was related under this
4Section prior to the signing of the consent, surrender, or
5waiver or the order of termination of parental rights. The term
6"foster family home" includes homes receiving children from any
7State-operated institution for child care; or from any agency
8established by a municipality or other political subdivision of
9the State of Illinois authorized to provide care for children
10outside their own homes. The term "foster family home" does not
11include an "adoption-only home" as defined in Section 2.23 of
12this Act. The types of foster family homes are defined as
13follows:
14    (a) "Boarding home" means a foster family home which
15receives payment for regular full-time care of a child or
16children.
17    (b) "Free home" means a foster family home other than an
18adoptive home which does not receive payments for the care of a
19child or children.
20    (c) "Adoptive home" means a foster family home which
21receives a child or children for the purpose of adopting the
22child or children.
23    (d) "Work-wage home" means a foster family home which
24receives a child or children who pay part or all of their board
25by rendering some services to the family not prohibited by the
26Child Labor Law or by standards or regulations of the

 

 

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1Department prescribed under this Act. The child or children may
2receive a wage in connection with the services rendered the
3foster family.
4    (e) "Agency-supervised home" means a foster family home
5under the direct and regular supervision of a licensed child
6welfare agency, of the Department of Children and Family
7Services, of a circuit court, or of any other State agency
8which has authority to place children in child care facilities,
9and which receives no more than 8 children, unless of common
10parentage, who are placed and are regularly supervised by one
11of the specified agencies.
12    (f) "Independent home" means a foster family home, other
13than an adoptive home, which receives no more than 4 children,
14unless of common parentage, directly from parents, or other
15legally responsible persons, by independent arrangement and
16which is not subject to direct and regular supervision of a
17specified agency except as such supervision pertains to
18licensing by the Department.
19(Source: P.A. 92-318, eff. 1-1-02.)
 
20    (225 ILCS 10/4)  (from Ch. 23, par. 2214)
21    Sec. 4. License requirement; application; notice.
22    (a) Any person, group of persons or corporation who or
23which receives children or arranges for care or placement of
24one or more children unrelated to the operator must apply for a
25license to operate one of the types of facilities defined in

 

 

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1Sections 2.05 through 2.19 and in Section 2.22 of this Act. Any
2relative, as defined in Section 2.17 of this Act, who receives
3a child or children for placement by the Department on a
4full-time basis may apply for a license to operate a foster
5family home as defined in Section 2.17 of this Act.
6    (a-5) Any agency, person, group of persons, association,
7organization, corporation, institution, center, or group
8providing adoption services must be licensed by the Department
9as a child welfare agency as defined in Section 2.08 of this
10Act. "Providing adoption services" as used in this Act,
11includes facilitating or engaging in adoption services.
12    (b) Application for a license to operate a child care
13facility must be made to the Department in the manner and on
14forms prescribed by it. An application to operate a foster
15family home shall include, at a minimum: a completed written
16form; written authorization by the applicant and all adult
17members of the applicant's household to conduct a criminal
18background investigation; medical evidence in the form of a
19medical report, on forms prescribed by the Department, that the
20applicant and all members of the household are free from
21communicable diseases or physical and mental conditions that
22affect their ability to provide care for the child or children;
23the names and addresses of at least 3 persons not related to
24the applicant who can attest to the applicant's moral
25character; and fingerprints submitted by the applicant and all
26adult members of the applicant's household.

 

 

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1    (c) The Department shall notify the public when a child
2care institution, maternity center, or group home licensed by
3the Department undergoes a change in (i) the range of care or
4services offered at the facility, (ii) the age or type of
5children served, or (iii) the area within the facility used by
6children. The Department shall notify the public of the change
7in a newspaper of general circulation in the county or
8municipality in which the applicant's facility is or is
9proposed to be located.
10    (d) If, upon examination of the facility and investigation
11of persons responsible for care of children, the Department is
12satisfied that the facility and responsible persons reasonably
13meet standards prescribed for the type of facility for which
14application is made, it shall issue a license in proper form,
15designating on that license the type of child care facility
16and, except for a child welfare agency, the number of children
17to be served at any one time.
18    (e) The Department shall not issue or renew the license of
19any child welfare agency providing adoption services, unless
20the agency (i) is officially recognized by the United States
21Internal Revenue Service as a tax-exempt organization
22described in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of
231986 (or any successor provision of federal tax law) and (ii)
24is in compliance with all of the standards necessary to
25maintain its status as an organization described in Section
26501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (or any

 

 

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1successor provision of federal tax law). The Department shall
2grant a grace period of 24 months from the effective date of
3this amendatory Act of the 94th General Assembly for existing
4child welfare agencies providing adoption services to obtain
5501(c)(3) status. The Department shall permit an existing child
6welfare agency that converts from its current structure in
7order to be recognized as a 501(c)(3) organization as required
8by this Section to either retain its current license or
9transfer its current license to a newly formed entity, if the
10creation of a new entity is required in order to comply with
11this Section, provided that the child welfare agency
12demonstrates that it continues to meet all other licensing
13requirements and that the principal officers and directors and
14programs of the converted child welfare agency or newly
15organized child welfare agency are substantially the same as
16the original. The Department shall have the sole discretion to
17grant a one year extension to any agency unable to obtain
18501(c)(3) status within the timeframe specified in this
19subsection (e), provided that such agency has filed an
20application for 501(c)(3) status with the Internal Revenue
21Service within the 2-year timeframe specified in this
22subsection (e).
23(Source: P.A. 94-586, eff. 8-15-05.)
 
24    (225 ILCS 10/5)  (from Ch. 23, par. 2215)
25    Sec. 5. (a) In respect to child care institutions,

 

 

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1maternity centers, child welfare agencies, day care centers,
2day care agencies and group homes, the Department, upon
3receiving application filed in proper order, shall examine the
4facilities and persons responsible for care of children
5therein.
6    (b) In respect to foster family and day care homes,
7applications may be filed on behalf of such homes by a licensed
8child welfare agency, by a State agency authorized to place
9children in foster care or by out-of-State agencies approved by
10the Department to place children in this State. In respect to
11day care homes, applications may be filed on behalf of such
12homes by a licensed day care agency or licensed child welfare
13agency. In applying for license in behalf of a home in which
14children are placed by and remain under supervision of the
15applicant agency, such agency shall certify that the home and
16persons responsible for care of unrelated children therein, or
17the home and relatives, as defined in Section 2.17 of this Act,
18responsible for the care of related children therein, were
19found to be in reasonable compliance with standards prescribed
20by the Department for the type of care indicated.
21    (c) The Department shall not allow any person to examine
22facilities under a provision of this Act who has not passed an
23examination demonstrating that such person is familiar with
24this Act and with the appropriate standards and regulations of
25the Department.
26    (d) With the exception of day care centers, day care homes,

 

 

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1and group day care homes, licenses shall be issued in such form
2and manner as prescribed by the Department and are valid for 4
3years from the date issued, unless revoked by the Department or
4voluntarily surrendered by the licensee. Licenses issued for
5day care centers, day care homes, and group day care homes
6shall be valid for 3 years from the date issued, unless revoked
7by the Department or voluntarily surrendered by the licensee.
8When a licensee has made timely and sufficient application for
9the renewal of a license or a new license with reference to any
10activity of a continuing nature, the existing license shall
11continue in full force and effect for up to 30 days until the
12final agency decision on the application has been made. The
13Department may further extend the period in which such decision
14must be made in individual cases for up to 30 days, but such
15extensions shall be only upon good cause shown.
16    (e) The Department may issue one 6-month permit to a newly
17established facility for child care to allow that facility
18reasonable time to become eligible for a full license. If the
19facility for child care is a foster family home, or day care
20home the Department may issue one 2-month permit only.
21    (f) The Department may issue an emergency permit to a child
22care facility taking in children as a result of the temporary
23closure for more than 2 weeks of a licensed child care facility
24due to a natural disaster. An emergency permit under this
25subsection shall be issued to a facility only if the persons
26providing child care services at the facility were employees of

 

 

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1the temporarily closed day care center at the time it was
2closed. No investigation of an employee of a child care
3facility receiving an emergency permit under this subsection
4shall be required if that employee has previously been
5investigated at another child care facility. No emergency
6permit issued under this subsection shall be valid for more
7than 90 days after the date of issuance.
8    (g) During the hours of operation of any licensed child
9care facility, authorized representatives of the Department
10may without notice visit the facility for the purpose of
11determining its continuing compliance with this Act or
12regulations adopted pursuant thereto.
13    (h) Day care centers, day care homes, and group day care
14homes shall be monitored at least annually by a licensing
15representative from the Department or the agency that
16recommended licensure.
17(Source: P.A. 89-21, eff. 7-1-95; 89-263, eff. 8-10-95; 89-626,
18eff. 8-9-96.)
 
19    Section 10. The Adoption Act is amended by changing
20Sections 1, 2, and 4 as follows:
 
21    (750 ILCS 50/1)  (from Ch. 40, par. 1501)
22    Sec. 1. Definitions. When used in this Act, unless the
23context otherwise requires:
24    A. "Child" means a person under legal age subject to

 

 

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1adoption under this Act.
2    B. "Related child" means a child subject to adoption where
3either or both of the adopting parents stands in any of the
4following relationships to the child by blood, or marriage,
5adoption, or civil union: parent, grand-parent,
6great-grandparent, brother, sister, step-parent,
7step-grandparent, step-brother, step-sister, uncle, aunt,
8great-uncle, great-aunt, first cousin, or second or cousin of
9first degree. A person is related to the child as a first
10cousin or second cousin if they are both related to the same
11ancestor as either grandchild or great-grandchild. A child
12whose parent has executed a final irrevocable consent to
13adoption, or a final irrevocable surrender, or a waiver
14pursuant to Section 10 of this Act or whose parent has signed a
15denial of paternity pursuant to Section 12 of the Vital Records
16Act or Section 12a of this Act for purposes of adoption, or
17whose parent has had his or her parental rights terminated, is
18not a related child to that person, unless (1) the consent is
19determined to be void or is void pursuant to subsection O of
20Section 10 of this Act; or (2) the parent of the child executed
21a consent to adoption by a specified person or persons pursuant
22to subsection A-1 of Section 10 of this Act and a court of
23competent jurisdiction finds that such consent is void; or (3)
24the order terminating the parental rights of the parent is
25vacated by a court of competent jurisdiction.
26    C. "Agency" for the purpose of this Act means a public

 

 

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1child welfare agency or a licensed child welfare agency.
2    D. "Unfit person" means any person whom the court shall
3find to be unfit to have a child, without regard to the
4likelihood that the child will be placed for adoption. The
5grounds of unfitness are any one or more of the following,
6except that a person shall not be considered an unfit person
7for the sole reason that the person has relinquished a child in
8accordance with the Abandoned Newborn Infant Protection Act:
9        (a) Abandonment of the child.
10        (a-1) Abandonment of a newborn infant in a hospital.
11        (a-2) Abandonment of a newborn infant in any setting
12    where the evidence suggests that the parent intended to
13    relinquish his or her parental rights.
14        (b) Failure to maintain a reasonable degree of
15    interest, concern or responsibility as to the child's
16    welfare.
17        (c) Desertion of the child for more than 3 months next
18    preceding the commencement of the Adoption proceeding.
19        (d) Substantial neglect of the child if continuous or
20    repeated.
21        (d-1) Substantial neglect, if continuous or repeated,
22    of any child residing in the household which resulted in
23    the death of that child.
24        (e) Extreme or repeated cruelty to the child.
25        (f) There is a rebuttable presumption, which can be
26    overcome only by clear and convincing evidence, that a

 

 

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1    parent is unfit if:
2            (1) Two or more findings of physical abuse have
3        been entered regarding any children under Section 2-21
4        of the Juvenile Court Act of 1987, the most recent of
5        which was determined by the juvenile court hearing the
6        matter to be supported by clear and convincing
7        evidence; or
8            (2) The parent has been convicted or found not
9        guilty by reason of insanity and the conviction or
10        finding resulted from the death of any child by
11        physical abuse; or
12            (3) There is a finding of physical child abuse
13        resulting from the death of any child under Section
14        2-21 of the Juvenile Court Act of 1987.
15            No conviction or finding of delinquency pursuant
16        to Article V 5 of the Juvenile Court Act of 1987 shall
17        be considered a criminal conviction for the purpose of
18        applying any presumption under this item (f).
19        (g) Failure to protect the child from conditions within
20    his environment injurious to the child's welfare.
21        (h) Other neglect of, or misconduct toward the child;
22    provided that in making a finding of unfitness the court
23    hearing the adoption proceeding shall not be bound by any
24    previous finding, order or judgment affecting or
25    determining the rights of the parents toward the child
26    sought to be adopted in any other proceeding except such

 

 

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1    proceedings terminating parental rights as shall be had
2    under either this Act, the Juvenile Court Act or the
3    Juvenile Court Act of 1987.
4        (i) Depravity. Conviction of any one of the following
5    crimes shall create a presumption that a parent is depraved
6    which can be overcome only by clear and convincing
7    evidence: (1) first degree murder in violation of paragraph
8    1 or 2 of subsection (a) of Section 9-1 of the Criminal
9    Code of 1961 or the Criminal Code of 2012 or conviction of
10    second degree murder in violation of subsection (a) of
11    Section 9-2 of the Criminal Code of 1961 or the Criminal
12    Code of 2012 of a parent of the child to be adopted; (2)
13    first degree murder or second degree murder of any child in
14    violation of the Criminal Code of 1961 or the Criminal Code
15    of 2012; (3) attempt or conspiracy to commit first degree
16    murder or second degree murder of any child in violation of
17    the Criminal Code of 1961 or the Criminal Code of 2012; (4)
18    solicitation to commit murder of any child, solicitation to
19    commit murder of any child for hire, or solicitation to
20    commit second degree murder of any child in violation of
21    the Criminal Code of 1961 or the Criminal Code of 2012; (5)
22    predatory criminal sexual assault of a child in violation
23    of Section 11-1.40 or 12-14.1 of the Criminal Code of 1961
24    or the Criminal Code of 2012; (6) heinous battery of any
25    child in violation of the Criminal Code of 1961; or (7)
26    aggravated battery of any child in violation of the

 

 

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1    Criminal Code of 1961 or the Criminal Code of 2012.
2        There is a rebuttable presumption that a parent is
3    depraved if the parent has been criminally convicted of at
4    least 3 felonies under the laws of this State or any other
5    state, or under federal law, or the criminal laws of any
6    United States territory; and at least one of these
7    convictions took place within 5 years of the filing of the
8    petition or motion seeking termination of parental rights.
9        There is a rebuttable presumption that a parent is
10    depraved if that parent has been criminally convicted of
11    either first or second degree murder of any person as
12    defined in the Criminal Code of 1961 or the Criminal Code
13    of 2012 within 10 years of the filing date of the petition
14    or motion to terminate parental rights.
15        No conviction or finding of delinquency pursuant to
16    Article 5 of the Juvenile Court Act of 1987 shall be
17    considered a criminal conviction for the purpose of
18    applying any presumption under this item (i).
19        (j) Open and notorious adultery or fornication.
20        (j-1) (Blank).
21        (k) Habitual drunkenness or addiction to drugs, other
22    than those prescribed by a physician, for at least one year
23    immediately prior to the commencement of the unfitness
24    proceeding.
25        There is a rebuttable presumption that a parent is
26    unfit under this subsection with respect to any child to

 

 

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1    which that parent gives birth where there is a confirmed
2    test result that at birth the child's blood, urine, or
3    meconium contained any amount of a controlled substance as
4    defined in subsection (f) of Section 102 of the Illinois
5    Controlled Substances Act or metabolites of such
6    substances, the presence of which in the newborn infant was
7    not the result of medical treatment administered to the
8    mother or the newborn infant; and the biological mother of
9    this child is the biological mother of at least one other
10    child who was adjudicated a neglected minor under
11    subsection (c) of Section 2-3 of the Juvenile Court Act of
12    1987.
13        (l) Failure to demonstrate a reasonable degree of
14    interest, concern or responsibility as to the welfare of a
15    new born child during the first 30 days after its birth.
16        (m) Failure by a parent (i) to make reasonable efforts
17    to correct the conditions that were the basis for the
18    removal of the child from the parent during any 9-month
19    period following the adjudication of neglected or abused
20    minor under Section 2-3 of the Juvenile Court Act of 1987
21    or dependent minor under Section 2-4 of that Act, or (ii)
22    to make reasonable progress toward the return of the child
23    to the parent during any 9-month period following the
24    adjudication of neglected or abused minor under Section 2-3
25    of the Juvenile Court Act of 1987 or dependent minor under
26    Section 2-4 of that Act. If a service plan has been

 

 

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1    established as required under Section 8.2 of the Abused and
2    Neglected Child Reporting Act to correct the conditions
3    that were the basis for the removal of the child from the
4    parent and if those services were available, then, for
5    purposes of this Act, "failure to make reasonable progress
6    toward the return of the child to the parent" includes the
7    parent's failure to substantially fulfill his or her
8    obligations under the service plan and correct the
9    conditions that brought the child into care during any
10    9-month period following the adjudication under Section
11    2-3 or 2-4 of the Juvenile Court Act of 1987.
12    Notwithstanding any other provision, when a petition or
13    motion seeks to terminate parental rights on the basis of
14    item (ii) of this subsection (m), the petitioner shall file
15    with the court and serve on the parties a pleading that
16    specifies the 9-month period or periods relied on. The
17    pleading shall be filed and served on the parties no later
18    than 3 weeks before the date set by the court for closure
19    of discovery, and the allegations in the pleading shall be
20    treated as incorporated into the petition or motion.
21    Failure of a respondent to file a written denial of the
22    allegations in the pleading shall not be treated as an
23    admission that the allegations are true.
24        (m-1) Pursuant to the Juvenile Court Act of 1987, a
25    child has been in foster care for 15 months out of any 22
26    month period which begins on or after the effective date of

 

 

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1    this amendatory Act of 1998 unless the child's parent can
2    prove by a preponderance of the evidence that it is more
3    likely than not that it will be in the best interests of
4    the child to be returned to the parent within 6 months of
5    the date on which a petition for termination of parental
6    rights is filed under the Juvenile Court Act of 1987. The
7    15 month time limit is tolled during any period for which
8    there is a court finding that the appointed custodian or
9    guardian failed to make reasonable efforts to reunify the
10    child with his or her family, provided that (i) the finding
11    of no reasonable efforts is made within 60 days of the
12    period when reasonable efforts were not made or (ii) the
13    parent filed a motion requesting a finding of no reasonable
14    efforts within 60 days of the period when reasonable
15    efforts were not made. For purposes of this subdivision
16    (m-1), the date of entering foster care is the earlier of:
17    (i) the date of a judicial finding at an adjudicatory
18    hearing that the child is an abused, neglected, or
19    dependent minor; or (ii) 60 days after the date on which
20    the child is removed from his or her parent, guardian, or
21    legal custodian.
22        (n) Evidence of intent to forgo his or her parental
23    rights, whether or not the child is a ward of the court,
24    (1) as manifested by his or her failure for a period of 12
25    months: (i) to visit the child, (ii) to communicate with
26    the child or agency, although able to do so and not

 

 

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1    prevented from doing so by an agency or by court order, or
2    (iii) to maintain contact with or plan for the future of
3    the child, although physically able to do so, or (2) as
4    manifested by the father's failure, where he and the mother
5    of the child were unmarried to each other at the time of
6    the child's birth, (i) to commence legal proceedings to
7    establish his paternity under the Illinois Parentage Act of
8    1984 or the law of the jurisdiction of the child's birth
9    within 30 days of being informed, pursuant to Section 12a
10    of this Act, that he is the father or the likely father of
11    the child or, after being so informed where the child is
12    not yet born, within 30 days of the child's birth, or (ii)
13    to make a good faith effort to pay a reasonable amount of
14    the expenses related to the birth of the child and to
15    provide a reasonable amount for the financial support of
16    the child, the court to consider in its determination all
17    relevant circumstances, including the financial condition
18    of both parents; provided that the ground for termination
19    provided in this subparagraph (n)(2)(ii) shall only be
20    available where the petition is brought by the mother or
21    the husband of the mother.
22        Contact or communication by a parent with his or her
23    child that does not demonstrate affection and concern does
24    not constitute reasonable contact and planning under
25    subdivision (n). In the absence of evidence to the
26    contrary, the ability to visit, communicate, maintain

 

 

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1    contact, pay expenses and plan for the future shall be
2    presumed. The subjective intent of the parent, whether
3    expressed or otherwise, unsupported by evidence of the
4    foregoing parental acts manifesting that intent, shall not
5    preclude a determination that the parent has intended to
6    forgo his or her parental rights. In making this
7    determination, the court may consider but shall not require
8    a showing of diligent efforts by an authorized agency to
9    encourage the parent to perform the acts specified in
10    subdivision (n).
11        It shall be an affirmative defense to any allegation
12    under paragraph (2) of this subsection that the father's
13    failure was due to circumstances beyond his control or to
14    impediments created by the mother or any other person
15    having legal custody. Proof of that fact need only be by a
16    preponderance of the evidence.
17        (o) Repeated or continuous failure by the parents,
18    although physically and financially able, to provide the
19    child with adequate food, clothing, or shelter.
20        (p) Inability to discharge parental responsibilities
21    supported by competent evidence from a psychiatrist,
22    licensed clinical social worker, or clinical psychologist
23    of mental impairment, mental illness or an intellectual
24    disability as defined in Section 1-116 of the Mental Health
25    and Developmental Disabilities Code, or developmental
26    disability as defined in Section 1-106 of that Code, and

 

 

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1    there is sufficient justification to believe that the
2    inability to discharge parental responsibilities shall
3    extend beyond a reasonable time period. However, this
4    subdivision (p) shall not be construed so as to permit a
5    licensed clinical social worker to conduct any medical
6    diagnosis to determine mental illness or mental
7    impairment.
8        (q) (Blank).
9        (r) The child is in the temporary custody or
10    guardianship of the Department of Children and Family
11    Services, the parent is incarcerated as a result of
12    criminal conviction at the time the petition or motion for
13    termination of parental rights is filed, prior to
14    incarceration the parent had little or no contact with the
15    child or provided little or no support for the child, and
16    the parent's incarceration will prevent the parent from
17    discharging his or her parental responsibilities for the
18    child for a period in excess of 2 years after the filing of
19    the petition or motion for termination of parental rights.
20        (s) The child is in the temporary custody or
21    guardianship of the Department of Children and Family
22    Services, the parent is incarcerated at the time the
23    petition or motion for termination of parental rights is
24    filed, the parent has been repeatedly incarcerated as a
25    result of criminal convictions, and the parent's repeated
26    incarceration has prevented the parent from discharging

 

 

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1    his or her parental responsibilities for the child.
2        (t) A finding that at birth the child's blood, urine,
3    or meconium contained any amount of a controlled substance
4    as defined in subsection (f) of Section 102 of the Illinois
5    Controlled Substances Act, or a metabolite of a controlled
6    substance, with the exception of controlled substances or
7    metabolites of such substances, the presence of which in
8    the newborn infant was the result of medical treatment
9    administered to the mother or the newborn infant, and that
10    the biological mother of this child is the biological
11    mother of at least one other child who was adjudicated a
12    neglected minor under subsection (c) of Section 2-3 of the
13    Juvenile Court Act of 1987, after which the biological
14    mother had the opportunity to enroll in and participate in
15    a clinically appropriate substance abuse counseling,
16    treatment, and rehabilitation program.
17    E. "Parent" means a person who is the legal mother or legal
18father of the child as defined in subsection X or Y of this
19Section. For the purpose of this Act, a parent who has executed
20a consent to adoption, a surrender, or a waiver pursuant to
21Section 10 of this Act, who has signed a Denial of Paternity
22pursuant to Section 12 of the Vital Records Act or Section 12a
23of this Act, or whose parental rights have been terminated by a
24court, is not a parent of the child who was the subject of the
25consent, surrender, waiver, or denial unless (1) the consent is
26void pursuant to subsection O of Section 10 of this Act; or (2)

 

 

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1the person executed a consent to adoption by a specified person
2or persons pursuant to subsection A-1 of Section 10 of this Act
3and a court of competent jurisdiction finds that the consent is
4void; or (3) the order terminating the parental rights of the
5person is vacated by a court of competent jurisdiction the
6father or mother of a lawful child of the parties or child born
7out of wedlock. For the purpose of this Act, a person who has
8executed a final and irrevocable consent to adoption or a final
9and irrevocable surrender for purposes of adoption, or whose
10parental rights have been terminated by a court, is not a
11parent of the child who was the subject of the consent or
12surrender, unless the consent is void pursuant to subsection O
13of Section 10.
14    F. A person is available for adoption when the person is:
15        (a) a child who has been surrendered for adoption to an
16    agency and to whose adoption the agency has thereafter
17    consented;
18        (b) a child to whose adoption a person authorized by
19    law, other than his parents, has consented, or to whose
20    adoption no consent is required pursuant to Section 8 of
21    this Act;
22        (c) a child who is in the custody of persons who intend
23    to adopt him through placement made by his parents;
24        (c-1) a child for whom a parent has signed a specific
25    consent pursuant to subsection O of Section 10;
26        (d) an adult who meets the conditions set forth in

 

 

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1    Section 3 of this Act; or
2        (e) a child who has been relinquished as defined in
3    Section 10 of the Abandoned Newborn Infant Protection Act.
4    A person who would otherwise be available for adoption
5shall not be deemed unavailable for adoption solely by reason
6of his or her death.
7    G. The singular includes the plural and the plural includes
8the singular and the "male" includes the "female", as the
9context of this Act may require.
10    H. "Adoption disruption" occurs when an adoptive placement
11does not prove successful and it becomes necessary for the
12child to be removed from placement before the adoption is
13finalized.
14    I. "Habitual residence" has the meaning ascribed to it in
15the federal Intercountry Adoption Act of 2000 and regulations
16promulgated thereunder.
17    J. "Immediate relatives" means the biological parents, the
18parents of the biological parents and siblings of the
19biological parents.
20    K. "Intercountry adoption" is a process by which a child
21from a country other than the United States is adopted by
22persons who are habitual residents of the United States, or the
23child is a habitual resident of the United States who is
24adopted by persons who are habitual residents of a country
25other than the United States.
26    L. "Intercountry Adoption Coordinator" means a staff

 

 

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1person of the Department of Children and Family Services
2appointed by the Director to coordinate the provision of
3services related to an intercountry adoption.
4    M. "Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children" is a
5law enacted by all states and certain territories for the
6purpose of establishing uniform procedures for handling the
7interstate placement of children in foster homes, adoptive
8homes, or other child care facilities.
9    N. (Blank).
10    O. "Preadoption requirements" means any conditions or
11standards established by the laws or administrative rules of
12this State that must be met by a prospective adoptive parent
13prior to the placement of a child in an adoptive home.
14    P. "Abused child" means a child whose parent or immediate
15family member, or any person responsible for the child's
16welfare, or any individual residing in the same home as the
17child, or a paramour of the child's parent:
18        (a) inflicts, causes to be inflicted, or allows to be
19    inflicted upon the child physical injury, by other than
20    accidental means, that causes death, disfigurement,
21    impairment of physical or emotional health, or loss or
22    impairment of any bodily function;
23        (b) creates a substantial risk of physical injury to
24    the child by other than accidental means which would be
25    likely to cause death, disfigurement, impairment of
26    physical or emotional health, or loss or impairment of any

 

 

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1    bodily function;
2        (c) commits or allows to be committed any sex offense
3    against the child, as sex offenses are defined in the
4    Criminal Code of 2012 and extending those definitions of
5    sex offenses to include children under 18 years of age;
6        (d) commits or allows to be committed an act or acts of
7    torture upon the child; or
8        (e) inflicts excessive corporal punishment.
9    Q. "Neglected child" means any child whose parent or other
10person responsible for the child's welfare withholds or denies
11nourishment or medically indicated treatment including food or
12care denied solely on the basis of the present or anticipated
13mental or physical impairment as determined by a physician
14acting alone or in consultation with other physicians or
15otherwise does not provide the proper or necessary support,
16education as required by law, or medical or other remedial care
17recognized under State law as necessary for a child's
18well-being, or other care necessary for his or her well-being,
19including adequate food, clothing and shelter; or who is
20abandoned by his or her parents or other person responsible for
21the child's welfare.
22    A child shall not be considered neglected or abused for the
23sole reason that the child's parent or other person responsible
24for his or her welfare depends upon spiritual means through
25prayer alone for the treatment or cure of disease or remedial
26care as provided under Section 4 of the Abused and Neglected

 

 

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1Child Reporting Act. A child shall not be considered neglected
2or abused for the sole reason that the child's parent or other
3person responsible for the child's welfare failed to vaccinate,
4delayed vaccination, or refused vaccination for the child due
5to a waiver on religious or medical grounds as permitted by
6law.
7    R. "Putative father" means a man who may be a child's
8father, but who (1) is not married to the child's mother on or
9before the date that the child was or is to be born and (2) has
10not established paternity of the child in a court proceeding
11before the filing of a petition for the adoption of the child.
12The term includes a male who is less than 18 years of age.
13"Putative father" does not mean a man who is the child's father
14as a result of criminal sexual abuse or assault as defined
15under Article 11 of the Criminal Code of 2012.
16    S. "Standby adoption" means an adoption in which a parent
17consents to custody and termination of parental rights to
18become effective upon the occurrence of a future event, which
19is either the death of the parent or the request of the parent
20for the entry of a final judgment of adoption.
21    T. (Blank).
22    T-5. "Biological parent", "birth parent", or "natural
23parent" of a child are interchangeable terms that mean a person
24who is biologically or genetically related to that child as a
25parent.
26    U. "Interstate adoption" means the placement of a minor

 

 

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1child with a prospective adoptive parent for the purpose of
2pursuing an adoption for that child that is subject to the
3provisions of the Interstate Compact on Placement of Children.
4    V. "Endorsement letter" means the letter issued by the
5Department of Children and Family Services to document that a
6prospective adoptive parent has met preadoption requirements
7and has been deemed suitable by the Department to adopt a child
8who is the subject of an intercountry adoption.
9    W. "Denial letter" means the letter issued by the
10Department of Children and Family Services to document that a
11prospective adoptive parent has not met preadoption
12requirements and has not been deemed suitable by the Department
13to adopt a child who is the subject of an intercountry
14adoption.
15    X. "Legal father" of a child means a man who is recognized
16as that child's father:
17        (1) because of his marriage to or civil union with the
18    child's parent at the time of the child's birth or within
19    300 days prior to that child's birth, unless he signed a
20    denial of paternity pursuant to Section 12 of the Vital
21    Records Act or a waiver pursuant to Section 10 of this Act;
22    or
23        (2) because his paternity of the child has been
24    established pursuant to the Illinois Parentage Act, the
25    Illinois Parentage Act of 1984, or the Gestational
26    Surrogacy Act; or

 

 

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1        (3) because he is listed as the child's father or
2    parent on the child's birth certificate, unless he is
3    otherwise determined by an administrative or judicial
4    proceeding not to be the parent of the child or unless he
5    rescinds his acknowledgment of paternity pursuant to the
6    Illinois Parentage Act of 1984; or
7        (4) because his paternity or adoption of the child has
8    been established by a court of competent jurisdiction.
9    Y. "Legal mother" of a child means a woman who is
10recognized as that child's mother:
11        (1) because she gave birth to the child except as
12    provided in the Gestational Surrogacy Act; or
13        (2) because her maternity of the child has been
14    established pursuant to the Illinois Parentage Act of 1984
15    or the Gestational Surrogacy Act; or
16        (3) because her maternity or adoption of the child has
17    been established by a court of competent jurisdiction; or
18        (4) because of her marriage to or civil union with the
19    child's other parent at the time of the child's birth or
20    within 300 days prior to the time of birth; or
21        (5) because she is listed as the child's mother or
22    parent on the child's birth certificate unless she is
23    otherwise determined by an administrative or judicial
24    proceeding not to be the parent of the child.
25(Source: P.A. 97-227, eff. 1-1-12; 97-1109, eff. 1-1-13;
2697-1150, eff. 1-25-13; 98-455, eff. 1-1-14; 98-532, eff.

 

 

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11-1-14; revised 9-24-13.)
 
2    (750 ILCS 50/2)  (from Ch. 40, par. 1502)
3    Sec. 2. Who may adopt a child.
4    A. Any of the following persons, who is under no legal
5disability (except the minority specified in sub-paragraph
6(b)) and who has resided in the State of Illinois continuously
7for a period of at least 6 months immediately preceding the
8commencement of an adoption proceeding, or any member of the
9armed forces of the United States who has been domiciled in the
10State of Illinois for 90 days, may institute such proceeding:
11    (a) A reputable person of legal age and of either sex,
12provided that if such person is married and has not been living
13separate and apart from his or her spouse for 12 months or
14longer, his or her spouse shall be a party to the adoption
15proceeding, including a husband or wife desiring to adopt a
16child of the other spouse, in all of which cases the adoption
17shall be by both spouses jointly;
18    (b) A minor, by leave of court upon good cause shown.
19    B. The residence requirement specified in paragraph A of
20this Section shall not apply to:
21        (a) an adoption of a related child; or
22        (b) an adoption of a child placed by an agency.
23    The residence requirement specified in paragraph A of this
24Section shall not apply to an adoption of a related child or to
25an adoption of a child placed by an agency.

 

 

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1(Source: P.A. 96-328, eff. 8-11-09.)
 
2    (750 ILCS 50/4)  (from Ch. 40, par. 1505)
3    Sec. 4. Venue Jurisdiction and venue.
4    An adoption proceeding may be commenced in any county in
5this State the circuit court of the county in which petitioners
6reside, or the county in which the person to be adopted
7resides, or was born, or the county in which the parents of
8such person reside, provided, however, if an agency has
9acquired the custody and control of a child and such agency is
10authorized to consent to the adoption of such child, the
11proceeding may be commenced in any county, and provided further
12that if a guardian of the person of such child has been
13appointed by a court of competent jurisdiction, the proceeding
14may be commenced in any county.
15(Source: Laws 1965, p. 3308.)