98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2013 and 2014
SB0788

 

Introduced 1/24/2013, by Sen. John J. Cullerton

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
320 ILCS 20/4  from Ch. 23, par. 6604

    Amends the Elder Abuse and Neglect Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning reports of abuse or neglect.


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A BILL FOR

 

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1    AN ACT concerning aging.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Elder Abuse and Neglect Act is amended by
5changing Section 4 as follows:
 
6    (320 ILCS 20/4)  (from Ch. 23, par. 6604)
7    Sec. 4. Reports of abuse or neglect.
8    (a) Any person who suspects the the abuse, neglect,
9financial exploitation, or self-neglect of an eligible adult
10may report this suspicion to an agency designated to receive
11such reports under this Act or to the Department.
12    (a-5) If any mandated reporter has reason to believe that
13an eligible adult, who because of dysfunction is unable to seek
14assistance for himself or herself, has, within the previous 12
15months, been subjected to abuse, neglect, or financial
16exploitation, the mandated reporter shall, within 24 hours
17after developing such belief, report this suspicion to an
18agency designated to receive such reports under this Act or to
19the Department. The agency designated to receive such reports
20under this Act or the Department may establish a manner in
21which a mandated reporter can make the required report through
22an Internet reporting tool. Information sent and received
23through the Internet reporting tool is subject to the same

 

 

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1rules in this Act as other types of confidential reporting
2established by the designated agency or the Department.
3Whenever a mandated reporter is required to report under this
4Act in his or her capacity as a member of the staff of a medical
5or other public or private institution, facility, board and
6care home, or agency, he or she shall make a report to an
7agency designated to receive such reports under this Act or to
8the Department in accordance with the provisions of this Act
9and may also notify the person in charge of the institution,
10facility, board and care home, or agency or his or her
11designated agent that the report has been made. Under no
12circumstances shall any person in charge of such institution,
13facility, board and care home, or agency, or his or her
14designated agent to whom the notification has been made,
15exercise any control, restraint, modification, or other change
16in the report or the forwarding of the report to an agency
17designated to receive such reports under this Act or to the
18Department. The privileged quality of communication between
19any professional person required to report and his or her
20patient or client shall not apply to situations involving
21abused, neglected, or financially exploited eligible adults
22and shall not constitute grounds for failure to report as
23required by this Act.
24    (a-7) A person making a report under this Act in the belief
25that it is in the alleged victim's best interest shall be
26immune from criminal or civil liability or professional

 

 

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1disciplinary action on account of making the report,
2notwithstanding any requirements concerning the
3confidentiality of information with respect to such eligible
4adult which might otherwise be applicable.
5    (a-9) Law enforcement officers shall continue to report
6incidents of alleged abuse pursuant to the Illinois Domestic
7Violence Act of 1986, notwithstanding any requirements under
8this Act.
9    (b) Any person, institution or agency participating in the
10making of a report, providing information or records related to
11a report, assessment, or services, or participating in the
12investigation of a report under this Act in good faith, or
13taking photographs or x-rays as a result of an authorized
14assessment, shall have immunity from any civil, criminal or
15other liability in any civil, criminal or other proceeding
16brought in consequence of making such report or assessment or
17on account of submitting or otherwise disclosing such
18photographs or x-rays to any agency designated to receive
19reports of alleged or suspected abuse or neglect. Any person,
20institution or agency authorized by the Department to provide
21assessment, intervention, or administrative services under
22this Act shall, in the good faith performance of those
23services, have immunity from any civil, criminal or other
24liability in any civil, criminal, or other proceeding brought
25as a consequence of the performance of those services. For the
26purposes of any civil, criminal, or other proceeding, the good

 

 

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1faith of any person required to report, permitted to report, or
2participating in an investigation of a report of alleged or
3suspected abuse, neglect, financial exploitation, or
4self-neglect shall be presumed.
5    (c) The identity of a person making a report of alleged or
6suspected abuse, neglect, financial exploitation, or
7self-neglect under this Act may be disclosed by the Department
8or other agency provided for in this Act only with such
9person's written consent or by court order.
10    (d) The Department shall by rule establish a system for
11filing and compiling reports made under this Act.
12    (e) Any physician who willfully fails to report as required
13by this Act shall be referred to the Illinois State Medical
14Disciplinary Board for action in accordance with subdivision
15(A)(22) of Section 22 of the Medical Practice Act of 1987. Any
16dentist or dental hygienist who willfully fails to report as
17required by this Act shall be referred to the Department of
18Professional Regulation for action in accordance with
19paragraph 19 of Section 23 of the Illinois Dental Practice Act.
20Any optometrist who willfully fails to report as required by
21this Act shall be referred to the Department of Financial and
22Professional Regulation for action in accordance with
23paragraph (15) of subsection (a) of Section 24 of the Illinois
24Optometric Practice Act of 1987. Any other mandated reporter
25required by this Act to report suspected abuse, neglect, or
26financial exploitation who willfully fails to report the same

 

 

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1is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor.
2(Source: P.A. 96-378, eff. 1-1-10; 96-526, eff. 1-1-10;
396-1000, eff. 7-2-10; 97-860, eff. 7-30-12.)