State of Illinois
92nd General Assembly
Legislation

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92_SB1303

 
                                               LRB9208208EGfg

 1        AN ACT in relation to children.

 2        Be  it  enacted  by  the People of the State of Illinois,
 3    represented in the General Assembly:

 4        Section 5.  The  Children  and  Family  Services  Act  is
 5    amended by adding Section 7.4 as follows:

 6        (20 ILCS 505/7.4 new)
 7        Sec. 7.4.  Placement of siblings.
 8        (a)  Before  placing a child for adoption, the Department
 9    shall examine its files and  other  available  resources  and
10    attempt  to  determine  whether any biological sibling of the
11    child has been adopted.  If the Department determines that  a
12    biological  sibling  of  the  child  has  been  adopted,  the
13    Department  shall  make  a  good  faith  effort to locate the
14    adoptive parents of  the  sibling  and  inform  them  of  the
15    availability of the child for adoption.
16        (b)  If the adoptive parents of a biological sibling of a
17    child  available  for adoption apply to adopt that child, the
18    Department shall give them preference and first consideration
19    over all other applicants for adoption of  the  child.    The
20    Department's final decision, however, shall be based upon the
21    welfare  and  best interest of the child.  In arriving at its
22    decision, the Department shall consider all relevant factors,
23    including but not limited to:
24             (1)  the wishes of the child;
25             (2)  the interaction and  interrelationship  of  the
26        child with the applicant to adopt the child;
27             (3)  the  child's  need for stability and continuity
28        of relationship with parent figures;
29             (4)  the child's adjustment to his  or  her  present
30        home, school, and community;
31             (5)  the   mental   and   physical   health  of  all
 
                            -2-                LRB9208208EGfg
 1        individuals involved;
 2             (6)  the family  ties  between  the  child  and  the
 3        child's relatives, including siblings;
 4             (7)  the background, age, and living arrangements of
 5        the applicant to adopt the child;
 6             (8)  a  criminal  background report of the applicant
 7        to adopt the child.
 8        (c)  The Department may refuse  to  inform  the  adoptive
 9    parents  of a biological sibling of a child that the child is
10    available for adoption, as  required  under  subsection  (a),
11    only  for  a  reason  permitted under criteria adopted by the
12    Department by rule.

13        Section 99. Effective date.  This Act takes  effect  upon
14    becoming law.

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