Public Act 90-0443 of the 90th General Assembly

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Public Act 90-0443

SB366 Enrolled                                 LRB9002774NTsb

    AN ACT concerning children, amending named Acts.

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

    Section  5.  The  Children  and  Family  Services  Act is
amended by changing Section 6a as follows:

    (20 ILCS 505/6a) (from Ch. 23, par. 5006a)
    (Text of Section before amendment by P.A. 89-704)
    Sec. 6a.  Case Plan.
    (a)  With respect to each Department client for whom  the
Department  is  providing  placement  service, the Department
shall develop a case plan designed to  stabilize  the  family
situation  and  prevent placement of a child outside the home
of the family, reunify the family if temporary  placement  is
necessary, or move the child toward the most permanent living
arrangement and permanent legal status.  Such case plan shall
provide  for the utilization of family preservation services.
Such case plan shall be reviewed and updated every 6  months.
Where    appropriate,    the    case   plan   shall   include
recommendations concerning alcohol or drug abuse evaluation.
    (b)  The Department may  enter  into  written  agreements
with  child  welfare agencies to establish and implement case
plan  demonstration  projects.   The  demonstration  projects
shall require  that  service  providers  develop,  implement,
review  and  update  client case plans.  The Department shall
examine the effectiveness of the  demonstration  projects  in
promoting the family reunification or the permanent placement
of  each  client and shall report its findings to the General
Assembly no later than 90 days after the end  of  the  fiscal
year in which any such demonstration project is implemented.
(Source: P.A. 85-985; 86-1296.)

    (Text of Section after amendment by P.A. 89-704)
    Sec. 6a.  Case Plan.
    (a)  With  respect to each Department client for whom the
Department is providing  placement  service,  the  Department
shall  develop  a  case plan designed to stabilize the family
situation and prevent placement of a child outside  the  home
of  the  family, reunify the family if temporary placement is
necessary, or move the child toward the most permanent living
arrangement and permanent legal status.  Such case plan shall
provide for the utilization of reasonable family preservation
services  as  defined  in  Section  8.2  of  the  Abused  and
Neglected Child Reporting Act.    Such  case  plan  shall  be
reviewed  and updated every 6 months.  Where appropriate, the
case plan shall include recommendations concerning alcohol or
drug abuse evaluation.
    (b)  The Department may  enter  into  written  agreements
with  child  welfare agencies to establish and implement case
plan  demonstration  projects.   The  demonstration  projects
shall require  that  service  providers  develop,  implement,
review  and  update  client case plans.  The Department shall
examine the effectiveness of the  demonstration  projects  in
promoting the family reunification or the permanent placement
of  each  client and shall report its findings to the General
Assembly no later than 90 days after the end  of  the  fiscal
year in which any such demonstration project is implemented.
(Source: P.A. 89-704, eff. 1-1-98.)

    Section 10.  The Juvenile Court Act of 1987 is amended by
changing Sections 1-2, 2-21, and 2-29 as follows:

    (705 ILCS 405/1-2) (from Ch. 37, par. 801-2)
    (Text of Section before amendment by P.A. 89-704)
    Sec.  1-2.   Purpose  and policy. (1) The purpose of this
Act is to secure for each minor subject hereto such care  and
guidance,  preferably  in  his or her own home, as will serve
the moral, emotional, mental, and  physical  welfare  of  the
minor  and  the  best interests of the community; to preserve
and strengthen the minor's  family  ties  whenever  possible,
removing  him  or  her from the custody of his or her parents
only when his or her welfare or safety or the  protection  of
the  public cannot be adequately safeguarded without removal;
and, when the minor is removed from his or her own family, to
secure for him or her custody, care and discipline as  nearly
as  possible  equivalent to that which should be given by his
or her parents, and in cases where it should and can properly
be done to place the minor in a family home so that he or she
may become a member  of  the  family  by  legal  adoption  or
otherwise.
    (2)  In  all  proceedings  under  this  Act the court may
direct the course thereof so as  promptly  to  ascertain  the
jurisdictional  facts and fully to gather information bearing
upon the current condition  and  future  welfare  of  persons
subject  to  this  Act.  This  Act shall be administered in a
spirit of humane concern, not only  for  the  rights  of  the
parties,   but   also   for  the  fears  and  the  limits  of
understanding of all who appear before the court.
    (3)  In all procedures  under  this  Act,  the  following
shall apply:
    (a)  The  procedural rights assured to the minor shall be
the rights of adults unless specifically  precluded  by  laws
which enhance the protection of such minors.
    (b)  Every child has a right to services necessary to his
or  her  proper  development, including health, education and
social services.
    (c)  The parents' right to the  custody  of  their  child
shall  not  prevail  when  the  court  determines  that it is
contrary to the best interests of the child.
    (4)  This Act shall be liberally construed to  carry  out
the foregoing purpose and policy.
(Source: P.A. 85-601.)

    (Text of Section after amendment by P.A. 89-704)
    Sec. 1-2.  Purpose and policy.
    (1)  The  purpose of this Act is to secure for each minor
subject hereto such care and guidance, preferably in  his  or
her own home, as will serve the moral, emotional, mental, and
physical  welfare  of the minor and the best interests of the
community; to preserve and strengthen the minor's family ties
whenever possible, removing him or her from  the  custody  of
his  or her parents only when his or her welfare or safety or
the protection of the public cannot be adequately safeguarded
without removal; and, when the minor is removed from  his  or
her  own  family,  to secure for him or her custody, care and
discipline as nearly as possible  equivalent  to  that  which
should  be given by his or her parents, and in cases where it
should and can properly be done  to  place  the  minor  in  a
family  home  so  that  he  or she may become a member of the
family by legal  adoption  or  otherwise.   Provided  that  a
ground  for  unfitness  under the Adoption Act can be met, it
may  be  appropriate  to  expedite  termination  of  parental
rights:
    (a)  when reasonable efforts are inappropriate,  or  have
been   provided   and   were   unsuccessful,  and  there  are
aggravating circumstances  including,  but  not  limited  to,
those  cases  in  which (i) a child or a sibling of the child
was (A) abandoned, (B) tortured, or (C) chronically abused or
(ii) the parent is criminally convicted of (A)  first  degree
murder  or  second degree murder of any child, (B) attempt or
conspiracy to commit first degree  murder  or  second  degree
murder  of  any  child,  (C)  solicitation  to commit murder,
solicitation to commit murder for hire,  or  solicitation  to
commit  second  degree murder of any child, or accountability
for the first or second degree murder of any  child,  or  (D)
aggravated  criminal  sexual  assault in violation of Section
12-14(b)(1) of the Criminal Code of 1961; or
    (b)  when the parental rights of a parent with respect to
a  sibling  of  the  child  have  been  terminated;   or   in
abandonment  cases;  or  in  those extreme cases in which the
parent's conduct toward the child or the child's sibling  has
been  so egregious that the behavior justifies termination of
parental rights; or
    (c)  in  those  extreme  cases  in  which  the   parent's
incapacity  to care for the child, combined with an extremely
poor prognosis for  treatment  or  rehabilitation,  justifies
expedited termination of a determination that parental rights
should be terminated.
    (2)  In  all  proceedings  under  this  Act the court may
direct the course thereof so as  promptly  to  ascertain  the
jurisdictional  facts and fully to gather information bearing
upon the current condition  and  future  welfare  of  persons
subject  to  this  Act.  This  Act shall be administered in a
spirit of humane concern, not only  for  the  rights  of  the
parties,   but   also   for  the  fears  and  the  limits  of
understanding of all who appear before the court.
    (3)  In all procedures  under  this  Act,  the  following
shall apply:
         (a)  The  procedural  rights  assured  to  the minor
    shall  be  the  rights  of  adults  unless   specifically
    precluded  by  laws  which enhance the protection of such
    minors.
         (b)  Every child has a right to  services  necessary
    to  his  or  her  proper  development,  including health,
    education and social services.
         (c)  The parents' right  to  the  custody  of  their
    child shall not prevail when the court determines that it
    is contrary to the best interests of the child.
    (4)  This  Act  shall be liberally construed to carry out
the foregoing purpose and policy.
(Source: P.A. 89-704, eff. 1-1-98.)

    (705 ILCS 405/2-21) (from Ch. 37, par. 802-21)
    (Text of Section before amendment by P.A. 89-704)
    Sec. 2-21. Findings and adjudication.
    (1)  After hearing the evidence the court shall determine
whether or not the minor is abused, neglected, or  dependent.
If  it  finds  that the minor is not such a person, the court
shall order the petition dismissed and the minor  discharged.
The  court's  determination  of  whether the minor is abused,
neglected, or dependent shall be stated in writing  with  the
factual basis supporting that determination.
    If  the  court finds that the minor is abused, neglected,
or dependent, the court  shall  then  determine  and  put  in
writing  the  factual  basis  supporting the determination of
whether the abuse, neglect, or dependency is  the  result  of
physical  abuse to the minor inflicted by a parent, guardian,
or legal custodian.  That finding shall appear in  the  order
of the court.
    (2)  If  the  court  determines  and  puts in writing the
factual basis supporting the determination that the minor  is
either abused or neglected or dependent, the court shall then
set  a  time  not  later  than 30 days after the entry of the
finding for a dispositional hearing  to  be  conducted  under
Section  2-22  at  which  hearing  the  court shall determine
whether it is in the best interests  of  the  minor  and  the
public  that  he  be made a ward of the court.  To assist the
court  in  making  this  and  other  determinations  at   the
dispositional   hearing,   the   court   may  order  that  an
investigation be conducted  and  a  dispositional  report  be
prepared  concerning  the minor's physical and mental history
and condition,  family  situation  and  background,  economic
status,  education,  occupation,  history  of  delinquency or
criminality, personal habits, and any other information  that
may  be  helpful to the court.  The dispositional hearing may
be continued once for a period not to exceed 30 days  if  the
court  finds  that  such continuance is necessary to complete
the dispositional report.
    (3)  The time limits of this Section may be  waived  only
by  consent  of  all  parties  and  approval by the court, as
determined to be in the best interests of the minor.
    (4)  For all cases adjudicated prior to July 1, 1991, for
which no dispositional hearing has been held  prior  to  that
date,  a  dispositional  hearing  under Section 2-22 shall be
held within 90 days of July 1, 1991.
(Source: P.A. 88-7; 88-487; 88-614, eff. 9-7-94; 88-670, eff.
12-2-94.)

    (Text of Section after amendment by P.A. 89-704)
    Sec. 2-21. Findings and adjudication.
    (1)  After hearing the evidence the court shall determine
whether or not the minor is abused, neglected, or  dependent.
If  it  finds  that the minor is not such a person, the court
shall order the petition dismissed and the minor  discharged.
The  court's  determination  of  whether the minor is abused,
neglected, or dependent shall be stated in writing  with  the
factual basis supporting that determination.
    If  the  court finds that the minor is abused, neglected,
or dependent, the court  shall  then  determine  and  put  in
writing  the  factual  basis  supporting the determination of
whether the abuse, neglect, or dependency is  the  result  of
physical  abuse to the minor inflicted by a parent, guardian,
or legal custodian.  That finding shall appear in  the  order
of the court.
    (2)  If  the  court  determines  and  puts in writing the
factual basis supporting the determination that the minor  is
either abused or neglected or dependent, the court shall then
set  a  time  not  later  than 30 days after the entry of the
finding for a dispositional hearing  to  be  conducted  under
Section  2-22  at  which  hearing  the  court shall determine
whether it is in the best interests  of  the  minor  and  the
public  that  he  be made a ward of the court.  To assist the
court  in  making  this  and  other  determinations  at   the
dispositional   hearing,   the   court   may  order  that  an
investigation be conducted  and  a  dispositional  report  be
prepared  concerning  the minor's physical and mental history
and condition,  family  situation  and  background,  economic
status,  education,  occupation,  history  of  delinquency or
criminality, personal habits, and any other information  that
may  be  helpful to the court.  The dispositional hearing may
be continued once for a period not to exceed 30 days  if  the
court  finds  that  such continuance is necessary to complete
the dispositional report.
    (3)  The time limits of this Section may be  waived  only
by  consent  of  all  parties  and  approval by the court, as
determined to be in the best interests of the minor.
    (4)  For all cases adjudicated prior to July 1, 1991, for
which no dispositional hearing has been held  prior  to  that
date,  a  dispositional  hearing  under Section 2-22 shall be
held within 90 days of July 1, 1991.
    (5)  The court may terminate the  parental  rights  of  a
parent  at  the  initial  dispositional hearing if all of the
following conditions are met:
         (i)  the original, amended, or supplemental petition
    contains a request for termination of parental rights and
    appointment of  a  guardian  with  power  to  consent  to
    adoption; and
         (ii)  the  court  has  found  by  a preponderance of
    evidence, introduced or stipulated to at an  adjudicatory
    hearing,  that  the child comes under the jurisdiction of
    the court as an abused,  neglected,  or  dependent  minor
    under Section 2-18; and
         (iii)  the  court  finds,  on the basis of clear and
    convincing   legally   admissible    evidence    admitted
    introduced  or  stipulated to at the adjudicatory hearing
    or at the dispositional hearing, that the  parent  is  an
    unfit  person  under  subdivision  D  of Section 1 of the
    Adoption Act; and
         (iv)  the court determines in  accordance  with  the
    rules of evidence for dispositional proceedings, that:
              (A)  it  is  in  the best interest of the minor
         and public that the child be  made  a  ward  of  the
         court; and
              (B)  termination   of   parental   rights   and
         appointment  of  a guardian with power to consent to
         adoption is  in  the  best  interest  of  the  child
         pursuant to Section 2-29.
(Source: P.A. 88-7; 88-487; 88-614, eff. 9-7-94; 88-670, eff.
12-2-94; 89-704, eff. 1-1-98.)

    (705 ILCS 405/2-29) (from Ch. 37, par. 802-29)
    (Text of Section before amendment by P.A. 89-704)
    Sec.  2-29.  Adoption; appointment of guardian with power
to consent.
    (1)  A ward of the court under this Act, with the consent
of the court, may be the subject of a petition  for  adoption
under  "An Act in relation to the adoption of persons, and to
repeal an Act therein named", approved July 17, 1959, as  now
or  hereafter amended, or with like consent his or her parent
or parents may, in the manner required by such Act, surrender
him or her for adoption to an agency  legally  authorized  or
licensed to place children for adoption.
    (2)  If the petition prays and the court finds that it is
in  the  best  interest  of  the minor that a guardian of the
person be appointed and authorized to consent to the adoption
of the minor, the court with the consent of the  parents,  if
living,  or  after  finding,  based upon clear and convincing
evidence, that a non-consenting parent is an unfit person  as
defined  in  Section 1 of "An Act in relation to the adoption
of persons, and to repeal an  Act  therein  named",  approved
July  17,  1959,  as amended, may empower the guardian of the
person of the minor, in the order appointing him  or  her  as
such  guardian,  to appear in court where any proceedings for
the adoption of the minor may at any time be pending  and  to
consent  to  the  adoption.  Such  consent  is  sufficient to
authorize the court in the adoption proceedings  to  enter  a
proper  order  or judgment of adoption without further notice
to, or consent by, the parents of  the  minor.  An  order  so
empowering  the  guardian  to  consent to adoption terminates
parental rights, deprives the parents of  the  minor  of  all
legal  rights  as respects the minor and relieves them of all
parental responsibility for him or her, and frees  the  minor
from  all  obligations of maintenance and obedience to his or
her natural parents.
    If the minor is over 14 years of age, the court  may,  in
its   discretion,   consider  the  wishes  of  the  minor  in
determining whether the best interests of the minor would  be
promoted  by the finding of the unfitness of a non-consenting
parent.
    (3)  Parental  consent  to  the  order  authorizing   the
guardian  of  the  person to consent to adoption of the minor
shall be given in open court whenever possible and  otherwise
must be in writing and signed in the form provided in "An Act
in  relation to the adoption of persons, and to repeal an Act
therein named", approved July 17, 1959, as now  or  hereafter
amended,  but  no  names  of petitioners for adoption need be
included. A finding  of  the  unfitness  of  a  nonconsenting
parent  must be made in compliance with that Act and be based
upon clear and convincing evidence.  Provisions of  that  Act
relating  to  minor  parents  and to mentally ill or mentally
deficient parents apply to proceedings under this Section and
any findings with respect to such parents shall be based upon
clear and convincing evidence.
(Source: P.A. 85-601.)

    (Text of Section after amendment by P.A. 89-704)
    Sec. 2-29.  Adoption; appointment of guardian with  power
to consent.
    (1)  With  leave of the court, a minor who is the subject
of an abuse, neglect, or dependency petition under  this  Act
may  be  the  subject  of  a  petition for adoption under the
Adoption Act.
    (1.1)  The parent or parents of a child in whose interest
a petition under Section 2-13 of this Act is pending may,  in
the manner required by the Adoption Act, (a) surrender him or
her  for adoption to an agency legally authorized or licensed
to place children for adoption, (b) consent  to  his  or  her
adoption,  or  (c)  consent  to  his  or  her  adoption  by a
specified person or persons. Nothing in this Section requires
that the parent or parents execute the surrender, consent, or
consent to adoption by a specified person in open court.
    (2)  If a petition prays and the court finds that  it  is
in  the  best  interest  of  the minor that a guardian of the
person be appointed and authorized to consent to the adoption
of the minor, the court, with the consent  agreement  of  the
parents,  if  living,  or after finding, based upon clear and
convincing evidence, that a parent  is  an  unfit  person  as
defined  in  Section  1  of the Adoption Act, may empower the
guardian of the person of the minor, in the order  appointing
him  or  her  as  such guardian, to appear in court where any
proceedings for the adoption of the minor may at any time  be
pending  and  to  consent  to  the  adoption. Such consent is
sufficient to authorize the court in the adoption proceedings
to enter a proper  order  or  judgment  of  adoption  without
further  notice  to, or consent by, the parents of the minor.
An order so empowering the guardian to  consent  to  adoption
terminates parental rights, deprives the parents of the minor
of  all  legal rights as respects the minor and relieves them
of all parental responsibility for him or her, and frees  the
minor  from  all  obligations of maintenance and obedience to
his or her natural parents.
    If the minor is over 14 years of age, the court  may,  in
its   discretion,   consider  the  wishes  of  the  minor  in
determining whether the best interests of the minor would  be
promoted  by the finding of the unfitness of a non-consenting
parent.
    (3)  Parental  consent  to  the  request  for  an   order
authorizing the guardian of the person to consent to adoption
of  the  minor  shall be made in open court whenever possible
and otherwise must be in  writing  and  signed  in  the  form
provided in the Adoption Act, but no names of petitioners for
adoption need be included.
    (4)  A  finding of the unfitness of a parent must be made
in compliance with the Adoption Act and be based  upon  clear
and  convincing  evidence.   Provisions  of  the Adoption Act
relating to minor parents and to  mentally  ill  or  mentally
deficient parents apply to proceedings under this Section and
any findings with respect to such parents shall be based upon
clear and convincing evidence.
(Source: P.A. 89-704, eff. 1-1-98.)

    Section  15.  The  Adoption  Act  is  amended by changing
Section 1 as follows:

    (750 ILCS 50/1) (from Ch. 40, par. 1501)
    (Text of Section before amendment by P.A. 89-704)
    Sec. 1.  Definitions.  When used in this Act, unless  the
context otherwise requires:
    A.  "Child"  means  a  person  under legal age subject to
adoption under this Act.
    B.  "Related child" means a  child  subject  to  adoption
where either or both of the adopting parents stands in any of
the   following  relationships  to  the  child  by  blood  or
marriage: parent, grand-parent, brother, sister, step-parent,
step-grandparent,  step-brother,  step-sister,  uncle,  aunt,
great-uncle, great-aunt, or cousin of first degree.  A  child
whose  parent  has  executed  a  final irrevocable consent to
adoption or a final irrevocable  surrender  for  purposes  of
adoption,  or whose parent has had his or her parental rights
terminated, is not a related child to that person.
    C.  "Agency" for the purpose of this Act means  a  public
child welfare agency or a licensed child welfare agency.
    D.  "Unfit  person" means any person whom the court shall
find to be unfit to have  a  child,  without  regard  to  the
likelihood  that  the child will be placed for adoption.  The
grounds of unfitness are any one or more of the following:
         (a)  Abandonment of the child.
         (b)  Failure to  maintain  a  reasonable  degree  of
    interest,  concern  or  responsibility  as to the child's
    welfare.
         (c)  Desertion of the child for more than  3  months
    next   preceding   the   commencement   of  the  Adoption
    proceeding.
         (d)  Substantial neglect of the child if  continuous
    or repeated.
         (e)  Extreme or repeated cruelty to the child.
         (f)  Two  or  more findings of physical abuse to any
    children under Section 4-8 of the Juvenile Court  Act  or
    Section 2-21 of the Juvenile Court Act of  1987, the most
    recent  of  which  was  determined  by the juvenile court
    hearing  the  matter  to  be  supported  by   clear   and
    convincing evidence; a criminal conviction resulting from
    the  death  of  any  child  by physical child abuse; or a
    finding of physical child abuse resulting from the  death
    of  any child under Section 4-8 of the Juvenile Court Act
    or Section 2-21 of the Juvenile Court Act of 1987.
         (g)  Failure to protect the  child  from  conditions
    within his environment injurious to the child's welfare.
         (h)  Other  neglect  of,  or  misconduct  toward the
    child; provided that in making a finding of unfitness the
    court hearing the adoption proceeding shall not be  bound
    by  any  previous finding, order or judgment affecting or
    determining the rights of the parents  toward  the  child
    sought  to be adopted in any other proceeding except such
    proceedings terminating parental rights as shall  be  had
    under  either  this  Act,  the  Juvenile Court Act or the
    Juvenile Court Act of 1987.
         (i)  Depravity.
         (j)  Open and notorious adultery or fornication.
         (j-1)  Conviction  of   first   degree   murder   in
    violation  of  paragraph  1  or  2  of  subsection (a) of
    Section 9-1 of the Criminal Code of 1961 or conviction of
    second degree murder in violation of  subsection  (a)  of
    Section  9-2  of the Criminal Code of 1961 of a parent of
    the child to be adopted shall  create  a  presumption  of
    unfitness   that  may  be  overcome  only  by  clear  and
    convincing evidence.
         (k)  Habitual drunkenness  or  addiction  to  drugs,
    other  than those prescribed by a physician, for at least
    one year immediately prior to  the  commencement  of  the
    unfitness proceeding.
         (l)  Failure  to  demonstrate a reasonable degree of
    interest, concern or responsibility as to the welfare  of
    a  new  born  child  during  the  first 30 days after its
    birth.
         (m)  Failure by a parent to make reasonable  efforts
    to  correct  the  conditions  that were the basis for the
    removal  of  the  child  from  the  parent,  or  to  make
    reasonable progress toward the return of the child to the
    parent  within  12  months  after  an   adjudication   of
    neglected  minor,  abused  minor or dependent minor under
    the Juvenile Court Act or the Juvenile Court Act of 1987.
         (n)  Evidence  of  intent  to  forego  his  or   her
    parental  rights,  whether  or not the child is a ward of
    the court, (1) as manifested by his or her failure for  a
    period  of  12  months:  (i)  to visit the child, (ii) to
    communicate with the child or agency, although able to do
    so and not prevented from doing so by  an  agency  or  by
    court  order,  or  (iii) to maintain contact with or plan
    for the future of the child, although physically able  to
    do  so,  or  (2)  as  manifested by the father's failure,
    where he and the mother of the child  were  unmarried  to
    each  other  at  the  time  of  the child's birth, (i) to
    commence legal proceedings  to  establish  his  paternity
    under  the  Illinois  Parentage Act of 1984 or the law of
    the jurisdiction of the child's birth within 30  days  of
    being informed, pursuant to Section 12a of this Act, that
    he  is  the  father or the likely father of the child or,
    after being so informed where the child is not yet  born,
    within  30  days  of the child's birth, or (ii) to make a
    good faith effort to  pay  a  reasonable  amount  of  the
    expenses related to the birth of the child and to provide
    a  reasonable  amount  for  the  financial support of the
    child, the court to consider  in  its  determination  all
    relevant circumstances, including the financial condition
    of both parents; provided that the ground for termination
    provided  in  this  subparagraph (n)(2)(ii) shall only be
    available where the petition is brought by the mother  or
    the husband of the mother.
         Contact or communication by a parent with his or her
    child  that  does  not  demonstrate affection and concern
    does not constitute reasonable contact and planning under
    subdivision (n).  In  the  absence  of  evidence  to  the
    contrary,  the  ability  to  visit, communicate, maintain
    contact, pay expenses and plan for the  future  shall  be
    presumed.   The  subjective intent of the parent, whether
    expressed or otherwise, unsupported by  evidence  of  the
    foregoing  parental  acts  manifesting that intent, shall
    not preclude a determination that the parent has intended
    to forego his or her parental  rights.   In  making  this
    determination,  the  court  may  consider  but  shall not
    require a showing of diligent efforts  by  an  authorized
    agency  to  encourage  the  parent  to  perform  the acts
    specified in subdivision (n).
         It shall be an affirmative defense to any allegation
    under paragraph (2) of this subsection that the  father's
    failure was due to circumstances beyond his control or to
    impediments  created  by  the  mother or any other person
    having legal custody.  Proof of that fact need only be by
    a preponderance of the evidence.
         (o)  repeated or continuous failure by the  parents,
    although  physically and financially able, to provide the
    child with adequate food, clothing, or shelter.
         (p)  inability      to      discharge       parental
    responsibilities  supported  by competent evidence from a
    psychiatrist,  licensed  clinical   social   worker,   or
    clinical   psychologist   of  mental  impairment,  mental
    illness or mental retardation as defined in Section 1-116
    of the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Code,
    or developmental disability as defined in  Section  1-106
    of  that  Code,  and there is sufficient justification to
    believe  that  the  inability   to   discharge   parental
    responsibilities  shall  extend  beyond a reasonable time
    period.  However,  this  subdivision  (p)  shall  not  be
    construed  so  as  to  permit  a licensed clinical social
    worker to conduct  any  medical  diagnosis  to  determine
    mental illness or mental impairment.
         (q)  a  finding of physical abuse of the child under
    Section 4-8 of the Juvenile Court Act or Section 2-21  of
    the  Juvenile Court Act of 1987 and a criminal conviction
    of aggravated battery of the child.
    E.  "Parent" means the father or mother of  a  legitimate
or illegitimate child.  For the purpose of this Act, a person
who  has executed a final and irrevocable consent to adoption
or  a  final  and  irrevocable  surrender  for  purposes   of
adoption,  or whose parental rights have been terminated by a
court, is not a parent of the child who was  the  subject  of
the consent or surrender.
    F.  A  person  is  available for adoption when the person
is:
         (a)  a child who has been surrendered  for  adoption
    to  an  agency  and  to  whose  adoption  the  agency has
    thereafter consented;
         (b)  a child to whose adoption a  person  authorized
    by  law,  other  than  his  parents, has consented, or to
    whose adoption no consent is required pursuant to Section
    8 of this Act;
         (c)  a child who is in the custody  of  persons  who
    intend  to  adopt  him  through  placement  made  by  his
    parents; or
         (d)  an  adult who meets the conditions set forth in
    Section 3 of this Act.
    A person who would otherwise be  available  for  adoption
shall not be deemed unavailable for adoption solely by reason
of his or her death.
    G.  The  singular  includes  the  plural  and  the plural
includes the singular and the "male" includes  the  "female",
as the context of this Act may require.
    H.  "Adoption   disruption"   occurs   when  an  adoptive
placement does not prove successful and it becomes  necessary
for  the  child  to  be  removed  from  placement  before the
adoption is finalized.
    I.  "Foreign placing agency" is an agency  or  individual
operating in a country or territory outside the United States
that  is  authorized  by  its  country  to place children for
adoption either directly with families in the  United  States
or through United States based international agencies.
    J.  "Immediate  relatives"  means the biological parents,
the parents of the biological parents  and  siblings  of  the
biological parents;
    K.  "Intercountry adoption" is a process by which a child
from a country other than the United States is adopted.
    L.  "Intercountry Adoption Coordinator" is a staff person
of  the  Department of Children and Family Services appointed
by the Director to coordinate the provision  of  services  by
the  public  and  private  sector  to  prospective parents of
foreign-born children.
    M.  "Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children"  is
a  law enacted by most states for the purpose of establishing
uniform procedures for handling the interstate  placement  of
children in foster homes, adoptive homes, or other child care
facilities.
    N.  "Non-Compact  state"  means  a  state  that  has  not
enacted the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children.
    O.  "Preadoption   requirements"   are   any   conditions
established  by  the  laws  or  regulations  of  the  Federal
Government  or  of  each  state that must be met prior to the
placement of a child in an adoptive home.
    P.  "Abused  child"  means  a  child  whose   parent   or
immediate  family  member,  or any person responsible for the
child's welfare,  or any individual residing in the same home
as the child, or a paramour of the child's parent:
         (a)  inflicts, causes to be inflicted, or allows  to
    be  inflicted  upon  the  child physical injury, by other
    than accidental means, that causes death,  disfigurement,
    impairment  of  physical  or emotional health, or loss or
    impairment of any bodily function;
         (b)  creates a substantial risk of  physical  injury
    to  the  child by other than accidental means which would
    be likely to cause death,  disfigurement,  impairment  of
    physical  or  emotional  health, or loss or impairment of
    any bodily function;
         (c)  commits or  allows  to  be  committed  any  sex
    offense against the child, as sex offenses are defined in
    the Criminal Code of 1961 and extending those definitions
    of  sex  offenses  to  include children under 18 years of
    age;
         (d)  commits or allows to be  committed  an  act  or
    acts of torture upon the child; or
         (e)  inflicts excessive corporal punishment.
    Q.  "Neglected  child"  means  any  child whose parent or
other person  responsible for the child's  welfare  withholds
or   denies  nourishment  or  medically  indicated  treatment
including food or care denied solely  on  the  basis  of  the
present  or  anticipated  mental  or  physical  impairment as
determined by a physician acting  alone  or  in  consultation
with  other  physicians  or  otherwise  does  not provide the
proper or necessary support, education as required by law, or
medical or other remedial care recognized under State law  as
necessary  for  a child's well-being, or other care necessary
for his or her well-being, including adequate food,  clothing
and  shelter;  or  who  is abandoned by his or her parents or
other person responsible for the child's welfare.
    A child shall not be considered neglected or  abused  for
the  sole  reason  that  the  child's  parent or other person
responsible for his or her  welfare  depends  upon  spiritual
means  through  prayer  alone  for  the  treatment or cure of
disease or remedial care as provided under Section 4  of  the
Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act.
    R.  "Putative  father"  means  a man who may be a child's
father, but who (1) is not married to the child's  mother  on
or  before  the  date that the child was or is to be born and
(2)  has not established paternity of the child  in  a  court
proceeding  before  the filing of a petition for the adoption
of the child.  The term includes a male who is less  than  18
years of age.
(Source: P.A.   88-20;  88-550,  eff.  7-3-94;  88-691,  eff.
1-24-95; 89-235, eff. 8-4-95.)

    (Text of Section after amendment by P.A. 89-704)
    Sec. 1.  Definitions.  When used in this Act, unless  the
context otherwise requires:
    A.  "Child"  means  a  person  under legal age subject to
adoption under this Act.
    B.  "Related child" means a  child  subject  to  adoption
where either or both of the adopting parents stands in any of
the   following  relationships  to  the  child  by  blood  or
marriage: parent, grand-parent, brother, sister, step-parent,
step-grandparent,  step-brother,  step-sister,  uncle,  aunt,
great-uncle, great-aunt, or cousin of first degree.  A  child
whose  parent  has  executed  a  final irrevocable consent to
adoption or a final irrevocable  surrender  for  purposes  of
adoption,  or whose parent has had his or her parental rights
terminated, is not a related child to that person, unless the
consent is determined to be  void  or  is  void  pursuant  to
subsection O of Section 10.
    C.  "Agency"  for  the purpose of this Act means a public
child welfare agency or a licensed child welfare agency.
    D.  "Unfit person" means any person whom the court  shall
find  to  be  unfit  to  have  a child, without regard to the
likelihood that the child will be placed for  adoption.   The
grounds of unfitness are any one or more of the following:
         (a)  Abandonment of the child.
         (b)  Failure  to  maintain  a  reasonable  degree of
    interest, concern or responsibility  as  to  the  child's
    welfare.
         (c)  Desertion  of  the child for more than 3 months
    next  preceding  the   commencement   of   the   Adoption
    proceeding.
         (d)  Substantial  neglect of the child if continuous
    or repeated.
         (d-1)  Substantial   neglect,   if   continuous   or
    repeated, of any child residing in  the  household  which
    resulted in the death of that child.
         (e)  Extreme or repeated cruelty to the child.
         (f)  Two  or  more findings of physical abuse to any
    children under Section 4-8 of the Juvenile Court  Act  or
    Section 2-21 of the Juvenile Court Act of  1987, the most
    recent  of  which  was  determined  by the juvenile court
    hearing  the  matter  to  be  supported  by   clear   and
    convincing  evidence;  a criminal conviction or a finding
    of not guilty by reason of insanity  resulting  from  the
    death  of any child by physical child abuse; or a finding
    of physical child abuse resulting from the death  of  any
    child  under  Section  4-8  of  the Juvenile Court Act or
    Section 2-21 of the Juvenile Court Act of 1987.
         (g)  Failure to protect the  child  from  conditions
    within his environment injurious to the child's welfare.
         (h)  Other  neglect  of,  or  misconduct  toward the
    child; provided that in making a finding of unfitness the
    court hearing the adoption proceeding shall not be  bound
    by  any  previous finding, order or judgment affecting or
    determining the rights of the parents  toward  the  child
    sought  to be adopted in any other proceeding except such
    proceedings terminating parental rights as shall  be  had
    under  either  this  Act,  the  Juvenile Court Act or the
    Juvenile Court Act of 1987.
         (i)  Depravity.
         (j)  Open and notorious adultery or fornication.
         (j-1)  Conviction  of   first   degree   murder   in
    violation  of  paragraph  1  or  2  of  subsection (a) of
    Section 9-1 of the Criminal Code of 1961 or conviction of
    second degree murder in violation of  subsection  (a)  of
    Section  9-2  of the Criminal Code of 1961 of a parent of
    the child to be adopted shall  create  a  presumption  of
    unfitness   that  may  be  overcome  only  by  clear  and
    convincing evidence.
         (k)  Habitual drunkenness  or  addiction  to  drugs,
    other  than those prescribed by a physician, for at least
    one year immediately prior to  the  commencement  of  the
    unfitness proceeding.
         (l)  Failure  to  demonstrate a reasonable degree of
    interest, concern or responsibility as to the welfare  of
    a  new  born  child  during  the  first 30 days after its
    birth.
         (m)  Failure by a parent to make reasonable  efforts
    to  correct  the  conditions  that were the basis for the
    removal  of  the  child  from  the  parent,  or  to  make
    reasonable progress toward the return of the child to the
    parent  within  12  months  after  an   adjudication   of
    neglected  minor,  abused  minor or dependent minor under
    the Juvenile Court Act or the Juvenile Court Act of 1987.
         (n)  Evidence  of  intent  to  forego  his  or   her
    parental  rights,  whether  or not the child is a ward of
    the court, (1) as manifested by his or her failure for  a
    period  of  12  months:  (i)  to visit the child, (ii) to
    communicate with the child or agency, although able to do
    so and not prevented from doing so by  an  agency  or  by
    court  order,  or  (iii) to maintain contact with or plan
    for the future of the child, although physically able  to
    do  so,  or  (2)  as  manifested by the father's failure,
    where he and the mother of the child  were  unmarried  to
    each  other  at  the  time  of  the child's birth, (i) to
    commence legal proceedings  to  establish  his  paternity
    under  the  Illinois  Parentage Act of 1984 or the law of
    the jurisdiction of the child's birth within 30  days  of
    being informed, pursuant to Section 12a of this Act, that
    he  is  the  father or the likely father of the child or,
    after being so informed where the child is not yet  born,
    within  30  days  of the child's birth, or (ii) to make a
    good faith effort to  pay  a  reasonable  amount  of  the
    expenses related to the birth of the child and to provide
    a  reasonable  amount  for  the  financial support of the
    child, the court to consider  in  its  determination  all
    relevant circumstances, including the financial condition
    of both parents; provided that the ground for termination
    provided  in  this  subparagraph (n)(2)(ii) shall only be
    available where the petition is brought by the mother  or
    the husband of the mother.
         Contact or communication by a parent with his or her
    child  that  does  not  demonstrate affection and concern
    does not constitute reasonable contact and planning under
    subdivision (n).  In  the  absence  of  evidence  to  the
    contrary,  the  ability  to  visit, communicate, maintain
    contact, pay expenses and plan for the  future  shall  be
    presumed.   The  subjective intent of the parent, whether
    expressed or otherwise, unsupported by  evidence  of  the
    foregoing  parental  acts  manifesting that intent, shall
    not preclude a determination that the parent has intended
    to forego his or her parental  rights.   In  making  this
    determination,  the  court  may  consider  but  shall not
    require a showing of diligent efforts  by  an  authorized
    agency  to  encourage  the  parent  to  perform  the acts
    specified in subdivision (n).
         It shall be an affirmative defense to any allegation
    under paragraph (2) of this subsection that the  father's
    failure was due to circumstances beyond his control or to
    impediments  created  by  the  mother or any other person
    having legal custody.  Proof of that fact need only be by
    a preponderance of the evidence.
         (o)  repeated or continuous failure by the  parents,
    although  physically and financially able, to provide the
    child with adequate food, clothing, or shelter.
         (p)  inability      to      discharge       parental
    responsibilities  supported  by competent evidence from a
    psychiatrist,  licensed  clinical   social   worker,   or
    clinical   psychologist   of  mental  impairment,  mental
    illness or mental retardation as defined in Section 1-116
    of the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Code,
    or developmental disability as defined in  Section  1-106
    of  that  Code,  and there is sufficient justification to
    believe  that  the  inability   to   discharge   parental
    responsibilities  shall  extend  beyond a reasonable time
    period.  However,  this  subdivision  (p)  shall  not  be
    construed  so  as  to  permit  a licensed clinical social
    worker to conduct  any  medical  diagnosis  to  determine
    mental illness or mental impairment.
         (q)  a  finding of physical abuse of the child under
    Section 4-8 of the Juvenile Court Act or Section 2-21  of
    the  Juvenile Court Act of 1987 and a criminal conviction
    of aggravated battery of the child.
    E.  "Parent" means the father or mother of  a  legitimate
or illegitimate child.  For the purpose of this Act, a person
who  has executed a final and irrevocable consent to adoption
or  a  final  and  irrevocable  surrender  for  purposes   of
adoption,  or whose parental rights have been terminated by a
court, is not a parent of the child who was  the  subject  of
the consent or surrender, unless the consent is void pursuant
to subsection O of Section 10.
    F.  A  person  is  available for adoption when the person
is:
         (a)  a child who has been surrendered  for  adoption
    to  an  agency  and  to  whose  adoption  the  agency has
    thereafter consented;
         (b)  a child to whose adoption a  person  authorized
    by  law,  other  than  his  parents, has consented, or to
    whose adoption no consent is required pursuant to Section
    8 of this Act;
         (c)  a child who is in the custody  of  persons  who
    intend  to  adopt  him  through  placement  made  by  his
    parents;
         (c-1)  a  child  for  whom  a  parent  has  signed a
    specific consent pursuant to subsection O of Section  10;
    or
         (d)  an  adult who meets the conditions set forth in
    Section 3 of this Act.
    A person who would otherwise be  available  for  adoption
shall not be deemed unavailable for adoption solely by reason
of his or her death.
    G.  The  singular  includes  the  plural  and  the plural
includes the singular and the "male" includes  the  "female",
as the context of this Act may require.
    H.  "Adoption   disruption"   occurs   when  an  adoptive
placement does not prove successful and it becomes  necessary
for  the  child  to  be  removed  from  placement  before the
adoption is finalized.
    I.  "Foreign placing agency" is an agency  or  individual
operating in a country or territory outside the United States
that  is  authorized  by  its  country  to place children for
adoption either directly with families in the  United  States
or through United States based international agencies.
    J.  "Immediate  relatives"  means the biological parents,
the parents of the biological parents  and  siblings  of  the
biological parents;
    K.  "Intercountry adoption" is a process by which a child
from a country other than the United States is adopted.
    L.  "Intercountry Adoption Coordinator" is a staff person
of  the  Department of Children and Family Services appointed
by the Director to coordinate the provision  of  services  by
the  public  and  private  sector  to  prospective parents of
foreign-born children.
    M.  "Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children"  is
a  law enacted by most states for the purpose of establishing
uniform procedures for handling the interstate  placement  of
children in foster homes, adoptive homes, or other child care
facilities.
    N.  "Non-Compact  state"  means  a  state  that  has  not
enacted the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children.
    O.  "Preadoption   requirements"   are   any   conditions
established  by  the  laws  or  regulations  of  the  Federal
Government  or  of  each  state that must be met prior to the
placement of a child in an adoptive home.
    P.  "Abused  child"  means  a  child  whose   parent   or
immediate  family  member,  or any person responsible for the
child's welfare,  or any individual residing in the same home
as the child, or a paramour of the child's parent:
         (a)  inflicts, causes to be inflicted, or allows  to
    be  inflicted  upon  the  child physical injury, by other
    than accidental means, that causes death,  disfigurement,
    impairment  of  physical  or emotional health, or loss or
    impairment of any bodily function;
         (b)  creates a substantial risk of  physical  injury
    to  the  child by other than accidental means which would
    be likely to cause death,  disfigurement,  impairment  of
    physical  or  emotional  health, or loss or impairment of
    any bodily function;
         (c)  commits or  allows  to  be  committed  any  sex
    offense against the child, as sex offenses are defined in
    the Criminal Code of 1961 and extending those definitions
    of  sex  offenses  to  include children under 18 years of
    age;
         (d)  commits or allows to be  committed  an  act  or
    acts of torture upon the child; or
         (e)  inflicts excessive corporal punishment.
    Q.  "Neglected  child"  means  any  child whose parent or
other person  responsible for the child's  welfare  withholds
or   denies  nourishment  or  medically  indicated  treatment
including food or care denied solely  on  the  basis  of  the
present  or  anticipated  mental  or  physical  impairment as
determined by a physician acting  alone  or  in  consultation
with  other  physicians  or  otherwise  does  not provide the
proper or necessary support, education as required by law, or
medical or other remedial care recognized under State law  as
necessary  for  a child's well-being, or other care necessary
for his or her well-being, including adequate food,  clothing
and  shelter;  or  who  is abandoned by his or her parents or
other person responsible for the child's welfare.
    A child shall not be considered neglected or  abused  for
the  sole  reason  that  the  child's  parent or other person
responsible for his or her  welfare  depends  upon  spiritual
means  through  prayer  alone  for  the  treatment or cure of
disease or remedial care as provided under Section 4  of  the
Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act.
    R.  "Putative  father"  means  a man who may be a child's
father, but who (1) is not married to the child's  mother  on
or  before  the  date that the child was or is to be born and
(2)  has not established paternity of the child  in  a  court
proceeding  before  the filing of a petition for the adoption
of the child.  The term includes a male who is less  than  18
years of age.
(Source: P.A.   88-20;  88-550,  eff.  7-3-94;  88-691,  eff.
1-24-95; 89-235, eff. 8-4-95; 89-704, eff. 1-1-98.)

    Section 20.  "An Act in relation  to  children,  amending
named Acts", approved January 28, 1997, Public Act 89-704, is
amended by adding Section 99 as follows:

    (P.A. 89-704, Sec. 99 new)
    Sec.  99.  Effective date.  This Act takes effect on July
1, 1997.

    Section 99.  Effective date.  This Act  takes  effect  on
July 1, 1997.

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