Senate Sponsors: O'MALLEY-KARPIEL-RAUSCHENBERGER-SIEBEN-WALSH,T, HAWKINSON, DILLARD AND PARKER. House Sponsors: FLOWERS-WINTERS-ERWIN-SCOTT-DART Short description: DCFS-CHILD PLACEMENT-RACE Synopsis of Bill as introduced: Amends the Children and Family Services Act. Provides that in placing a child under the Act, DCFS shall consider the desirability of permanent placement for the child, and there is a presumption that the child's best interests are for permanent placement rather than temporary placements. In the Section on limiting multiple placements, provides that in determining a child's best interests, DCFS shall give due, not sole, consideration to the child's race or ethnic heritage in making a family foster care placement. Amends the Adoption Act; provides that in determining a child's best interest, the court and the child's guardian with the power to consent to adoption shall not give the child's race or ethnic heritage priority over other relevant factors. Effective immediately. SENATE AMENDMENT NO. 1. Provides that DCFS shall not deny or delay placement of a child on the basis of the race or ethnic heritage of the child or the prospective foster parent or parents. HOUSE AMENDMENT NO. 1. Adds reference to: 20 ILCS 505/5 from Ch. 23, par. 5005 20 ILCS 505/7.5 new Further amends the Children and Family Services Act. Provides that DCFS shall (now may) make every effort to place a child with a relative who the Department has reason to believe will be able to adequately provide for the child's safety and welfare consistent with the Department's licensing standards (now if the Department has reason to believe that the relative will be able to adequately provide for the child's safety and welfare). Provides that the burden shall be on the Department to justify the child's placement elsewhere. Requires licensed child welfare agencies to develop plans for the creation of adequate pools of foster and adoptive families and plans for training those families. Requires State reimbursement of adoption service providers at various rates based upon type of placement. Requires DCFS to establish an Illinois Adoption Information Exchange. Requires DCFS to establish an automated Child Foster Care and Adoption Network by January 1, 1998 that lists available foster home living arrangements and adoptive parents. Contains other provisions. GOVERNORS AMENDATORY VETO MESSAGE Recommends that in placing a child under the Children and Family Services Act, DCFS may (rather than "shall make every effort to") place a child with a relative. Last action on Bill: BILL DEAD-AMENDATORY VETO Last action date: 97-11-15 Location: Senate Amendments to Bill: AMENDMENTS ADOPTED: HOUSE - 1 SENATE - 1 END OF INQUIRY Full Text Bill Status