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92_HB4208eng HB4208 Engrossed LRB9214880REpk 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) When a child is in need of an adoptive placement, 9 the Department shall examine its files and other available 10 resources and attempt to determine whether any biological 11 sibling of the child has been adopted. If the Department 12 determines that a biological sibling of the child has been 13 adopted, the Department shall make a good faith effort to 14 locate the adoptive parents of the sibling and inform them of 15 the 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 consider them as adoptive applicants for the 19 adoption of the child. The Department's final decision, 20 however, shall be based upon the welfare and best interest of 21 the child. In arriving at its decision, the Department shall 22 consider all relevant factors, including but not limited to: 23 (1) the wishes of the child; 24 (2) the interaction and interrelationship of the 25 child with the applicant to adopt the child; 26 (3) the child's need for stability and continuity 27 of relationship with parent figures; 28 (4) the child's adjustment to his or her present 29 home, school, and community; 30 (5) the mental and physical health of all 31 individuals involved; HB4208 Engrossed -2- LRB9214880REpk 1 (6) the family ties between the child and the 2 child's relatives, including siblings; 3 (7) the background, age, and living arrangements of 4 the applicant to adopt the child; 5 (8) a criminal background report of the applicant 6 to adopt the child. 7 (c) The Department may refuse to inform the adoptive 8 parents of a biological sibling of a child that the child is 9 available for adoption, as required under subsection (a), 10 only for a reason permitted under criteria adopted by the 11 Department by rule. 12 Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon 13 becoming law.