State of Illinois
92nd General Assembly
Legislation

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92_SB1647

 
                                               LRB9212472RCsb

 1        AN ACT in relation to minors.

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

 4        Section  5.  The Juvenile Court Act of 1987 is amended by
 5    changing Section 2-18 as follows:

 6        (705 ILCS 405/2-18) (from Ch. 37, par. 802-18)
 7        Sec. 2-18. Evidence.
 8        (1)  At the adjudicatory hearing, the court  shall  first
 9    consider  only  the  question  whether  the  minor is abused,
10    neglected or dependent. The standard of proof and  the  rules
11    of  evidence in the nature of civil proceedings in this State
12    are applicable to proceedings  under  this  Article.  If  the
13    petition  also  seeks  the  appointment  of a guardian of the
14    person with power to consent to adoption of the  minor  under
15    Section 2-29 or subsection (5) of Section 2-21, the court may
16    also consider legally admissible evidence at the adjudicatory
17    hearing  that  one  or more grounds of unfitness exists under
18    subdivision D of Section 1 of the Adoption Act.
19        (2)  In any hearing under this Act, the  following  shall
20    constitute  prima  facie evidence of abuse or neglect, as the
21    case may be:
22             (a)  proof that a minor has a medical  diagnosis  of
23        battered child syndrome is prima facie evidence of abuse;
24             (b)  proof  that  a minor has a medical diagnosis of
25        failure to thrive syndrome is  prima  facie  evidence  of
26        neglect;
27             (c)  proof  that  a minor has a medical diagnosis of
28        fetal  alcohol  syndrome  is  prima  facie  evidence   of
29        neglect;
30             (d)  proof  that  a minor has a medical diagnosis at
31        birth  of   withdrawal   symptoms   from   narcotics   or
 
                            -2-                LRB9212472RCsb
 1        barbiturates is prima facie evidence of neglect;
 2             (e)  proof  of  injuries  sustained by a minor or of
 3        the condition of a  minor  of  such  a  nature  as  would
 4        ordinarily  not be sustained or exist except by reason of
 5        the  acts  or  omissions  of  the  parent,  custodian  or
 6        guardian of such minor shall be prima facie  evidence  of
 7        abuse or neglect, as the case may be;
 8             (f)  proof that a parent, custodian or guardian of a
 9        minor  repeatedly  used a drug, to the extent that it has
10        or would ordinarily have the effect of producing  in  the
11        user  a  substantial  state  of  stupor, unconsciousness,
12        intoxication,    hallucination,     disorientation     or
13        incompetence, or a substantial impairment of judgment, or
14        a  substantial  manifestation  of irrationality, shall be
15        prima facie evidence of neglect;
16             (g)  proof that a parent, custodian, or guardian  of
17        a  minor  repeatedly  used  a  controlled  substance,  as
18        defined  in subsection (f) of Section 102 of the Illinois
19        Controlled Substances Act, in the presence of  the  minor
20        or  a  sibling  of  the  minor is prima facie evidence of
21        neglect.  "Repeated  use",  for  the  purpose   of   this
22        subsection,  means  more  than  one  use  of a controlled
23        substance as defined in subsection (f) of Section 102  of
24        the Illinois Controlled Substances Act;
25             (h)  proof  that a newborn infant's blood, urine, or
26        meconium contains any amount of a controlled substance as
27        defined in subsection (f) of Section 102 of the  Illinois
28        Controlled   Substances   Act,   or  a  metabolite  of  a
29        controlled substance, with the  exception  of  controlled
30        substances   or  metabolites  of  those  substances,  the
31        presence of which is  the  result  of  medical  treatment
32        administered to the mother or the newborn, is prime facie
33        evidence of neglect.
34        (3)  In  any  hearing under this Act, proof of the abuse,
 
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 1    neglect or  dependency  of  one  minor  shall  be  admissible
 2    evidence  on the issue of the abuse, neglect or dependency of
 3    any other minor for whom the respondent is responsible.
 4        (4) (a)  Any writing, record, photograph or x-ray of  any
 5    hospital  or public or private agency, whether in the form of
 6    an entry in a book or otherwise,  made  as  a  memorandum  or
 7    record  of  any  condition,  act,  transaction, occurrence or
 8    event relating to a minor in an abuse, neglect or  dependency
 9    proceeding,  shall be admissible in evidence as proof of that
10    condition, act, transaction,  occurrence  or  event,  if  the
11    court  finds that the document was made in the regular course
12    of the business of the hospital or agency and that it was  in
13    the  regular  course of such business to make it, at the time
14    of the act, transaction, occurrence or  event,  or  within  a
15    reasonable  time  thereafter.  A certification by the head or
16    responsible employee of  the  hospital  or  agency  that  the
17    writing, record, photograph or x-ray is the full and complete
18    record  of  the  condition,  act,  transaction, occurrence or
19    event and that it satisfies the conditions of this  paragraph
20    shall  be prima facie evidence of the facts contained in such
21    certification. A certification by someone other than the head
22    of the hospital or agency shall be accompanied by a photocopy
23    of a delegation of authority signed by both the head  of  the
24    hospital  or  agency  and  by  such other employee. All other
25    circumstances  of  the  making  of  the  memorandum,  record,
26    photograph or x-ray, including lack of personal knowledge  of
27    the  maker, may be proved to affect the weight to be accorded
28    such evidence, but shall not affect its admissibility.
29        (b)  Any indicated report filed pursuant  to  the  Abused
30    and  Neglected  Child  Reporting  Act  shall be admissible in
31    evidence.
32        (c)  Previous statements made by the  minor  relating  to
33    any  allegations  of  abuse or neglect shall be admissible in
34    evidence. However, no such statement, if  uncorroborated  and
 
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 1    not  subject  to  cross-examination,  shall  be sufficient in
 2    itself to support a finding of abuse or neglect.
 3        (d)  There shall be a rebuttable presumption that a minor
 4    is competent to testify in abuse or neglect proceedings.  The
 5    court  shall determine how much weight to give to the minor's
 6    testimony, and may allow the minor  to  testify  in  chambers
 7    with only the court, the court reporter and attorneys for the
 8    parties present.
 9        (e)  The  privileged  character  of communication between
10    any  professional  person  and  patient  or  client,   except
11    privilege  between  attorney  and  client, shall not apply to
12    proceedings subject to this Article.
13        (f)  Proof of  the  impairment  of  emotional  health  or
14    impairment  of  mental  or emotional condition as a result of
15    the failure of the respondent to exercise a minimum degree of
16    care toward a minor may include competent opinion  or  expert
17    testimony,   and  may  include  proof  that  such  impairment
18    lessened during a period when the  minor  was  in  the  care,
19    custody  or  supervision of a person or agency other than the
20    respondent.
21        (5)  In any hearing under this Act alleging  neglect  for
22    failure  to  provide  education  as  required  by  law  under
23    subsection  (1)  of  Section 2-3, proof that a minor under 13
24    years of age who is subject to compulsory  school  attendance
25    under  the  School  Code is a chronic truant as defined under
26    the School Code shall be prima facie evidence of  neglect  by
27    the  parent  or  guardian  in  any hearing under this Act and
28    proof that a minor who is 13 years of age  or  older  who  is
29    subject to compulsory school attendance under the School Code
30    is  a  chronic truant shall raise a rebuttable presumption of
31    neglect by the parent or guardian. This subsection (5)  shall
32    not apply in counties with 2,000,000 or more inhabitants.
33        (6)  In  any  hearing  under this Act, the court may take
34    judicial notice of prior sworn testimony or evidence admitted
 
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 1    in prior proceedings involving the  same  minor  if  (a)  the
 2    parties  were  either  represented  by  counsel at such prior
 3    proceedings or the right to counsel was knowingly waived  and
 4    (b)  the  taking  of  judicial  notice  would  not  result in
 5    admitting hearsay  evidence  at  a  hearing  where  it  would
 6    otherwise be prohibited.
 7    (Source:  P.A.  89-704,  eff. 8-16-97 (changed from 1-1-98 by
 8    P.A. 90-443); 90-608, eff. 6-30-98.)

 9        Section 10. The  Adoption  Act  is  amended  by  changing
10    Section 1 as follows:

11        (750 ILCS 50/1) (from Ch. 40, par. 1501)
12        Sec.  1.  Definitions.  When used in this Act, unless the
13    context otherwise requires:
14        A.  "Child" means a person under  legal  age  subject  to
15    adoption under this Act.
16        B.  "Related  child"  means  a  child subject to adoption
17    where either or both of the adopting parents stands in any of
18    the  following  relationships  to  the  child  by  blood   or
19    marriage: parent, grand-parent, brother, sister, step-parent,
20    step-grandparent,  step-brother,  step-sister,  uncle,  aunt,
21    great-uncle,  great-aunt,  or cousin of first degree. A child
22    whose parent has executed  a  final  irrevocable  consent  to
23    adoption  or  a  final  irrevocable surrender for purposes of
24    adoption, or whose parent has had his or her parental  rights
25    terminated, is not a related child to that person, unless the
26    consent  is  determined  to  be  void  or is void pursuant to
27    subsection O of Section 10.
28        C.  "Agency" for the purpose of this Act means  a  public
29    child welfare agency or a licensed child welfare agency.
30        D.  "Unfit  person" means any person whom the court shall
31    find to be unfit to have  a  child,  without  regard  to  the
32    likelihood  that  the  child will be placed for adoption. The
 
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 1    grounds of unfitness are any one or more  of  the  following,
 2    except  that a person shall not be considered an unfit person
 3    for the sole reason that the person has relinquished a  child
 4    in  accordance  with  the Abandoned Newborn Infant Protection
 5    Act:
 6             (a)  Abandonment of the child.
 7             (a-1)  Abandonment  of  a  newborn   infant   in   a
 8        hospital.
 9             (a-2)  Abandonment   of  a  newborn  infant  in  any
10        setting where  the  evidence  suggests  that  the  parent
11        intended to relinquish his or her parental rights.
12             (b)  Failure  to  maintain  a  reasonable  degree of
13        interest, concern or responsibility  as  to  the  child's
14        welfare.
15             (c)  Desertion  of  the child for more than 3 months
16        next  preceding  the   commencement   of   the   Adoption
17        proceeding.
18             (d)  Substantial  neglect of the child if continuous
19        or repeated.
20             (d-1)  Substantial   neglect,   if   continuous   or
21        repeated, of any child residing in  the  household  which
22        resulted in the death of that child.
23             (e)  Extreme or repeated cruelty to the child.
24             (f)  Two  or  more findings of physical abuse to any
25        children under Section 4-8 of the Juvenile Court  Act  or
26        Section  2-21 of the Juvenile Court Act of 1987, the most
27        recent of which was  determined  by  the  juvenile  court
28        hearing   the   matter  to  be  supported  by  clear  and
29        convincing evidence; a criminal conviction or  a  finding
30        of  not  guilty  by reason of insanity resulting from the
31        death of any child by physical child abuse; or a  finding
32        of  physical  child abuse resulting from the death of any
33        child under Section 4-8 of  the  Juvenile  Court  Act  or
34        Section 2-21 of the Juvenile Court Act of 1987.
 
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 1             (g)  Failure  to  protect  the child from conditions
 2        within his environment injurious to the child's welfare.
 3             (h)  Other neglect  of,  or  misconduct  toward  the
 4        child; provided that in making a finding of unfitness the
 5        court  hearing the adoption proceeding shall not be bound
 6        by any previous finding, order or judgment  affecting  or
 7        determining  the  rights  of the parents toward the child
 8        sought to be adopted in any other proceeding except  such
 9        proceedings  terminating  parental rights as shall be had
10        under either this Act, the  Juvenile  Court  Act  or  the
11        Juvenile Court Act of 1987.
12             (i)  Depravity.   Conviction   of  any  one  of  the
13        following crimes shall create a presumption that a parent
14        is depraved which can  be  overcome  only  by  clear  and
15        convincing evidence: (1) first degree murder in violation
16        of  paragraph  1 or 2 of subsection (a) of Section 9-1 of
17        the Criminal Code of 1961 or conviction of second  degree
18        murder  in  violation of subsection (a) of Section 9-2 of
19        the Criminal Code of 1961 of a parent of the child to  be
20        adopted;  (2) first degree murder or second degree murder
21        of any child in violation of the Criminal Code  of  1961;
22        (3)  attempt  or conspiracy to commit first degree murder
23        or second degree murder of any child in violation of  the
24        Criminal  Code of 1961; (4) solicitation to commit murder
25        of any child, solicitation to commit murder of any  child
26        for  hire, or solicitation to commit second degree murder
27        of any child in violation of the Criminal Code  of  1961;
28        or (5) aggravated criminal sexual assault in violation of
29        Section 12-14 12-14(b)(1) of the Criminal Code of 1961.
30             There  is  a rebuttable presumption that a parent is
31        depraved if the parent has been criminally  convicted  of
32        at  least  3 felonies under the laws of this State or any
33        other state, or under federal law, or the  criminal  laws
34        of any United States territory; and at least one of these
 
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 1        convictions  took  place  within 5 years of the filing of
 2        the petition or motion seeking  termination  of  parental
 3        rights.
 4             There  is  a rebuttable presumption that a parent is
 5        depraved if that parent has been criminally convicted  of
 6        either  first  or  second  degree murder of any person as
 7        defined in the Criminal Code of 1961 within 10  years  of
 8        the  filing  date  of the petition or motion to terminate
 9        parental rights.
10             (j)  Open and notorious adultery or fornication.
11             (j-1)  (Blank).
12             (k)  Habitual drunkenness  or  addiction  to  drugs,
13        other  than those prescribed by a physician, for at least
14        one year immediately prior to  the  commencement  of  the
15        unfitness proceeding.
16             There  is  a rebuttable presumption that a parent is
17        unfit under this subsection with respect to any child  to
18        which  that parent gives birth where there is a confirmed
19        test result that at birth the child's  blood,  urine,  or
20        meconium  contained  any amount of a controlled substance
21        as defined in  subsection  (f)  of  Section  102  of  the
22        Illinois Controlled Substances Act or metabolites of such
23        substances,  the  presence of which in the newborn infant
24        was not the result of medical treatment  administered  to
25        the  mother  or  the  newborn  infant; and the biological
26        mother of this child is the biological mother of at least
27        one other child who was  adjudicated  a  neglected  minor
28        under subsection (c) of Section 2-3 of the Juvenile Court
29        Act of 1987.
30             (l)  Failure  to  demonstrate a reasonable degree of
31        interest, concern or responsibility as to the welfare  of
32        a  new  born  child  during  the  first 30 days after its
33        birth.
34             (m)  Failure by a  parent  (i)  to  make  reasonable
 
                            -9-                LRB9212472RCsb
 1        efforts to correct the conditions that were the basis for
 2        the removal of the child from the parent, or (ii) to make
 3        reasonable progress toward the return of the child to the
 4        parent within 9 months after an adjudication of neglected
 5        or  abused  minor under Section 2-3 of the Juvenile Court
 6        Act of 1987 or dependent minor under Section 2-4 of  that
 7        Act,  or  (iii)  to  make  reasonable progress toward the
 8        return of the child to  the  parent  during  any  9-month
 9        period  after  the  end  of  the  initial  9-month period
10        following the adjudication of neglected or  abused  minor
11        under  Section  2-3  of the Juvenile Court Act of 1987 or
12        dependent minor under Section  2-4  of  that  Act.  If  a
13        service  plan  has  been  established  as  required under
14        Section 8.2 of the Abused and Neglected  Child  Reporting
15        Act to correct the conditions that were the basis for the
16        removal  of  the  child  from  the  parent  and  if those
17        services were available, then, for purposes of this  Act,
18        "failure to make reasonable progress toward the return of
19        the  child  to  the  parent"  includes  (I)  the parent's
20        failure to substantially fulfill his or  her  obligations
21        under  the  service  plan and correct the conditions that
22        brought the child into care within  9  months  after  the
23        adjudication  under  Section  2-3  or 2-4 of the Juvenile
24        Court Act of  1987  and  (II)  the  parent's  failure  to
25        substantially  fulfill  his  or her obligations under the
26        service plan and correct the conditions that brought  the
27        child  into  care during any 9-month period after the end
28        of the initial 9-month period following the  adjudication
29        under  Section  2-3  or  2-4 of the Juvenile Court Act of
30        1987.
31             (m-1)  Pursuant to the Juvenile Court Act of 1987, a
32        child has been in foster care for 15 months out of any 22
33        month period which begins on or after the effective  date
34        of  this amendatory Act of 1998 unless the child's parent
 
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 1        can prove by a preponderance of the evidence that  it  is
 2        more  likely  than  not  that  it  will  be  in  the best
 3        interests of the child  to  be  returned  to  the  parent
 4        within  6  months  of  the  date  on which a petition for
 5        termination  of  parental  rights  is  filed  under   the
 6        Juvenile  Court  Act  of 1987. The 15 month time limit is
 7        tolled during any period  for  which  there  is  a  court
 8        finding  that  the appointed custodian or guardian failed
 9        to make reasonable efforts to reunify the child with  his
10        or  her  family,  provided  that  (i)  the  finding of no
11        reasonable efforts is made within 60 days of  the  period
12        when  reasonable efforts were not made or (ii) the parent
13        filed a motion requesting  a  finding  of  no  reasonable
14        efforts  within  60  days  of  the period when reasonable
15        efforts were not made. For purposes of  this  subdivision
16        (m-1),  the  date  of entering foster care is the earlier
17        of: (i) the date of a judicial finding at an adjudicatory
18        hearing that  the  child  is  an  abused,  neglected,  or
19        dependent  minor; or (ii) 60 days after the date on which
20        the child is removed from his or her parent, guardian, or
21        legal custodian.
22             (n)  Evidence of intent to forgo his or her parental
23        rights, whether or not the child is a ward of the  court,
24        (1)  as  manifested by his or her failure for a period of
25        12 months: (i) to visit the child,  (ii)  to  communicate
26        with  the child or agency, although able to do so and not
27        prevented from doing so by an agency or by  court  order,
28        or  (iii) to maintain contact with or plan for the future
29        of the child, although physically able to do so,  or  (2)
30        as  manifested  by the father's failure, where he and the
31        mother of the child were unmarried to each other  at  the
32        time   of  the  child's  birth,  (i)  to  commence  legal
33        proceedings to establish his paternity under the Illinois
34        Parentage Act of 1984 or the law of the  jurisdiction  of
 
                            -11-               LRB9212472RCsb
 1        the  child's  birth  within  30  days  of being informed,
 2        pursuant to Section 12a of  this  Act,  that  he  is  the
 3        father  or the likely father of the child or, after being
 4        so informed where the child is not yet  born,  within  30
 5        days  of  the child's birth, or (ii) to make a good faith
 6        effort to pay a reasonable amount of the expenses related
 7        to the birth of the child and  to  provide  a  reasonable
 8        amount  for the financial support of the child, the court
 9        to   consider   in   its   determination   all   relevant
10        circumstances, including the financial condition of  both
11        parents;   provided   that  the  ground  for  termination
12        provided in this subparagraph (n)(2)(ii)  shall  only  be
13        available  where the petition is brought by the mother or
14        the husband of the mother.
15             Contact or communication by a parent with his or her
16        child that does not  demonstrate  affection  and  concern
17        does not constitute reasonable contact and planning under
18        subdivision  (n).  In  the  absence  of  evidence  to the
19        contrary, the ability  to  visit,  communicate,  maintain
20        contact,  pay  expenses  and plan for the future shall be
21        presumed. The subjective intent of  the  parent,  whether
22        expressed  or  otherwise,  unsupported by evidence of the
23        foregoing parental acts manifesting  that  intent,  shall
24        not preclude a determination that the parent has intended
25        to  forgo  his  or  her  parental  rights. In making this
26        determination, the  court  may  consider  but  shall  not
27        require  a  showing  of diligent efforts by an authorized
28        agency to  encourage  the  parent  to  perform  the  acts
29        specified in subdivision (n).
30             It shall be an affirmative defense to any allegation
31        under  paragraph (2) of this subsection that the father's
32        failure was due to circumstances beyond his control or to
33        impediments created by the mother  or  any  other  person
34        having  legal custody. Proof of that fact need only be by
 
                            -12-               LRB9212472RCsb
 1        a preponderance of the evidence.
 2             (o)  Repeated or continuous failure by the  parents,
 3        although  physically and financially able, to provide the
 4        child with adequate food, clothing, or shelter.
 5             (p)  Inability      to      discharge       parental
 6        responsibilities  supported  by competent evidence from a
 7        psychiatrist,  licensed  clinical   social   worker,   or
 8        clinical   psychologist   of  mental  impairment,  mental
 9        illness or mental retardation as defined in Section 1-116
10        of the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Code,
11        or developmental disability as defined in  Section  1-106
12        of  that  Code,  and there is sufficient justification to
13        believe  that  the  inability   to   discharge   parental
14        responsibilities  shall  extend  beyond a reasonable time
15        period.  However,  this  subdivision  (p)  shall  not  be
16        construed so as to  permit  a  licensed  clinical  social
17        worker  to  conduct  any  medical  diagnosis to determine
18        mental illness or mental impairment.
19             (q)  The parent has  been  criminally  convicted  of
20        aggravated  battery, heinous battery, or attempted murder
21        of any child.
22             (r)  The  child  is  in  the  temporary  custody  or
23        guardianship of the Department  of  Children  and  Family
24        Services,  the  parent  is  incarcerated  as  a result of
25        criminal conviction at the time the  petition  or  motion
26        for  termination  of  parental  rights is filed, prior to
27        incarceration the parent had little or  no  contact  with
28        the child or provided little or no support for the child,
29        and  the  parent's  incarceration will prevent the parent
30        from discharging his or her parental responsibilities for
31        the child for a period in excess of  2  years  after  the
32        filing  of  the  petition  or  motion  for termination of
33        parental rights.
34             (s)  The  child  is  in  the  temporary  custody  or
 
                            -13-               LRB9212472RCsb
 1        guardianship of the Department  of  Children  and  Family
 2        Services,  the  parent  is  incarcerated  at the time the
 3        petition or motion for termination of parental rights  is
 4        filed,  the  parent has been repeatedly incarcerated as a
 5        result of criminal convictions, and the parent's repeated
 6        incarceration has prevented the parent  from  discharging
 7        his or her parental responsibilities for the child.
 8             (t)  A  finding  that  at  birth  the child's blood,
 9        urine, or meconium contained any amount of  a  controlled
10        substance  as defined in subsection (f) of Section 102 of
11        the Illinois Controlled Substances Act, or  a  metabolite
12        of   a   controlled  substance,  with  the  exception  of
13        controlled substances or metabolites of such  substances,
14        the  presence  of  which  in  the  newborn infant was the
15        result of medical treatment administered to the mother or
16        the newborn infant, and that  the  biological  mother  of
17        this child is the biological mother of at least one other
18        child   who  was  adjudicated  a  neglected  minor  under
19        subsection (c) of Section 2-3 of the Juvenile  Court  Act
20        of  1987,  after  which  the  biological  mother  had the
21        opportunity to enroll in and participate in a  clinically
22        appropriate  substance  abuse  counseling, treatment, and
23        rehabilitation program.
24        E.  "Parent" means the father or mother of  a  legitimate
25    or  illegitimate child. For the purpose of this Act, a person
26    who has executed a final and irrevocable consent to  adoption
27    or   a  final  and  irrevocable  surrender  for  purposes  of
28    adoption, or whose parental rights have been terminated by  a
29    court,  is  not  a parent of the child who was the subject of
30    the consent or surrender, unless the consent is void pursuant
31    to subsection O of Section 10.
32        F.  A person is available for adoption  when  the  person
33    is:
34             (a)  a  child  who has been surrendered for adoption
 
                            -14-               LRB9212472RCsb
 1        to an  agency  and  to  whose  adoption  the  agency  has
 2        thereafter consented;
 3             (b)  a  child  to whose adoption a person authorized
 4        by law, other than his  parents,  has  consented,  or  to
 5        whose adoption no consent is required pursuant to Section
 6        8 of this Act;
 7             (c)  a  child  who  is in the custody of persons who
 8        intend  to  adopt  him  through  placement  made  by  his
 9        parents;
10             (c-1)  a child  for  whom  a  parent  has  signed  a
11        specific consent pursuant to subsection O of Section 10;
12             (d)  an  adult who meets the conditions set forth in
13        Section 3 of this Act; or
14             (e)  a child who has been relinquished as defined in
15        Section 10 of the  Abandoned  Newborn  Infant  Protection
16        Act.
17        A  person  who  would otherwise be available for adoption
18    shall not be deemed unavailable for adoption solely by reason
19    of his or her death.
20        G.  The singular  includes  the  plural  and  the  plural
21    includes  the  singular and the "male" includes the "female",
22    as the context of this Act may require.
23        H.  "Adoption  disruption"  occurs   when   an   adoptive
24    placement  does not prove successful and it becomes necessary
25    for the  child  to  be  removed  from  placement  before  the
26    adoption is finalized.
27        I.  "Foreign  placing  agency" is an agency or individual
28    operating in a country or territory outside the United States
29    that is authorized by  its  country  to  place  children  for
30    adoption  either  directly with families in the United States
31    or through United States based international agencies.
32        J.  "Immediate relatives" means the  biological  parents,
33    the  parents  of  the  biological parents and siblings of the
34    biological parents.
 
                            -15-               LRB9212472RCsb
 1        K.  "Intercountry adoption" is a process by which a child
 2    from a country other than the United States is adopted.
 3        L.  "Intercountry Adoption Coordinator" is a staff person
 4    of the Department of Children and Family  Services  appointed
 5    by  the  Director  to coordinate the provision of services by
 6    the public and  private  sector  to  prospective  parents  of
 7    foreign-born children.
 8        M.  "Interstate  Compact on the Placement of Children" is
 9    a law enacted by most states for the purpose of  establishing
10    uniform  procedures  for handling the interstate placement of
11    children in foster homes, adoptive homes, or other child care
12    facilities.
13        N.  "Non-Compact  state"  means  a  state  that  has  not
14    enacted the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children.
15        O.  "Preadoption   requirements"   are   any   conditions
16    established  by  the  laws  or  regulations  of  the  Federal
17    Government or of each state that must be  met  prior  to  the
18    placement of a child in an adoptive home.
19        P.  "Abused   child"   means  a  child  whose  parent  or
20    immediate family member, or any person  responsible  for  the
21    child's  welfare, or any individual residing in the same home
22    as the child, or a paramour of the child's parent:
23             (a)  inflicts, causes to be inflicted, or allows  to
24        be  inflicted  upon  the  child physical injury, by other
25        than accidental means, that causes death,  disfigurement,
26        impairment  of  physical  or emotional health, or loss or
27        impairment of any bodily function;
28             (b)  creates a substantial risk of  physical  injury
29        to  the  child by other than accidental means which would
30        be likely to cause death,  disfigurement,  impairment  of
31        physical  or  emotional  health, or loss or impairment of
32        any bodily function;
33             (c)  commits or  allows  to  be  committed  any  sex
34        offense against the child, as sex offenses are defined in
 
                            -16-               LRB9212472RCsb
 1        the Criminal Code of 1961 and extending those definitions
 2        of  sex  offenses  to  include children under 18 years of
 3        age;
 4             (d)  commits or allows to be  committed  an  act  or
 5        acts of torture upon the child; or
 6             (e)  inflicts excessive corporal punishment.
 7        Q.  "Neglected  child"  means  any  child whose parent or
 8    other person responsible for the child's welfare withholds or
 9    denies nourishment or medically indicated treatment including
10    food or care denied solely on the basis  of  the  present  or
11    anticipated  mental or physical impairment as determined by a
12    physician  acting  alone  or  in  consultation   with   other
13    physicians  or  otherwise  does  not  provide  the  proper or
14    necessary support, education as required by law,  or  medical
15    or   other  remedial  care  recognized  under  State  law  as
16    necessary for a child's well-being, or other  care  necessary
17    for  his or her well-being, including adequate food, clothing
18    and shelter; or who is abandoned by his  or  her  parents  or
19    other person responsible for the child's welfare.
20        A  child  shall not be considered neglected or abused for
21    the sole reason that  the  child's  parent  or  other  person
22    responsible  for  his  or  her welfare depends upon spiritual
23    means through prayer alone  for  the  treatment  or  cure  of
24    disease  or  remedial care as provided under Section 4 of the
25    Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act. A child  shall  not
26    be  considered  neglected  or abused for the sole reason that
27    the child's  parent  or  other  person  responsible  for  the
28    child's  welfare failed to vaccinate, delayed vaccination, or
29    refused  vaccination  for  the  child  due  to  a  waiver  on
30    religious or medical grounds as permitted by the law.
31        R.  "Putative father" means a man who may  be  a  child's
32    father,  but  who (1) is not married to the child's mother on
33    or before the date that the child was or is to  be  born  and
34    (2)  has  not  established  paternity of the child in a court
 
                            -17-               LRB9212472RCsb
 1    proceeding before the filing of a petition for  the  adoption
 2    of  the  child.  The term includes a male who is less than 18
 3    years of age. "Putative father" does not mean a  man  who  is
 4    the  child's  father  as a result of criminal sexual abuse or
 5    assault as defined under Article 12 of the Criminal  Code  of
 6    1961. A child shall not be considered neglected or abused for
 7    the  sole  reason  that  the  child's  parent or other person
 8    responsible for the  child's  welfare  failed  to  vaccinate,
 9    delayed vaccination, or refused vaccination for the child due
10    to  a  waiver on religious or medical grounds as permitted by
11    the law.
12        S.  "Standby adoption"  means  an  adoption  in  which  a
13    terminally  ill parent consents to custody and termination of
14    parental rights to become effective upon the occurrence of  a
15    future event, which is either the death of the terminally ill
16    parent  or the request of the parent for the entry of a final
17    judgment of adoption.
18        T.  "Terminally ill parent" means  a  person  who  has  a
19    medical   prognosis  by  a  physician  licensed  to  practice
20    medicine in all of  its  branches  that  the  person  has  an
21    incurable  and  irreversible  condition  which  will  lead to
22    death.
23    (Source: P.A. 91-357,  eff.  7-29-99;  91-373,  eff.  1-1-00;
24    91-572,  eff.  1-1-00;  92-16,  eff.  6-28-01;  92-375,  eff.
25    1-1-02;  92-408,  eff. 8-17-01; 92-432, eff. 8-17-01; revised
26    10-15-01.)

27        Section 99. Effective date. This Act  takes  effect  upon
28    becoming law.

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