SB2895 - 104th General Assembly (2025-2026)

HEALING THROUGH HISTORY ACT
Last Action
3/05/2026 - Senate: Placed on Calendar Order of 3rd Reading March 10, 2026
Statutes Amended In Order of Appearance
New Act  
Synopsis As Introduced
Creates the Healing Through History Act. Requires the Department of Healthcare and Family Services to provide prospective adoptive families, no less than 30 days prior to adoption finalization, with a complete, unredacted copy of the child's full case record, including, but not limited to: (i) all placement histories and foster home records; (ii) all caseworker notes and observations; (iii) all educational, psychological, and behavioral reports; (iv) all therapy or counseling notes, subject to certain federal requirements; and (v) all medical records in full, including historical records. Provides that former foster youth aged 18 or older are entitled to receive the same information and records at no cost in both physical and digital form. Contains provisions concerning ongoing record access post-adoption or post-emancipation; the development of Department protocols and infrastructure necessary to collect, preserve, and transmit full child records; exemption and confidentiality protections; federal disclosure requirements; and other matters. Effective January 1, 2026.

Senate Committee Amendment No. 1
Deletes reference to:
New Act  
Adds reference to:
750 ILCS 50/18.4  from Ch. 40, par. 1522.4
Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Adoption Act. Requires the following information to be provided to adoptive parents if the child was placed in foster care before adoption: (1) whether the child was in the care of more than one foster home before adoption and the reason why the child was moved from one foster home to another foster home; (2) whether other children lived in the foster home during the time of the child's placement in the foster home; (3) basic information and details about each foster parent who cared for the child; and (4) any developmental milestones that occurred before adoption.
Actions
DateChamberAction
1/16/2026SenateFiled with Secretary by Sen. Darby A. Hills
1/16/2026SenateFirst Reading
1/16/2026SenateReferred to Assignments
2/03/2026SenateAssigned to Child Welfare
2/11/2026SenateAdded as Co-Sponsor Sen. Mary Edly-Allen
2/18/2026SenateSenate Committee Amendment No. 1 Filed with Secretary by Sen. Darby A. Hills
2/18/2026SenateSenate Committee Amendment No. 1 Referred to Assignments
2/24/2026SenateSenate Committee Amendment No. 1 Assignments Refers to Child Welfare
3/03/2026SenateSenate Committee Amendment No. 1 Adopted
3/04/2026SenateDo Pass as Amended Child Welfare; 008-000-000
3/04/2026SenatePlaced on Calendar Order of 2nd Reading March 5, 2026
3/04/2026SenateAdded as Co-Sponsor Sen. Elgie R. Sims, Jr.
3/04/2026SenateAdded as Co-Sponsor Sen. Adriane Johnson
3/04/2026SenateAdded as Chief Co-Sponsor Sen. Lakesia Collins
3/04/2026SenateAdded as Co-Sponsor Sen. Li Arellano, Jr.
3/05/2026SenateSecond Reading
3/05/2026SenatePlaced on Calendar Order of 3rd Reading March 10, 2026