HB4569 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB104 16805 KTG 30214 b

104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
HB4569

Introduced 1/30/2026, by Rep. Suzanne M. Ness

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

325 ILCS 5/4.2

Amends the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act. Provides that upon notification of a child's death through the State Central Register that is subsequently accepted for investigation of abuse or neglect, the Department of Children and Family Services shall conduct a formal review of all available internal records if any of the following conditions are present: (i) the deceased child was a youth in care at the time of death; (ii) the deceased child or the child's parent is or has been the subject of a permanency or intact family case with the Department; or (iii) the Department has a history of one or more prior investigations of abuse or neglect involving the deceased child or the child's parents. Requires the Department to evaluate the quality, timeliness, and appropriateness of previous actions taken and services provided to address identified safety and risk issues. Contains provisions concerning information that the Department must include in its report, including, but not limited to, the manner of the child's death, a summary of the abuse or neglect report made to the State Central Register, and other information. Requires the Department to complete its review within 10 days of receiving a case. Contains provisions requiring annual reports. Removes provisions concerning reporting requirements on cases where a child has experienced a life-threatening injury.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning children.

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

Section 5. The Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act is amended by changing Section 4.2 as follows:

(325 ILCS 5/4.2)

Sec. 4.2. Departmental report on death or serious life-threatening injury of child.

(a) When the Department is notified through the State Central Register of the death of a child and the report is accepted for investigation of abuse or neglect, the Department shall conduct a formal review of all available internal records if any of the following conditions are present:

(1) The deceased child was a youth in care at the time of death, regardless of the youth's age.

(2) The deceased child or the child's parent is or has been the subject of a permanency or intact family case with the Department.

(3) The Department has a history of one or more prior investigations of abuse or neglect involving the deceased child or the child's parents.

The formal review shall evaluate the quality, timeliness, and appropriateness of previous actions taken and services provided by the Department to address identified safety and risk issues.

In the case of the death or serious life-threatening injury of a child whose care and custody or custody and guardianship has been transferred to the Department, or in the case of a child abuse or neglect report made to the central register involving the death of a child, the Department shall (i) investigate or provide for an investigation of the cause of and circumstances surrounding the death or serious life-threatening injury, (ii) review the investigation, and (iii) prepare and issue a report on the death or serious life-threatening injury.

(b) The report shall include:

(1) (i) the manner cause of death or serious life-threatening injury, whether from natural, accident, suicide, homicide, or undetermined or other causes ;

(2) a brief summary of the report to the State Central Register involving the death of the child; , (ii) any extraordinary or pertinent information concerning the circumstances of the child's death or serious life-threatening injury

(3) , (iii) identification of any prior actions taken or child protective or other social services provided by the Department to the deceased child or parents and an evaluation of the quality, timeliness, and appropriateness of actions taken or services provided to address identified issues; or actions taken regarding the child or the child's family at the time of the death or serious life-threatening injury or within the preceding 5 years,

(4) identification of underlying conditions, such as multigenerational child welfare involvement, paramour involvement, domestic violence, mental health issues, substance use, economic stability, and developmental disabilities; (iv) any action or further investigation undertaken by the Department since the death or serious life-threatening injury of the child,

(5) (v) as appropriate, recommendations for State administrative or policy changes; and ,

(6) (vi) whether the alleged perpetrator of the abuse or neglect has been charged with committing a crime related to the report and allegation of abuse or neglect. , and (vii) a copy of any documents, files, records, books, and papers created or used in connection with the Department's investigation of the death or serious life-threatening injury of the child. In any case involving the death or near death of a child, when a person responsible for the child has been charged with committing a crime that results in the child's death or near death, there shall be a presumption that the best interest of the public will be served by public disclosure of certain information concerning the circumstances of the investigations of the death or near death of the child and any other investigations concerning that child or other children living in the same household.

If the Department receives from the public a request for information relating to a case of child abuse or neglect involving the death or serious life-threatening injury of a child, the Director shall consult with the State's Attorney in the county of venue and release the report related to the case, except for the following, which may be redacted from the information disclosed to the public: any mental health or psychological information that is confidential as otherwise provided in State law; privileged communications of an attorney; the identity of the individual or individuals, if known, who made the report; information that may cause mental or physical harm to a sibling or another child living in the household; information that may undermine an ongoing criminal investigation; and any information prohibited from disclosure by federal law or regulation. Any information provided by an adult subject of a report that is released about the case in a public forum shall be subject to disclosure upon a public information request. Information about the case shall also be subject to disclosure upon consent of an adult subject. Information about the case shall also be subject to disclosure if it has been publicly disclosed in a report by a law enforcement agency or official, a State's Attorney, a judge, or any other State or local investigative agency or official. Except as it may apply directly to the cause of the death or serious life-threatening injury of the child, nothing in this Section shall be deemed to authorize the release or disclosure to the public of the substance or content of any psychological, psychiatric, therapeutic, clinical, or medical reports, evaluation, or like materials or information pertaining to the child or the child's family.

(c) The Department shall complete the formal review within 10 days of receiving a case that meets the eligibility criteria set forth in paragraph (a). The Department shall prepare and issue an annual cumulative report that summarizes the findings of all such reviews. This report shall include non-identifying information and aggregated data and shall be submitted to the Governor and the General Assembly and published on the Department's website. No later than 6 months after the date of the death or serious life-threatening injury of the child, the Department shall notify the President of the Senate, the Minority Leader of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, and the members of the Senate and the House of Representatives in whose district the child's death or serious life-threatening injury occurred upon the completion of each report and shall submit an annual cumulative report to the Governor and the General Assembly incorporating cumulative data about the above reports and including appropriate findings and recommendations. The reports required by this subsection (c) shall be made available to the public after completion or submittal.

(d) To enable the Department to prepare the report required under subsection (c), the Department may request and shall timely receive from departments, boards, bureaus, or other agencies of the State, or any of its political subdivisions, or any duly authorized agency, or any other agency which provided assistance, care, or services to the deceased or injured child any information they are authorized to provide.

(Source: P.A. 103-22, eff. 8-8-23.)