HB0256 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB094 04963 RLC 34993 b

94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2005 and 2006
HB0256

Introduced 1/14/2005, by Rep. Mary E. Flowers

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

705 ILCS 405/2-27

from Ch. 37, par. 802-27

Amends the Juvenile Court Act of 1987. Provides that in cases relating to allegations of parental or custodial unfitness based upon neglect, dependency, or abuse of the minor, the Department of Children and Family Services, or the agency responsible, must submit a report to the court documenting the services offered and provided to preserve or reunify the family, and substantiating any determination of the success or failure of such services, and the court shall determine if such evidence is clear and convincing that such services will fail.

FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

A BILL FOR

AN ACT in relation to minors.

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

Section 5. The Juvenile Court Act of 1987 is amended by changing Section 2-27 as follows:

(705 ILCS 405/2-27) (from Ch. 37, par. 802-27)

Sec. 2-27. Placement; legal custody or guardianship.

(1) If the court determines and puts in writing the factual basis supporting the determination of whether the parents, guardian, or legal custodian of a minor adjudged a ward of the court are unfit or are unable, for some reason other than financial circumstances alone, to care for, protect, train or discipline the minor or are unwilling to do so, and that the health, safety, and best interest of the minor will be jeopardized if the minor remains in the custody of his or her parents, guardian or custodian, the court may at this hearing and at any later point:

(a) place the minor in the custody of a suitable relative or other person as legal custodian or guardian;

(a-5) with the approval of the Department of Children and Family Services, place the minor in the subsidized guardianship of a suitable relative or other person as legal guardian; "subsidized guardianship" means a private guardianship arrangement for children for whom the permanency goals of return home and adoption have been ruled out and who meet the qualifications for subsidized guardianship as defined by the Department of Children and Family Services in administrative rules;

(b) place the minor under the guardianship of a probation officer;

(c) commit the minor to an agency for care or placement, except an institution under the authority of the Department of Corrections or of the Department of Children and Family Services;

(d) commit the minor to the Department of Children and Family Services for care and service; however, a minor charged with a criminal offense under the Criminal Code of 1961 or adjudicated delinquent shall not be placed in the custody of or committed to the Department of Children and Family Services by any court, except a minor less than 13 years of age and committed to the Department of Children and Family Services under Section 5-710 of this Act. The Department shall be given due notice of the pendency of the action and the Guardianship Administrator of the Department of Children and Family Services shall be appointed guardian of the person of the minor. Whenever the Department seeks to discharge a minor from its care and service, the Guardianship Administrator shall petition the court for an order terminating guardianship. The Guardianship Administrator may designate one or more other officers of the Department, appointed as Department officers by administrative order of the Department Director, authorized to affix the signature of the Guardianship Administrator to documents affecting the guardian-ward relationship of children for whom he or she has been appointed guardian at such times as he or she is unable to perform the duties of his or her office. The signature authorization shall include but not be limited to matters of consent of marriage, enlistment in the armed forces, legal proceedings, adoption, major medical and surgical treatment and application for driver's license. Signature authorizations made pursuant to the provisions of this paragraph shall be filed with the Secretary of State and the Secretary of State shall provide upon payment of the customary fee, certified copies of the authorization to any court or individual who requests a copy.

(1.5) In making a determination under this Section, the court shall also consider whether, based on health, safety, and the best interests of the minor,

(a) appropriate services aimed at family preservation and family reunification services have been provided to the extent and in a manner that has not succeeded unsuccessful in rectifying the conditions that have led to a finding of unfitness or inability to care for, protect, train, or discipline the minor, or

(b) no family preservation or family reunification services would be appropriate,

and if the petition or amended petition contained an allegation that the parent is an unfit person as defined in subdivision (D) of Section 1 of the Adoption Act, and the order of adjudication recites that parental unfitness was established by clear and convincing evidence, the court shall, when appropriate and in the best interest of the minor, enter an order terminating parental rights and appointing a guardian with power to consent to adoption in accordance with Section 2-29. The Department of Children and Family Services, or the agency responsible, must submit a report to the court documenting the services offered and provided to preserve or reunify the family, and substantiating any determination of the success or failure of such services, and the court shall determine if such evidence is clear and convincing that such services will fail.

When making a placement, the court, wherever possible, shall require the Department of Children and Family Services to select a person holding the same religious belief as that of the minor or a private agency controlled by persons of like religious faith of the minor and shall require the Department to otherwise comply with Section 7 of the Children and Family Services Act in placing the child. In addition, whenever alternative plans for placement are available, the court shall ascertain and consider, to the extent appropriate in the particular case, the views and preferences of the minor.

(2) When a minor is placed with a suitable relative or other person pursuant to item (a) of subsection (1), the court shall appoint him or her the legal custodian or guardian of the person of the minor. When a minor is committed to any agency, the court shall appoint the proper officer or representative thereof as legal custodian or guardian of the person of the minor. Legal custodians and guardians of the person of the minor have the respective rights and duties set forth in subsection (9) of Section 1-3 except as otherwise provided by order of court; but no guardian of the person may consent to adoption of the minor unless that authority is conferred upon him or her in accordance with Section 2-29. An agency whose representative is appointed guardian of the person or legal custodian of the minor may place the minor in any child care facility, but the facility must be licensed under the Child Care Act of 1969 or have been approved by the Department of Children and Family Services as meeting the standards established for such licensing. No agency may place a minor adjudicated under Sections 2-3 or 2-4 in a child care facility unless the placement is in compliance with the rules and regulations for placement under this Section promulgated by the Department of Children and Family Services under Section 5 of the Children and Family Services Act. Like authority and restrictions shall be conferred by the court upon any probation officer who has been appointed guardian of the person of a minor.

(3) No placement by any probation officer or agency whose representative is appointed guardian of the person or legal custodian of a minor may be made in any out of State child care facility unless it complies with the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children. Placement with a parent, however, is not subject to that Interstate Compact.

(4) The clerk of the court shall issue to the legal custodian or guardian of the person a certified copy of the order of court, as proof of his authority. No other process is necessary as authority for the keeping of the minor.

(5) Custody or guardianship granted under this Section continues until the court otherwise directs, but not after the minor reaches the age of 19 years except as set forth in Section 2-31.

(6) (Blank).

(Source: P.A. 90-27, eff. 1-1-98; 90-28, eff. 1-1-98; 90-512, eff. 8-22-97; 90-590, eff. 1-1-99; 90-608, eff. 6-30-98; 90-655, eff. 7-30-98; 91-357, eff. 7-29-99.)