SB3032eng 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SB3032 Engrossed LRB099 19268 KTG 43660 b

AN ACT concerning State government.

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

Section 1. The Children and Family Services Act is amended by adding Section 39.4 as follows:

(20 ILCS 505/39.4 new)

Sec. 39.4. Child Death Investigation Task Force. The Department of Children and Family Services may, from funds appropriated by the Illinois General Assembly to the Department of Children and Family Services, or from funds that may otherwise be provided for this purpose from other public or private sources, establish in the Southern Region of the State, as designated by the Department of Children and Family Services, a special Child Death Investigation Task Force to develop and implement a plan for the investigation of sudden, unexpected, or unexplained child fatalities or near fatalities for children under 18 years of age occurring within that region. The plan shall include a protocol to be followed. The plan must include provisions for local or State law enforcement agencies, hospitals, or coroners to promptly notify the Task Force of a sudden, unexpected, or unexplained child fatality or near fatality of a child, and for the Child Death Investigation Task Force to review the death and submit a report containing findings and recommendations to the Child Death Review Teams Executive Council, the Director of Public Health, the Director of Children and Family Services, the Department of Children and Family Services Inspector General, the appropriate State's Attorney, and the State Representative and State Senator in whose legislative districts the case arose. The plan may include coordination with any investigation conducted under the Children's Advocacy Center Act. On July 1 of each year, the Task Force shall submit a report to the Director of Children and Family Services, the General Assembly, and the Governor summarizing the results of the program together with any recommendations for statewide implementation of a protocol for the investigation of all sudden, unexpected, or unexplained child fatalities or near fatalities.

Section 5. The Child Death Review Team Act is amended by adding Section 50 as follows:

(20 ILCS 515/50 new)

Sec. 50. Child Death Review Team Transfer Task Force.

(a) The Child Death Review Team Transfer Task Force is created within the Department of Children and Family Services to develop an implementation plan to effectuate the transfer of the administration of all child death review teams from the Department of Children and Family Services to the Department of Public Health. The implementation plan shall provide for the complete transfer of all child death review teams to the Department of Public Health by July 1, 2018.

(b) The Task Force shall be co-chaired by the Director of Children and Family Services and the Director of Public Health and shall consist of the following members appointed as follows:

(1) One project manager appointed by the Director of Children and Family Services.

(2) One pediatrician knowledgeable about child abuse and neglect appointed by the Director of Children and Family Services.

(3) One forensic pathologist appointed by the Director of Public Health.

The Director of Children and Family Services and the Director of Public Health may each appoint additional members as necessary to carry out the functions of the Task Force.

(c) Members of the Task Force shall serve without compensation. Any vacancy occurring in the membership of the Task Force shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment.

(d) The Department of Children and Family Services shall provide administrative support to the Task Force.

(e) The Task Force is abolished and this Section is repealed on July 1, 2018.

(20 ILCS 515/45 rep.)

Section 15. The Child Death Review Team Act is amended by repealing Section 45.