103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2023 and 2024
HB5508

 

Introduced 2/9/2024, by Rep. Kevin John Olickal

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
750 ILCS 50/15  from Ch. 40, par. 1519

    Amends the Adoption Act. Declares that it is the public policy of the State to favor adoption of a child by a relative unless it is shown by clear and convincing evidence that any such adoption would be harmful to the welfare of the child. Provides that any relative who wishes to adopt a child, and who is not already a party to the adoption proceeding, upon presentation of a written or oral motion to intervene shall be made a party to the adoption proceeding. Creates a list of relatives who may seek adoption of a related child.


LRB103 37595 JRC 67721 b

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

HB5508LRB103 37595 JRC 67721 b

1    AN ACT concerning civil law.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Adoption Act is amended by changing Section
515 as follows:
 
6    (750 ILCS 50/15)  (from Ch. 40, par. 1519)
7    Sec. 15.
8    (a) The welfare of the child shall be the prime
9consideration in all adoption proceedings. The court in
10entering a judgment of adoption shall, whenever possible, give
11custody through adoption to a petitioner or petitioners of the
12same religious belief as that of the child.
13    (b) It is the public policy of this State to favor adoption
14of a child by a relative unless it is shown by clear and
15convincing evidence that any such adoption would be harmful to
16the welfare of the child.
17    (c) Whenever a child is to be placed for adoption, any
18relative who wishes to adopt the child, and who is not already
19a party to the adoption proceeding, upon presentation of a
20written or oral motion to intervene shall be made a party to
21the adoption proceeding, except that no one who becomes a
22party under this subsection may exercise the rights granted by
23Section 2-1001 of the Code of Civil Procedure.

 

 

HB5508- 2 -LRB103 37595 JRC 67721 b

1    (d) When there is a grandparent who wishes to adopt, the
2court shall place the child with the Grandparent or
3grandparents, unless, after an evidentiary hearing, the court
4makes an express finding, based on clear and convincing
5evidence, that placement with a grandparent would be harmful
6to the child's welfare.
7    (e) When there is an adult sibling who wishes to adopt, the
8court shall place the child with the adult sibling, unless,
9after an evidentiary hearing, the court makes an express
10finding, based on clear and convincing evidence, that
11placement with a sibling would be harmful to the child's
12welfare.
13    (f) When no grandparent or older sibling is available,
14then, whenever there is an aunt or uncle who wishes to adopt,
15the court shall place the child with an aunt or uncle or both,
16unless, after an evidentiary hearing, the court makes an
17express finding, based on clear and convincing evidence, that
18placement with an aunt or uncle or both would be harmful to the
19child's welfare.
20    (g) When no grandparent, older sibling, aunt or uncle is
21available, then, whenever there is a cousin who wishes to
22adopt, the court shall place the child with a cousin or
23cousins, unless, after an evidentiary hearing, the court makes
24an express finding, based on clear and convincing evidence,
25that placement with a cousin or cousins would be harmful to the
26child's welfare.

 

 

HB5508- 3 -LRB103 37595 JRC 67721 b

1    (h) When no grandparent, older sibling, aunt, uncle or
2cousin is available, then, whenever there is a relative who
3wishes to adopt, the court shall place the child with a
4relative or relatives, unless, after an evidentiary hearing,
5the court makes an express finding, based on clear and
6convincing evidence, that placement with a relative would be
7harmful to the child's welfare.
8    (i) A grandparent, older sibling, aunt, uncle or cousin
9may waive his or her right to adopt a child conditioned on that
10child's being adopted by some other designated relative. If
11that designated relative fails to adopt the child, or if that
12designated relative does adopt the child and his or her
13parental rights to that child are subsequently terminated,
14then the rights waived under this subsection may be
15reasserted. No relative may waive and subsequently reassert
16rights in this manner more than twice, in any given adoption
17proceeding.
18    (j) The court, on motion of any party, or on its own
19motion, may enter an order requiring any relative who wishes
20to conditionally waive adoption rights under subsection (i),
21to name the designated relative or relatives within a certain
22amount of time, which may not be less than 30 days after being
23made a party to the adoption proceeding.
24(Source: P.A. 84-452.)