State of Illinois
90th General Assembly
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[ House Amendment 004 ]

90_HB0092ham002

                                           LRB9000717PTdvam02
 1                     AMENDMENT TO HOUSE BILL 92
 2        AMENDMENT NO.     .  Amend House Bill 92 by replacing the
 3    title with the following:
 4        "AN ACT concerning the care of children."; and
 5    on page 1,  immediately  below  line  27,  by  inserting  the
 6    following:
 7        "Section  10.   The  Adoption  Act is amended by changing
 8    Section 1 as follows:
 9        (750 ILCS 50/1) (from Ch. 40, par. 1501)
10        (Text of Section before amendment by P.A. 89-704)
11        Sec. 1.  Definitions.  When used in this Act, unless  the
12    context otherwise requires:
13        A.  "Child"  means  a  person  under legal age subject to
14    adoption under this Act.
15        B.  "Related child" means a  child  subject  to  adoption
16    where either or both of the adopting parents stands in any of
17    the   following  relationships  to  the  child  by  blood  or
18    marriage: parent, grand-parent, brother, sister, step-parent,
19    step-grandparent,  step-brother,  step-sister,  uncle,  aunt,
20    great-uncle, great-aunt, or cousin of first degree.  A  child
21    whose  parent  has  executed  a  final irrevocable consent to
                            -2-            LRB9000717PTdvam02
 1    adoption or a final irrevocable  surrender  for  purposes  of
 2    adoption,  or whose parent has had his or her parental rights
 3    terminated, is not a related child to that person.
 4        C.  "Agency" for the purpose of this Act means  a  public
 5    child welfare agency or a licensed child welfare agency.
 6        D.  "Unfit  person" means any person whom the court shall
 7    find to be unfit to have  a  child,  without  regard  to  the
 8    likelihood  that  the child will be placed for adoption.  The
 9    grounds of unfitness are any one or more of the following:
10             (a)  Abandonment of the child.
11             (b)  Failure to  maintain  a  reasonable  degree  of
12        interest,  concern  or  responsibility  as to the child's
13        welfare.
14             (c)  Desertion of the child for more than  3  months
15        next   preceding   the   commencement   of  the  Adoption
16        proceeding.
17             (d)  Substantial neglect of the child if  continuous
18        or repeated.
19             (e)  Extreme or repeated cruelty to the child.
20             (f)  Two  or  more findings of physical abuse to any
21        children under Section 4-8 of the Juvenile Court  Act  or
22        Section 2-21 of the Juvenile Court Act of  1987, the most
23        recent  of  which  was  determined  by the juvenile court
24        hearing  the  matter  to  be  supported  by   clear   and
25        convincing evidence; a criminal conviction resulting from
26        the  death  of  any  child  by physical child abuse; or a
27        finding of physical child abuse resulting from the  death
28        of  any child under Section 4-8 of the Juvenile Court Act
29        or Section 2-21 of the Juvenile Court Act of 1987.
30             (g)  Failure to protect the  child  from  conditions
31        within his environment injurious to the child's welfare.
32             (h)  Other  neglect  of,  or  misconduct  toward the
33        child; provided that in making a finding of unfitness the
34        court hearing the adoption proceeding shall not be  bound
                            -3-            LRB9000717PTdvam02
 1        by  any  previous finding, order or judgment affecting or
 2        determining the rights of the parents  toward  the  child
 3        sought  to be adopted in any other proceeding except such
 4        proceedings terminating parental rights as shall  be  had
 5        under  either  this  Act,  the  Juvenile Court Act or the
 6        Juvenile Court Act of 1987.
 7             (i)  Depravity.
 8             (j)  Open and notorious adultery or fornication.
 9             (j-1)  Conviction  of   first   degree   murder   in
10        violation  of  paragraph  1  or  2  of  subsection (a) of
11        Section 9-1 of the Criminal Code of 1961 or conviction of
12        second degree murder in violation of  subsection  (a)  of
13        Section  9-2  of the Criminal Code of 1961 of a parent of
14        the child to be adopted shall  create  a  presumption  of
15        unfitness   that  may  be  overcome  only  by  clear  and
16        convincing evidence.
17             (k)  Habitual drunkenness  or  addiction  to  drugs,
18        other  than those prescribed by a physician, for at least
19        one year immediately prior to  the  commencement  of  the
20        unfitness proceeding.
21             (l)  Failure  to  demonstrate a reasonable degree of
22        interest, concern or responsibility as to the welfare  of
23        a  new  born  child  during  the  first 30 days after its
24        birth.
25             (m)  Failure by a parent to make reasonable  efforts
26        to  correct  the  conditions  that were the basis for the
27        removal  of  the  child  from  the  parent,  or  to  make
28        reasonable progress toward the return of the child to the
29        parent  within  12  months  after  an   adjudication   of
30        neglected  minor,  abused  minor or dependent minor under
31        the Juvenile Court Act or the Juvenile Court Act of 1987.
32             For purposes of this Act, following an  adjudication
33        of neglected or abused minor or dependent minor under the
34        Juvenile  Court  Act  of 1987 and the parent's failure to
                            -4-            LRB9000717PTdvam02
 1        correct the conditions leading to the  determination,  it
 2        is  conclusively  presumed  that reasonable efforts under
 3        this subsection have failed upon a showing that:
 4                  (1)  a child under the age of  12  has  resided
 5             out  of the parental home under court order for more
 6             than one year following an  adjudication  of  abuse,
 7             neglect  or  dependency  under  Section  2-21 of the
 8             Juvenile Court Act of 1987;
 9                  (2)  conditions leading  to  the  determination
10             will   not   be   corrected  within  the  reasonably
11             foreseeable future; and
12                  (3)  reasonable efforts have been made  by  the
13             social service agency to rehabilitate the parent and
14             reunite the family.
15             This  provision does not prohibit the termination of
16        parental rights prior to one year after a child has  been
17        placed  out  of  the  home  under  this or other relevant
18        Sections of this Act.
19             It is also  conclusively  presumed  that  reasonable
20        efforts  have  failed  under  this  subsection,  and  for
21        purposes of this subsection only, upon a showing that:
22                  (1)  the   parent   has   been   diagnosed   as
23             chemically  dependent by a professional certified to
24             make the diagnosis;
25                  (2)  the parent has been  required  by  a  case
26             plan   to   participate  in  a  chemical  dependency
27             treatment program;
28                  (3)  the parent has failed 2 or more  times  to
29             successfully  complete  a  treatment  program or has
30             refused at  2  or  more  separate  meetings  with  a
31             caseworker  to  participate  in a treatment program;
32             and
33                  (4)  the parent continues to abuse chemicals.
34             Provided, that  this  presumption  applies  only  to
                            -5-            LRB9000717PTdvam02
 1        parents  required  by  a  case  plan  to participate in a
 2        chemical dependency treatment program  on  or  after  the
 3        effective date of this amendatory Act of 1997.
 4             (n)  Evidence   of  intent  to  forego  his  or  her
 5        parental rights, whether or not the child is  a  ward  of
 6        the  court, (1) as manifested by his or her failure for a
 7        period of 12 months: (i) to  visit  the  child,  (ii)  to
 8        communicate with the child or agency, although able to do
 9        so  and  not  prevented  from doing so by an agency or by
10        court order, or (iii) to maintain contact  with  or  plan
11        for  the future of the child, although physically able to
12        do so, or (2) as  manifested  by  the  father's  failure,
13        where  he  and  the mother of the child were unmarried to
14        each other at the time  of  the  child's  birth,  (i)  to
15        commence  legal  proceedings  to  establish his paternity
16        under the Illinois Parentage Act of 1984 or  the  law  of
17        the  jurisdiction  of the child's birth within 30 days of
18        being informed, pursuant to Section 12a of this Act, that
19        he is the father or the likely father of  the  child  or,
20        after  being so informed where the child is not yet born,
21        within 30 days of the child's birth, or (ii)  to  make  a
22        good  faith  effort  to  pay  a  reasonable amount of the
23        expenses related to the birth of the child and to provide
24        a reasonable amount for  the  financial  support  of  the
25        child,  the  court  to  consider in its determination all
26        relevant circumstances, including the financial condition
27        of both parents; provided that the ground for termination
28        provided in this subparagraph (n)(2)(ii)  shall  only  be
29        available  where the petition is brought by the mother or
30        the husband of the mother.
31             Contact or communication by a parent with his or her
32        child that does not  demonstrate  affection  and  concern
33        does not constitute reasonable contact and planning under
34        subdivision  (n).   In  the  absence  of  evidence to the
                            -6-            LRB9000717PTdvam02
 1        contrary, the ability  to  visit,  communicate,  maintain
 2        contact,  pay  expenses  and plan for the future shall be
 3        presumed.  The subjective intent of the  parent,  whether
 4        expressed  or  otherwise,  unsupported by evidence of the
 5        foregoing parental acts manifesting  that  intent,  shall
 6        not preclude a determination that the parent has intended
 7        to  forego  his  or  her parental rights.  In making this
 8        determination, the  court  may  consider  but  shall  not
 9        require  a  showing  of diligent efforts by an authorized
10        agency to  encourage  the  parent  to  perform  the  acts
11        specified in subdivision (n).
12             It shall be an affirmative defense to any allegation
13        under  paragraph (2) of this subsection that the father's
14        failure was due to circumstances beyond his control or to
15        impediments created by the mother  or  any  other  person
16        having legal custody.  Proof of that fact need only be by
17        a preponderance of the evidence.
18             (o)  repeated  or continuous failure by the parents,
19        although physically and financially able, to provide  the
20        child with adequate food, clothing, or shelter.
21             (p)  inability       to      discharge      parental
22        responsibilities supported by competent evidence  from  a
23        psychiatrist,   licensed   clinical   social  worker,  or
24        clinical  psychologist  of  mental   impairment,   mental
25        illness or mental retardation as defined in Section 1-116
26        of the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Code,
27        or  developmental  disability as defined in Section 1-106
28        of that Code, and there is  sufficient  justification  to
29        believe   that   the   inability  to  discharge  parental
30        responsibilities shall extend beyond  a  reasonable  time
31        period.   However,  this  subdivision  (p)  shall  not be
32        construed so as to  permit  a  licensed  clinical  social
33        worker  to  conduct  any  medical  diagnosis to determine
34        mental illness or mental impairment.
                            -7-            LRB9000717PTdvam02
 1             (q)  a finding of physical abuse of the child  under
 2        Section  4-8 of the Juvenile Court Act or Section 2-21 of
 3        the Juvenile Court Act of 1987 and a criminal  conviction
 4        of aggravated battery of the child.
 5        E.  "Parent"  means  the father or mother of a legitimate
 6    or illegitimate child.  For the purpose of this Act, a person
 7    who has executed a final and irrevocable consent to  adoption
 8    or   a  final  and  irrevocable  surrender  for  purposes  of
 9    adoption, or whose parental rights have been terminated by  a
10    court,  is  not  a parent of the child who was the subject of
11    the consent or surrender.
12        F.  A person is available for adoption  when  the  person
13    is:
14             (a)  a  child  who has been surrendered for adoption
15        to an  agency  and  to  whose  adoption  the  agency  has
16        thereafter consented;
17             (b)  a  child  to whose adoption a person authorized
18        by law, other than his  parents,  has  consented,  or  to
19        whose adoption no consent is required pursuant to Section
20        8 of this Act;
21             (c)  a  child  who  is in the custody of persons who
22        intend  to  adopt  him  through  placement  made  by  his
23        parents; or
24             (d)  an adult who meets the conditions set forth  in
25        Section 3 of this Act.
26        A  person  who  would otherwise be available for adoption
27    shall not be deemed unavailable for adoption solely by reason
28    of his or her death.
29        G.  The singular  includes  the  plural  and  the  plural
30    includes  the  singular and the "male" includes the "female",
31    as the context of this Act may require.
32        H.  "Adoption  disruption"  occurs   when   an   adoptive
33    placement  does not prove successful and it becomes necessary
34    for the  child  to  be  removed  from  placement  before  the
                            -8-            LRB9000717PTdvam02
 1    adoption is finalized.
 2        I.  "Foreign  placing  agency" is an agency or individual
 3    operating in a country or territory outside the United States
 4    that is authorized by  its  country  to  place  children  for
 5    adoption  either  directly with families in the United States
 6    or through United States based international agencies.
 7        J.  "Immediate relatives" means the  biological  parents,
 8    the  parents  of  the  biological parents and siblings of the
 9    biological parents;
10        K.  "Intercountry adoption" is a process by which a child
11    from a country other than the United States is adopted.
12        L.  "Intercountry Adoption Coordinator" is a staff person
13    of the Department of Children and Family  Services  appointed
14    by  the  Director  to coordinate the provision of services by
15    the public and  private  sector  to  prospective  parents  of
16    foreign-born children.
17        M.  "Interstate  Compact on the Placement of Children" is
18    a law enacted by most states for the purpose of  establishing
19    uniform  procedures  for handling the interstate placement of
20    children in foster homes, adoptive homes, or other child care
21    facilities.
22        N.  "Non-Compact  state"  means  a  state  that  has  not
23    enacted the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children.
24        O.  "Preadoption   requirements"   are   any   conditions
25    established  by  the  laws  or  regulations  of  the  Federal
26    Government or of each state that must be  met  prior  to  the
27    placement of a child in an adoptive home.
28        P.  "Abused   child"   means  a  child  whose  parent  or
29    immediate family member, or any person  responsible  for  the
30    child's welfare,  or any individual residing in the same home
31    as the child, or a paramour of the child's parent:
32             (a)  inflicts,  causes to be inflicted, or allows to
33        be inflicted upon the child  physical  injury,  by  other
34        than  accidental means, that causes death, disfigurement,
                            -9-            LRB9000717PTdvam02
 1        impairment of physical or emotional health,  or  loss  or
 2        impairment of any bodily function;
 3             (b)  creates  a  substantial risk of physical injury
 4        to the child by other than accidental means  which  would
 5        be  likely  to  cause death, disfigurement, impairment of
 6        physical or emotional health, or loss  or  impairment  of
 7        any bodily function;
 8             (c)  commits  or  allows  to  be  committed  any sex
 9        offense against the child, as sex offenses are defined in
10        the Criminal Code of 1961 and extending those definitions
11        of sex offenses to include children  under  18  years  of
12        age;
13             (d)  commits  or  allows  to  be committed an act or
14        acts of torture upon the child; or
15             (e)  inflicts excessive corporal punishment.
16        Q.  "Neglected child" means any  child  whose  parent  or
17    other  person   responsible for the child's welfare withholds
18    or  denies  nourishment  or  medically  indicated   treatment
19    including  food  or  care  denied  solely on the basis of the
20    present or  anticipated  mental  or  physical  impairment  as
21    determined  by  a  physician  acting alone or in consultation
22    with other physicians  or  otherwise  does  not  provide  the
23    proper or necessary support, education as required by law, or
24    medical  or other remedial care recognized under State law as
25    necessary for a child's well-being, or other  care  necessary
26    for  his or her well-being, including adequate food, clothing
27    and shelter; or who is abandoned by his  or  her  parents  or
28    other person responsible for the child's welfare.
29        A  child  shall not be considered neglected or abused for
30    the sole reason that  the  child's  parent  or  other  person
31    responsible  for  his  or  her welfare depends upon spiritual
32    means through prayer alone  for  the  treatment  or  cure  of
33    disease  or  remedial care as provided under Section 4 of the
34    Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act.
                            -10-           LRB9000717PTdvam02
 1        R.  "Putative father" means a man who may  be  a  child's
 2    father,  but  who (1) is not married to the child's mother on
 3    or before the date that the child was or is to  be  born  and
 4    (2)   has  not  established paternity of the child in a court
 5    proceeding before the filing of a petition for  the  adoption
 6    of  the  child.  The term includes a male who is less than 18
 7    years of age.
 8    (Source: P.A.  88-20;  88-550,  eff.  7-3-94;  88-691,   eff.
 9    1-24-95; 89-235, eff. 8-4-95.)
10        (Text of Section after amendment by P.A. 89-704)
11        Sec.  1.  Definitions.  When used in this Act, unless the
12    context otherwise requires:
13        A.  "Child" means a person under  legal  age  subject  to
14    adoption under this Act.
15        B.  "Related  child"  means  a  child subject to adoption
16    where either or both of the adopting parents stands in any of
17    the  following  relationships  to  the  child  by  blood   or
18    marriage: parent, grand-parent, brother, sister, step-parent,
19    step-grandparent,  step-brother,  step-sister,  uncle,  aunt,
20    great-uncle,  great-aunt, or cousin of first degree.  A child
21    whose parent has executed  a  final  irrevocable  consent  to
22    adoption  or  a  final  irrevocable surrender for purposes of
23    adoption, or whose parent has had his or her parental  rights
24    terminated, is not a related child to that person, unless the
25    consent is void pursuant to subsection O of Section 10.
26        C.  "Agency"  for  the purpose of this Act means a public
27    child welfare agency or a licensed child welfare agency.
28        D.  "Unfit person" means any person whom the court  shall
29    find  to  be  unfit  to  have  a child, without regard to the
30    likelihood that the child will be placed for  adoption.   The
31    grounds of unfitness are any one or more of the following:
32             (a)  Abandonment of the child.
33             (b)  Failure  to  maintain  a  reasonable  degree of
34        interest, concern or responsibility  as  to  the  child's
                            -11-           LRB9000717PTdvam02
 1        welfare.
 2             (c)  Desertion  of  the child for more than 3 months
 3        next  preceding  the   commencement   of   the   Adoption
 4        proceeding.
 5             (d)  Substantial  neglect of the child if continuous
 6        or repeated.
 7             (d-1)  Substantial   neglect,   if   continuous   or
 8        repeated, of any child residing in  the  household  which
 9        resulted in the death of that child.
10             (e)  Extreme or repeated cruelty to the child.
11             (f)  Two  or  more findings of physical abuse to any
12        children under Section 4-8 of the Juvenile Court  Act  or
13        Section 2-21 of the Juvenile Court Act of  1987, the most
14        recent  of  which  was  determined  by the juvenile court
15        hearing  the  matter  to  be  supported  by   clear   and
16        convincing  evidence;  a criminal conviction or a finding
17        of not guilty by reason of insanity  resulting  from  the
18        death  of any child by physical child abuse; or a finding
19        of physical child abuse resulting from the death  of  any
20        child  under  Section  4-8  of  the Juvenile Court Act or
21        Section 2-21 of the Juvenile Court Act of 1987.
22             (g)  Failure to protect the  child  from  conditions
23        within his environment injurious to the child's welfare.
24             (h)  Other  neglect  of,  or  misconduct  toward the
25        child; provided that in making a finding of unfitness the
26        court hearing the adoption proceeding shall not be  bound
27        by  any  previous finding, order or judgment affecting or
28        determining the rights of the parents  toward  the  child
29        sought  to be adopted in any other proceeding except such
30        proceedings terminating parental rights as shall  be  had
31        under  either  this  Act,  the  Juvenile Court Act or the
32        Juvenile Court Act of 1987.
33             (i)  Depravity.
34             (j)  Open and notorious adultery or fornication.
                            -12-           LRB9000717PTdvam02
 1             (j-1)  Conviction  of   first   degree   murder   in
 2        violation  of  paragraph  1  or  2  of  subsection (a) of
 3        Section 9-1 of the Criminal Code of 1961 or conviction of
 4        second degree murder in violation of  subsection  (a)  of
 5        Section  9-2  of the Criminal Code of 1961 of a parent of
 6        the child to be adopted shall  create  a  presumption  of
 7        unfitness   that  may  be  overcome  only  by  clear  and
 8        convincing evidence.
 9             (k)  Habitual drunkenness  or  addiction  to  drugs,
10        other  than those prescribed by a physician, for at least
11        one year immediately prior to  the  commencement  of  the
12        unfitness proceeding.
13             (l)  Failure  to  demonstrate a reasonable degree of
14        interest, concern or responsibility as to the welfare  of
15        a  new  born  child  during  the  first 30 days after its
16        birth.
17             (m)  Failure by a parent to make reasonable  efforts
18        to  correct  the  conditions  that were the basis for the
19        removal  of  the  child  from  the  parent,  or  to  make
20        reasonable progress toward the return of the child to the
21        parent  within  12  months  after  an   adjudication   of
22        neglected  minor,  abused  minor or dependent minor under
23        the Juvenile Court Act or the Juvenile Court Act of 1987.
24             For purposes of this Act, following an  adjudication
25        of neglected or abused minor or dependent minor under the
26        Juvenile  Court  Act  of 1987 and the parent's failure to
27        correct the conditions leading to the  determination,  it
28        is  conclusively  presumed  that reasonable efforts under
29        this subsection have failed upon a showing that:
30                  (1)  a child under the age of  12  has  resided
31             out  of the parental home under court order for more
32             than one year following an  adjudication  of  abuse,
33             neglect  or  dependency  under  Section  2-21 of the
34             Juvenile Court Act of 1987;
                            -13-           LRB9000717PTdvam02
 1                  (2)  conditions leading  to  the  determination
 2             will   not   be   corrected  within  the  reasonably
 3             foreseeable future; and
 4                  (3)  reasonable efforts have been made  by  the
 5             social service agency to rehabilitate the parent and
 6             reunite the family.
 7             This  provision does not prohibit the termination of
 8        parental rights prior to one year after a child has  been
 9        placed  out  of  the  home  under  this or other relevant
10        Sections of this Act.
11             It is also  conclusively  presumed  that  reasonable
12        efforts  have  failed  under  this  subsection,  and  for
13        purposes of this subsection only, upon a showing that:
14                  (1)  the   parent   has   been   diagnosed   as
15             chemically  dependent by a professional certified to
16             make the diagnosis;
17                  (2)  the parent has been  required  by  a  case
18             plan   to   participate  in  a  chemical  dependency
19             treatment program;
20                  (3)  the parent has failed 2 or more  times  to
21             successfully  complete  a  treatment  program or has
22             refused at  2  or  more  separate  meetings  with  a
23             caseworker  to  participate  in a treatment program;
24             and
25                  (4)  the parent continues to abuse chemicals.
26             Provided, that  this  presumption  applies  only  to
27        parents  required  by  a  case  plan  to participate in a
28        chemical dependency treatment program  on  or  after  the
29        effective date of this amendatory Act of 1997.
30             (n)  Evidence   of  intent  to  forego  his  or  her
31        parental rights, whether or not the child is  a  ward  of
32        the  court, (1) as manifested by his or her failure for a
33        period of 12 months: (i) to  visit  the  child,  (ii)  to
34        communicate with the child or agency, although able to do
                            -14-           LRB9000717PTdvam02
 1        so  and  not  prevented  from doing so by an agency or by
 2        court order, or (iii) to maintain contact  with  or  plan
 3        for  the future of the child, although physically able to
 4        do so, or (2) as  manifested  by  the  father's  failure,
 5        where  he  and  the mother of the child were unmarried to
 6        each other at the time  of  the  child's  birth,  (i)  to
 7        commence  legal  proceedings  to  establish his paternity
 8        under the Illinois Parentage Act of 1984 or  the  law  of
 9        the  jurisdiction  of the child's birth within 30 days of
10        being informed, pursuant to Section 12a of this Act, that
11        he is the father or the likely father of  the  child  or,
12        after  being so informed where the child is not yet born,
13        within 30 days of the child's birth, or (ii)  to  make  a
14        good  faith  effort  to  pay  a  reasonable amount of the
15        expenses related to the birth of the child and to provide
16        a reasonable amount for  the  financial  support  of  the
17        child,  the  court  to  consider in its determination all
18        relevant circumstances, including the financial condition
19        of both parents; provided that the ground for termination
20        provided in this subparagraph (n)(2)(ii)  shall  only  be
21        available  where the petition is brought by the mother or
22        the husband of the mother.
23             Contact or communication by a parent with his or her
24        child that does not  demonstrate  affection  and  concern
25        does not constitute reasonable contact and planning under
26        subdivision  (n).   In  the  absence  of  evidence to the
27        contrary, the ability  to  visit,  communicate,  maintain
28        contact,  pay  expenses  and plan for the future shall be
29        presumed.  The subjective intent of the  parent,  whether
30        expressed  or  otherwise,  unsupported by evidence of the
31        foregoing parental acts manifesting  that  intent,  shall
32        not preclude a determination that the parent has intended
33        to  forego  his  or  her parental rights.  In making this
34        determination, the  court  may  consider  but  shall  not
                            -15-           LRB9000717PTdvam02
 1        require  a  showing  of diligent efforts by an authorized
 2        agency to  encourage  the  parent  to  perform  the  acts
 3        specified in subdivision (n).
 4             It shall be an affirmative defense to any allegation
 5        under  paragraph (2) of this subsection that the father's
 6        failure was due to circumstances beyond his control or to
 7        impediments created by the mother  or  any  other  person
 8        having legal custody.  Proof of that fact need only be by
 9        a preponderance of the evidence.
10             (o)  repeated  or continuous failure by the parents,
11        although physically and financially able, to provide  the
12        child with adequate food, clothing, or shelter.
13             (p)  inability       to      discharge      parental
14        responsibilities supported by competent evidence  from  a
15        psychiatrist,   licensed   clinical   social  worker,  or
16        clinical  psychologist  of  mental   impairment,   mental
17        illness or mental retardation as defined in Section 1-116
18        of the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Code,
19        or  developmental  disability as defined in Section 1-106
20        of that Code, and there is  sufficient  justification  to
21        believe   that   the   inability  to  discharge  parental
22        responsibilities shall extend beyond  a  reasonable  time
23        period.   However,  this  subdivision  (p)  shall  not be
24        construed so as to  permit  a  licensed  clinical  social
25        worker  to  conduct  any  medical  diagnosis to determine
26        mental illness or mental impairment.
27             (q)  a finding of physical abuse of the child  under
28        Section  4-8 of the Juvenile Court Act or Section 2-21 of
29        the Juvenile Court Act of 1987 and a criminal  conviction
30        of aggravated battery of the child.
31        E.  "Parent"  means  the father or mother of a legitimate
32    or illegitimate child.  For the purpose of this Act, a person
33    who has executed a final and irrevocable consent to  adoption
34    or   a  final  and  irrevocable  surrender  for  purposes  of
                            -16-           LRB9000717PTdvam02
 1    adoption, or whose parental rights have been terminated by  a
 2    court,  is  not  a parent of the child who was the subject of
 3    the consent or surrender, unless the consent is void pursuant
 4    to subsection O of Section 10.
 5        F.  A person is available for adoption  when  the  person
 6    is:
 7             (a)  a  child  who has been surrendered for adoption
 8        to an  agency  and  to  whose  adoption  the  agency  has
 9        thereafter consented;
10             (b)  a  child  to whose adoption a person authorized
11        by law, other than his  parents,  has  consented,  or  to
12        whose adoption no consent is required pursuant to Section
13        8 of this Act;
14             (c)  a  child  who  is in the custody of persons who
15        intend  to  adopt  him  through  placement  made  by  his
16        parents;
17             (c-1)  a child  for  whom  a  parent  has  signed  a
18        specific  consent pursuant to subsection O of Section 10;
19        or
20             (d)  an adult who meets the conditions set forth  in
21        Section 3 of this Act.
22        A  person  who  would otherwise be available for adoption
23    shall not be deemed unavailable for adoption solely by reason
24    of his or her death.
25        G.  The singular  includes  the  plural  and  the  plural
26    includes  the  singular and the "male" includes the "female",
27    as the context of this Act may require.
28        H.  "Adoption  disruption"  occurs   when   an   adoptive
29    placement  does not prove successful and it becomes necessary
30    for the  child  to  be  removed  from  placement  before  the
31    adoption is finalized.
32        I.  "Foreign  placing  agency" is an agency or individual
33    operating in a country or territory outside the United States
34    that is authorized by  its  country  to  place  children  for
                            -17-           LRB9000717PTdvam02
 1    adoption  either  directly with families in the United States
 2    or through United States based international agencies.
 3        J.  "Immediate relatives" means the  biological  parents,
 4    the  parents  of  the  biological parents and siblings of the
 5    biological parents;
 6        K.  "Intercountry adoption" is a process by which a child
 7    from a country other than the United States is adopted.
 8        L.  "Intercountry Adoption Coordinator" is a staff person
 9    of the Department of Children and Family  Services  appointed
10    by  the  Director  to coordinate the provision of services by
11    the public and  private  sector  to  prospective  parents  of
12    foreign-born children.
13        M.  "Interstate  Compact on the Placement of Children" is
14    a law enacted by most states for the purpose of  establishing
15    uniform  procedures  for handling the interstate placement of
16    children in foster homes, adoptive homes, or other child care
17    facilities.
18        N.  "Non-Compact  state"  means  a  state  that  has  not
19    enacted the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children.
20        O.  "Preadoption   requirements"   are   any   conditions
21    established  by  the  laws  or  regulations  of  the  Federal
22    Government or of each state that must be  met  prior  to  the
23    placement of a child in an adoptive home.
24        P.  "Abused   child"   means  a  child  whose  parent  or
25    immediate family member, or any person  responsible  for  the
26    child's welfare,  or any individual residing in the same home
27    as the child, or a paramour of the child's parent:
28             (a)  inflicts,  causes to be inflicted, or allows to
29        be inflicted upon the child  physical  injury,  by  other
30        than  accidental means, that causes death, disfigurement,
31        impairment of physical or emotional health,  or  loss  or
32        impairment of any bodily function;
33             (b)  creates  a  substantial risk of physical injury
34        to the child by other than accidental means  which  would
                            -18-           LRB9000717PTdvam02
 1        be  likely  to  cause death, disfigurement, impairment of
 2        physical or emotional health, or loss  or  impairment  of
 3        any bodily function;
 4             (c)  commits  or  allows  to  be  committed  any sex
 5        offense against the child, as sex offenses are defined in
 6        the Criminal Code of 1961 and extending those definitions
 7        of sex offenses to include children  under  18  years  of
 8        age;
 9             (d)  commits  or  allows  to  be committed an act or
10        acts of torture upon the child; or
11             (e)  inflicts excessive corporal punishment.
12        Q.  "Neglected child" means any  child  whose  parent  or
13    other  person   responsible for the child's welfare withholds
14    or  denies  nourishment  or  medically  indicated   treatment
15    including  food  or  care  denied  solely on the basis of the
16    present or  anticipated  mental  or  physical  impairment  as
17    determined  by  a  physician  acting alone or in consultation
18    with other physicians  or  otherwise  does  not  provide  the
19    proper or necessary support, education as required by law, or
20    medical  or other remedial care recognized under State law as
21    necessary for a child's well-being, or other  care  necessary
22    for  his or her well-being, including adequate food, clothing
23    and shelter; or who is abandoned by his  or  her  parents  or
24    other person responsible for the child's welfare.
25        A  child  shall not be considered neglected or abused for
26    the sole reason that  the  child's  parent  or  other  person
27    responsible  for  his  or  her welfare depends upon spiritual
28    means through prayer alone  for  the  treatment  or  cure  of
29    disease  or  remedial care as provided under Section 4 of the
30    Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act.
31        R.  "Putative father" means a man who may  be  a  child's
32    father,  but  who (1) is not married to the child's mother on
33    or before the date that the child was or is to  be  born  and
34    (2)   has  not  established paternity of the child in a court
                            -19-           LRB9000717PTdvam02
 1    proceeding before the filing of a petition for  the  adoption
 2    of  the  child.  The term includes a male who is less than 18
 3    years of age.
 4    (Source: P.A.  88-20;  88-550,  eff.  7-3-94;  88-691,   eff.
 5    1-24-95; 89-235, eff. 8-4-95; 89-704, eff. 1-1-98.)
 6        Section  95.   No  acceleration or delay.  Where this Act
 7    makes changes in a statute that is represented in this Act by
 8    text that is not yet or no longer in effect (for  example,  a
 9    Section  represented  by  multiple versions), the use of that
10    text does not accelerate or delay the taking  effect  of  (i)
11    the  changes made by this Act or (ii) provisions derived from
12    any other Public Act.".

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