101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2019 and 2020
HB2686

 

Introduced , by Rep. Margo McDermed

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
325 ILCS 5/3  from Ch. 23, par. 2053
325 ILCS 5/4
325 ILCS 5/4.02  from Ch. 23, par. 2054.02
325 ILCS 5/4.6 new

    Amends the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act. Adds youth athletic program workers as mandated reporters. Provides that recreational or athletic program or facility personnel who are required to report child abuse must complete mandated reporter training by a provider or agency with expertise in recognizing and reporting child abuse. Enhances the criminal penalty for any person who knowingly and willfully violates certain reporting requirements for mandated reporters. Makes a violation a Class 4 felony (rather than a Class A misdemeanor for a first violation and a Class 4 felony for a second or subsequent violation), except that if the person acted as part of a plan or scheme having as its object the prevention of discovery of an abused or neglected child by lawful authorities for the purpose of protecting or insulating any person or entity from arrest or prosecution, the person commits a Class 3 felony (rather than a Class 4 felony for a first offense and a Class 3 felony for a second or subsequent offense). Enhances the criminal penalty for any other person required to report suspected child abuse or neglect who willfully fails to report such abuse or neglect by making it a Class 4 felony (rather than a Class A misdemeanor for a first violation and a Class 4 felony for a second or subsequent violation). Requires a youth athletic program to have a background check performed for each youth athletic program worker by a reputable, licensed third-party vendor. Effective immediately.


LRB101 07734 KTG 52783 b

CORRECTIONAL BUDGET AND IMPACT NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

HB2686LRB101 07734 KTG 52783 b

1    AN ACT concerning children.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act is
5amended by changing Sections 3, 4, and 4.02 and by adding
6Section 4.6 as follows:
 
7    (325 ILCS 5/3)  (from Ch. 23, par. 2053)
8    Sec. 3. As used in this Act unless the context otherwise
9requires:
10    "Adult resident" means any person between 18 and 22 years
11of age who resides in any facility licensed by the Department
12under the Child Care Act of 1969. For purposes of this Act, the
13criteria set forth in the definitions of "abused child" and
14"neglected child" shall be used in determining whether an adult
15resident is abused or neglected.
16    "Agency" means a child care facility licensed under Section
172.05 or Section 2.06 of the Child Care Act of 1969 and includes
18a transitional living program that accepts children and adult
19residents for placement who are in the guardianship of the
20Department.
21    "Blatant disregard" means an incident where the real,
22significant, and imminent risk of harm would be so obvious to a
23reasonable parent or caretaker that it is unlikely that a

 

 

HB2686- 2 -LRB101 07734 KTG 52783 b

1reasonable parent or caretaker would have exposed the child to
2the danger without exercising precautionary measures to
3protect the child from harm. With respect to a person working
4at an agency in his or her professional capacity with a child
5or adult resident, "blatant disregard" includes a failure by
6the person to perform job responsibilities intended to protect
7the child's or adult resident's health, physical well-being, or
8welfare, and, when viewed in light of the surrounding
9circumstances, evidence exists that would cause a reasonable
10person to believe that the child was neglected. With respect to
11an agency, "blatant disregard" includes a failure to implement
12practices that ensure the health, physical well-being, or
13welfare of the children and adult residents residing in the
14facility.
15    "Child" means any person under the age of 18 years, unless
16legally emancipated by reason of marriage or entry into a
17branch of the United States armed services.
18    "Department" means Department of Children and Family
19Services.
20    "Local law enforcement agency" means the police of a city,
21town, village or other incorporated area or the sheriff of an
22unincorporated area or any sworn officer of the Illinois
23Department of State Police.
24    "Abused child" means a child whose parent or immediate
25family member, or any person responsible for the child's
26welfare, or any individual residing in the same home as the

 

 

HB2686- 3 -LRB101 07734 KTG 52783 b

1child, or a paramour of the child's parent:
2        (a) inflicts, causes to be inflicted, or allows to be
3    inflicted upon such child physical injury, by other than
4    accidental means, which causes death, disfigurement,
5    impairment of physical or emotional health, or loss or
6    impairment of any bodily function;
7        (b) creates a substantial risk of physical injury to
8    such child by other than accidental means which would be
9    likely to cause death, disfigurement, impairment of
10    physical or emotional health, or loss or impairment of any
11    bodily function;
12        (c) commits or allows to be committed any sex offense
13    against such child, as such sex offenses are defined in the
14    Criminal Code of 2012 or in the Wrongs to Children Act, and
15    extending those definitions of sex offenses to include
16    children under 18 years of age;
17        (d) commits or allows to be committed an act or acts of
18    torture upon such child;
19        (e) inflicts excessive corporal punishment or, in the
20    case of a person working for an agency who is prohibited
21    from using corporal punishment, inflicts corporal
22    punishment upon a child or adult resident with whom the
23    person is working in his or her professional capacity;
24        (f) commits or allows to be committed the offense of
25    female genital mutilation, as defined in Section 12-34 of
26    the Criminal Code of 2012, against the child;

 

 

HB2686- 4 -LRB101 07734 KTG 52783 b

1        (g) causes to be sold, transferred, distributed, or
2    given to such child under 18 years of age, a controlled
3    substance as defined in Section 102 of the Illinois
4    Controlled Substances Act in violation of Article IV of the
5    Illinois Controlled Substances Act or in violation of the
6    Methamphetamine Control and Community Protection Act,
7    except for controlled substances that are prescribed in
8    accordance with Article III of the Illinois Controlled
9    Substances Act and are dispensed to such child in a manner
10    that substantially complies with the prescription; or
11        (h) commits or allows to be committed the offense of
12    involuntary servitude, involuntary sexual servitude of a
13    minor, or trafficking in persons as defined in Section 10-9
14    of the Criminal Code of 2012 against the child.
15    A child shall not be considered abused for the sole reason
16that the child has been relinquished in accordance with the
17Abandoned Newborn Infant Protection Act.
18    "Neglected child" means any child who is not receiving the
19proper or necessary nourishment or medically indicated
20treatment including food or care not provided solely on the
21basis of the present or anticipated mental or physical
22impairment as determined by a physician acting alone or in
23consultation with other physicians or otherwise is not
24receiving the proper or necessary support or medical or other
25remedial care recognized under State law as necessary for a
26child's well-being, or other care necessary for his or her

 

 

HB2686- 5 -LRB101 07734 KTG 52783 b

1well-being, including adequate food, clothing and shelter; or
2who is subjected to an environment which is injurious insofar
3as (i) the child's environment creates a likelihood of harm to
4the child's health, physical well-being, or welfare and (ii)
5the likely harm to the child is the result of a blatant
6disregard of parent, caretaker, or agency responsibilities; or
7who is abandoned by his or her parents or other person
8responsible for the child's welfare without a proper plan of
9care; or who has been provided with interim crisis intervention
10services under Section 3-5 of the Juvenile Court Act of 1987
11and whose parent, guardian, or custodian refuses to permit the
12child to return home and no other living arrangement agreeable
13to the parent, guardian, or custodian can be made, and the
14parent, guardian, or custodian has not made any other
15appropriate living arrangement for the child; or who is a
16newborn infant whose blood, urine, or meconium contains any
17amount of a controlled substance as defined in subsection (f)
18of Section 102 of the Illinois Controlled Substances Act or a
19metabolite thereof, with the exception of a controlled
20substance or metabolite thereof whose presence in the newborn
21infant is the result of medical treatment administered to the
22mother or the newborn infant. A child shall not be considered
23neglected for the sole reason that the child's parent or other
24person responsible for his or her welfare has left the child in
25the care of an adult relative for any period of time. A child
26shall not be considered neglected for the sole reason that the

 

 

HB2686- 6 -LRB101 07734 KTG 52783 b

1child has been relinquished in accordance with the Abandoned
2Newborn Infant Protection Act. A child shall not be considered
3neglected or abused for the sole reason that such child's
4parent or other person responsible for his or her welfare
5depends upon spiritual means through prayer alone for the
6treatment or cure of disease or remedial care as provided under
7Section 4 of this Act. A child shall not be considered
8neglected or abused solely because the child is not attending
9school in accordance with the requirements of Article 26 of The
10School Code, as amended.
11    "Child Protective Service Unit" means certain specialized
12State employees of the Department assigned by the Director to
13perform the duties and responsibilities as provided under
14Section 7.2 of this Act.
15    "Near fatality" means an act that, as certified by a
16physician, places the child in serious or critical condition,
17including acts of great bodily harm inflicted upon children
18under 13 years of age, and as otherwise defined by Department
19rule.
20    "Great bodily harm" includes bodily injury which creates a
21high probability of death, or which causes serious permanent
22disfigurement, or which causes a permanent or protracted loss
23or impairment of the function of any bodily member or organ, or
24other serious bodily harm.
25    "Person responsible for the child's welfare" means the
26child's parent; guardian; foster parent; relative caregiver;

 

 

HB2686- 7 -LRB101 07734 KTG 52783 b

1any person responsible for the child's welfare in a public or
2private residential agency or institution; any person
3responsible for the child's welfare within a public or private
4profit or not for profit child care facility; or any other
5person responsible for the child's welfare at the time of the
6alleged abuse or neglect, including any person that is the
7custodian of a child under 18 years of age who commits or
8allows to be committed, against the child, the offense of
9involuntary servitude, involuntary sexual servitude of a
10minor, or trafficking in persons for forced labor or services,
11as provided in Section 10-9 of the Criminal Code of 2012, or
12any person who came to know the child through an official
13capacity or position of trust, including but not limited to
14health care professionals, educational personnel, recreational
15supervisors, members of the clergy, and volunteers or support
16personnel in any setting where children may be subject to abuse
17or neglect.
18    "Temporary protective custody" means custody within a
19hospital or other medical facility or a place previously
20designated for such custody by the Department, subject to
21review by the Court, including a licensed foster home, group
22home, or other institution; but such place shall not be a jail
23or other place for the detention of criminal or juvenile
24offenders.
25    "An unfounded report" means any report made under this Act
26for which it is determined after an investigation that no

 

 

HB2686- 8 -LRB101 07734 KTG 52783 b

1credible evidence of abuse or neglect exists.
2    "An indicated report" means a report made under this Act if
3an investigation determines that credible evidence of the
4alleged abuse or neglect exists.
5    "An undetermined report" means any report made under this
6Act in which it was not possible to initiate or complete an
7investigation on the basis of information provided to the
8Department.
9    "Subject of report" means any child reported to the central
10register of child abuse and neglect established under Section
117.7 of this Act as an alleged victim of child abuse or neglect
12and the parent or guardian of the alleged victim or other
13person responsible for the alleged victim's welfare who is
14named in the report or added to the report as an alleged
15perpetrator of child abuse or neglect.
16    "Perpetrator" means a person who, as a result of
17investigation, has been determined by the Department to have
18caused child abuse or neglect.
19    "Member of the clergy" means a clergyman or practitioner of
20any religious denomination accredited by the religious body to
21which he or she belongs.
22    "Youth athletic program worker" means an individual
23performing services for a youth athletic program including, but
24not limited to, coaches, doctors, and program employees.
25(Source: P.A. 99-350, eff. 6-1-16; 100-733, eff. 1-1-19.)
 

 

 

HB2686- 9 -LRB101 07734 KTG 52783 b

1    (325 ILCS 5/4)
2    Sec. 4. Persons required to report; privileged
3communications; transmitting false report. Any youth athletic
4program worker, physician, resident, intern, hospital,
5hospital administrator and personnel engaged in examination,
6care and treatment of persons, surgeon, dentist, dentist
7hygienist, osteopath, chiropractor, podiatric physician,
8physician assistant, substance abuse treatment personnel,
9funeral home director or employee, coroner, medical examiner,
10emergency medical technician, acupuncturist, crisis line or
11hotline personnel, school personnel (including administrators
12and both certified and non-certified school employees),
13personnel of institutions of higher education, educational
14advocate assigned to a child pursuant to the School Code,
15member of a school board or the Chicago Board of Education or
16the governing body of a private school (but only to the extent
17required in accordance with other provisions of this Section
18expressly concerning the duty of school board members to report
19suspected child abuse), truant officers, social worker, social
20services administrator, domestic violence program personnel,
21registered nurse, licensed practical nurse, genetic counselor,
22respiratory care practitioner, advanced practice registered
23nurse, home health aide, director or staff assistant of a
24nursery school or a child day care center, recreational or
25athletic program or facility personnel, early intervention
26provider as defined in the Early Intervention Services System

 

 

HB2686- 10 -LRB101 07734 KTG 52783 b

1Act, law enforcement officer, licensed professional counselor,
2licensed clinical professional counselor, registered
3psychologist and assistants working under the direct
4supervision of a psychologist, psychiatrist, or field
5personnel of the Department of Healthcare and Family Services,
6Juvenile Justice, Public Health, Human Services (acting as
7successor to the Department of Mental Health and Developmental
8Disabilities, Rehabilitation Services, or Public Aid),
9Corrections, Human Rights, or Children and Family Services,
10supervisor and administrator of general assistance under the
11Illinois Public Aid Code, probation officer, animal control
12officer or Illinois Department of Agriculture Bureau of Animal
13Health and Welfare field investigator, or any other foster
14parent, homemaker or child care worker having reasonable cause
15to believe a child known to them in their professional or
16official capacity may be an abused child or a neglected child
17shall immediately report or cause a report to be made to the
18Department.
19    Any member of the clergy having reasonable cause to believe
20that a child known to that member of the clergy in his or her
21professional capacity may be an abused child as defined in item
22(c) of the definition of "abused child" in Section 3 of this
23Act shall immediately report or cause a report to be made to
24the Department.
25    Any physician, physician's assistant, registered nurse,
26licensed practical nurse, medical technician, certified

 

 

HB2686- 11 -LRB101 07734 KTG 52783 b

1nursing assistant, social worker, or licensed professional
2counselor of any office, clinic, or any other physical location
3that provides abortions, abortion referrals, or contraceptives
4having reasonable cause to believe a child known to him or her
5in his or her professional or official capacity may be an
6abused child or a neglected child shall immediately report or
7cause a report to be made to the Department.
8    If an allegation is raised to a school board member during
9the course of an open or closed school board meeting that a
10child who is enrolled in the school district of which he or she
11is a board member is an abused child as defined in Section 3 of
12this Act, the member shall direct or cause the school board to
13direct the superintendent of the school district or other
14equivalent school administrator to comply with the
15requirements of this Act concerning the reporting of child
16abuse. For purposes of this paragraph, a school board member is
17granted the authority in his or her individual capacity to
18direct the superintendent of the school district or other
19equivalent school administrator to comply with the
20requirements of this Act concerning the reporting of child
21abuse.
22    Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, if an
23employee of a school district has made a report or caused a
24report to be made to the Department under this Act involving
25the conduct of a current or former employee of the school
26district and a request is made by another school district for

 

 

HB2686- 12 -LRB101 07734 KTG 52783 b

1the provision of information concerning the job performance or
2qualifications of the current or former employee because he or
3she is an applicant for employment with the requesting school
4district, the general superintendent of the school district to
5which the request is being made must disclose to the requesting
6school district the fact that an employee of the school
7district has made a report involving the conduct of the
8applicant or caused a report to be made to the Department, as
9required under this Act. Only the fact that an employee of the
10school district has made a report involving the conduct of the
11applicant or caused a report to be made to the Department may
12be disclosed by the general superintendent of the school
13district to which the request for information concerning the
14applicant is made, and this fact may be disclosed only in cases
15where the employee and the general superintendent have not been
16informed by the Department that the allegations were unfounded.
17An employee of a school district who is or has been the subject
18of a report made pursuant to this Act during his or her
19employment with the school district must be informed by that
20school district that if he or she applies for employment with
21another school district, the general superintendent of the
22former school district, upon the request of the school district
23to which the employee applies, shall notify that requesting
24school district that the employee is or was the subject of such
25a report.
26    Whenever such person is required to report under this Act

 

 

HB2686- 13 -LRB101 07734 KTG 52783 b

1in his capacity as a member of the staff of a medical or other
2public or private institution, school, facility or agency, or
3as a member of the clergy, he shall make report immediately to
4the Department in accordance with the provisions of this Act
5and may also notify the person in charge of such institution,
6school, facility or agency, or church, synagogue, temple,
7mosque, or other religious institution, or his designated agent
8that such report has been made. Under no circumstances shall
9any person in charge of such institution, school, facility or
10agency, or church, synagogue, temple, mosque, or other
11religious institution, or his designated agent to whom such
12notification has been made, exercise any control, restraint,
13modification or other change in the report or the forwarding of
14such report to the Department.
15    The privileged quality of communication between any
16professional person required to report and his patient or
17client shall not apply to situations involving abused or
18neglected children and shall not constitute grounds for failure
19to report as required by this Act or constitute grounds for
20failure to share information or documents with the Department
21during the course of a child abuse or neglect investigation. If
22requested by the professional, the Department shall confirm in
23writing that the information or documents disclosed by the
24professional were gathered in the course of a child abuse or
25neglect investigation.
26    The reporting requirements of this Act shall not apply to

 

 

HB2686- 14 -LRB101 07734 KTG 52783 b

1the contents of a privileged communication between an attorney
2and his or her client or to confidential information within the
3meaning of Rule 1.6 of the Illinois Rules of Professional
4Conduct relating to the legal representation of an individual
5client.
6    A member of the clergy may claim the privilege under
7Section 8-803 of the Code of Civil Procedure.
8    Any office, clinic, or any other physical location that
9provides abortions, abortion referrals, or contraceptives
10shall provide to all office personnel copies of written
11information and training materials about abuse and neglect and
12the requirements of this Act that are provided to employees of
13the office, clinic, or physical location who are required to
14make reports to the Department under this Act, and instruct
15such office personnel to bring to the attention of an employee
16of the office, clinic, or physical location who is required to
17make reports to the Department under this Act any reasonable
18suspicion that a child known to him or her in his or her
19professional or official capacity may be an abused child or a
20neglected child. In addition to the above persons required to
21report suspected cases of abused or neglected children, any
22other person may make a report if such person has reasonable
23cause to believe a child may be an abused child or a neglected
24child.
25    Any person who enters into employment on and after July 1,
261986 and is mandated by virtue of that employment to report

 

 

HB2686- 15 -LRB101 07734 KTG 52783 b

1under this Act, shall sign a statement on a form prescribed by
2the Department, to the effect that the employee has knowledge
3and understanding of the reporting requirements of this Act. On
4and after January 1, 2019, the statement shall also include
5information about available mandated reporter training
6provided by the Department. The statement shall be signed prior
7to commencement of the employment. The signed statement shall
8be retained by the employer. The cost of printing,
9distribution, and filing of the statement shall be borne by the
10employer.
11    Within one year of initial employment and at least every 5
12years thereafter, school personnel and recreational or
13athletic program or facility personnel required to report child
14abuse as provided under this Section must complete mandated
15reporter training by a provider or agency with expertise in
16recognizing and reporting child abuse.
17    The Department shall provide copies of this Act, upon
18request, to all employers employing persons who shall be
19required under the provisions of this Section to report under
20this Act.
21    Any person who knowingly transmits a false report to the
22Department commits the offense of disorderly conduct under
23subsection (a)(7) of Section 26-1 of the Criminal Code of 2012.
24A violation of this provision is a Class 4 felony.
25    Any person who knowingly and willfully violates any
26provision of this Section other than a second or subsequent

 

 

HB2686- 16 -LRB101 07734 KTG 52783 b

1violation of transmitting a false report as described in the
2preceding paragraph, is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor for a
3first violation and a Class 4 felony for a second or subsequent
4violation; except that if the person acted as part of a plan or
5scheme having as its object the prevention of discovery of an
6abused or neglected child by lawful authorities for the purpose
7of protecting or insulating any person or entity from arrest or
8prosecution, the person is guilty of a Class 4 felony for a
9first offense and a Class 3 felony for a second or subsequent
10offense (regardless of whether the second or subsequent offense
11involves any of the same facts or persons as the first or other
12prior offense).
13    A child whose parent, guardian or custodian in good faith
14selects and depends upon spiritual means through prayer alone
15for the treatment or cure of disease or remedial care may be
16considered neglected or abused, but not for the sole reason
17that his parent, guardian or custodian accepts and practices
18such beliefs.
19    A child shall not be considered neglected or abused solely
20because the child is not attending school in accordance with
21the requirements of Article 26 of the School Code, as amended.
22    Nothing in this Act prohibits a mandated reporter who
23reasonably believes that an animal is being abused or neglected
24in violation of the Humane Care for Animals Act from reporting
25animal abuse or neglect to the Department of Agriculture's
26Bureau of Animal Health and Welfare.

 

 

HB2686- 17 -LRB101 07734 KTG 52783 b

1    A home rule unit may not regulate the reporting of child
2abuse or neglect in a manner inconsistent with the provisions
3of this Section. This Section is a limitation under subsection
4(i) of Section 6 of Article VII of the Illinois Constitution on
5the concurrent exercise by home rule units of powers and
6functions exercised by the State.
7    For purposes of this Section "child abuse or neglect"
8includes abuse or neglect of an adult resident as defined in
9this Act.
10(Source: P.A. 100-513, eff. 1-1-18; 100-1071, eff. 1-1-19.)
 
11    (325 ILCS 5/4.02)  (from Ch. 23, par. 2054.02)
12    Sec. 4.02. Any physician who willfully fails to report
13suspected child abuse or neglect as required by this Act shall
14be referred to the Illinois State Medical Disciplinary Board
15for action in accordance with paragraph 22 of Section 22 of the
16Medical Practice Act of 1987. Any dentist or dental hygienist
17who willfully fails to report suspected child abuse or neglect
18as required by this Act shall be referred to the Department of
19Professional Regulation for action in accordance with
20paragraph 19 of Section 23 of the Illinois Dental Practice Act.
21Any other person required by this Act to report suspected child
22abuse and neglect who willfully fails to report such is guilty
23of a Class A misdemeanor for a first violation and a Class 4
24felony for a second or subsequent violation.
25(Source: P.A. 91-197, eff. 1-1-00; 92-801, eff. 8-16-02.)
 

 

 

HB2686- 18 -LRB101 07734 KTG 52783 b

1    (325 ILCS 5/4.6 new)
2    Sec. 4.6. Youth athletic program workers. A youth athletic
3program must have a background check performed for each youth
4athletic program worker by a reputable, licensed third-party
5vendor. The background check shall include:
6        (1) Social Security Number to confirm the identity of
7    the individual;
8        (2) driving records if the individual is driving as
9    part of his or her duties with the program;
10        (3) a multijurisdictional State and county criminal
11    records database search; and
12        (4) a federal criminal search.
 
13    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
14becoming law.