101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2019 and 2020
SB0218

 

Introduced 1/31/2019, by Sen. Thomas Cullerton

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
705 ILCS 405/2-13  from Ch. 37, par. 802-13

    Amends the Juvenile Court Act of 1987. Provides that unless good cause exists that filing a petition to terminate parental rights is contrary to the child's best interests, the Department of Children and Family Services shall request the State's Attorney to file a petition or motion for termination of parental rights and appointment of guardian of the person with power to consent to adoption of the minor under the Act if the parent is criminally convicted of predatory criminal sexual assault of a child, aggravated criminal sexual assault, criminal sexual abuse, sexual exploitation of a child, or permitting sexual abuse of a child. Makes technical changes.


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A BILL FOR

 

SB0218LRB101 06652 SLF 51679 b

1    AN ACT concerning courts.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Juvenile Court Act of 1987 is amended by
5changing Section 2-13 as follows:
 
6    (705 ILCS 405/2-13)  (from Ch. 37, par. 802-13)
7    Sec. 2-13. Petition.
8    (1) Any adult person, any agency or association by its
9representative may file, or the court on its own motion,
10consistent with the health, safety and best interests of the
11minor may direct the filing through the State's Attorney of a
12petition in respect of a minor under this Act. The petition and
13all subsequent court documents shall be entitled "In the
14interest of ...., a minor".
15    (2) The petition shall be verified but the statements may
16be made upon information and belief. It shall allege that the
17minor is abused, neglected, or dependent, with citations to the
18appropriate provisions of this Act, and set forth (a) facts
19sufficient to bring the minor under Section 2-3 or 2-4 and to
20inform respondents of the cause of action, including, but not
21limited to, a plain and concise statement of the factual
22allegations that form the basis for the filing of the petition;
23(b) the name, age and residence of the minor; (c) the names and

 

 

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1residences of his parents; (d) the name and residence of his
2legal guardian or the person or persons having custody or
3control of the minor, or of the nearest known relative if no
4parent or guardian can be found; and (e) if the minor upon
5whose behalf the petition is brought is sheltered in custody,
6the date on which such temporary custody was ordered by the
7court or the date set for a temporary custody hearing. If any
8of the facts herein required are not known by the petitioner,
9the petition shall so state.
10    (3) The petition must allege that it is in the best
11interests of the minor and of the public that he be adjudged a
12ward of the court and may pray generally for relief available
13under this Act. The petition need not specify any proposed
14disposition following adjudication of wardship. The petition
15may request that the minor remain in the custody of the parent,
16guardian, or custodian under an Order of Protection.
17    (4) If termination of parental rights and appointment of a
18guardian of the person with power to consent to adoption of the
19minor under Section 2-29 is sought, the petition shall so
20state. If the petition includes this request, the prayer for
21relief shall clearly and obviously state that the parents could
22permanently lose their rights as a parent at this hearing.
23    In addition to the foregoing, the petitioner, by motion,
24may request the termination of parental rights and appointment
25of a guardian of the person with power to consent to adoption
26of the minor under Section 2-29 at any time after the entry of

 

 

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1a dispositional order under Section 2-22.
2    (4.5) (a) Unless good cause exists that filing a petition
3to terminate parental rights is contrary to the child's best
4interests, with respect to any minors committed to its care
5pursuant to this Act, the Department of Children and Family
6Services shall request the State's Attorney to file a petition
7or motion for termination of parental rights and appointment of
8guardian of the person with power to consent to adoption of the
9minor under Section 2-29 if:
10        (i) a minor has been in foster care, as described in
11    subsection (b), for 15 months of the most recent 22 months;
12    or
13        (ii) a minor under the age of 2 years has been
14    previously determined to be abandoned at an adjudicatory
15    hearing; or
16        (iii) the parent is criminally convicted of:
17            (A) first degree murder or second degree murder of
18        any child; ,
19            (B) attempt or conspiracy to commit first degree
20        murder or second degree murder of any child; ,
21            (C) solicitation to commit murder of any child,
22        solicitation to commit murder for hire of any child, or
23        solicitation to commit second degree murder of any
24        child; ,
25            (D) aggravated battery, aggravated battery of a
26        child, or felony domestic battery, any of which has

 

 

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1        resulted in serious injury to the minor or a sibling of
2        the minor; ,
3            (E) predatory criminal sexual assault of a child;
4        aggravated criminal sexual assault in violation of
5        subdivision (a)(1) of Section 11-1.40 or subdivision
6        (a)(1) of Section 12-14.1 of the Criminal Code of 1961
7        or the Criminal Code of 2012, or
8            (E-5) aggravated criminal sexual assault;
9            (E-10) criminal sexual abuse;
10            (E-15) sexual exploitation of a child;
11            (E-20) permitting sexual abuse of a child; or
12            (F) an offense in any other state the elements of
13        which are similar and bear a substantial relationship
14        to any of the foregoing offenses.
15    (a-1) For purposes of this subsection (4.5), good cause
16exists in the following circumstances:
17        (i) the child is being cared for by a relative,
18        (ii) the Department has documented in the case plan a
19    compelling reason for determining that filing such
20    petition would not be in the best interests of the child,
21        (iii) the court has found within the preceding 12
22    months that the Department has failed to make reasonable
23    efforts to reunify the child and family, or
24        (iv) the parent is incarcerated, or the parent's prior
25    incarceration is a significant factor in why the child has
26    been in foster care for 15 months out of any 22-month

 

 

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1    period, the parent maintains a meaningful role in the
2    child's life, and the Department has not documented another
3    reason why it would otherwise be appropriate to file a
4    petition to terminate parental rights pursuant to this
5    Section and the Adoption Act. The assessment of whether an
6    incarcerated parent maintains a meaningful role in the
7    child's life may include consideration of the following:
8            (A) the child's best interest;
9            (B) the parent's expressions or acts of
10        manifesting concern for the child, such as letters,
11        telephone calls, visits, and other forms of
12        communication with the child and the impact of the
13        communication on the child;
14            (C) the parent's efforts to communicate with and
15        work with the Department for the purpose of complying
16        with the service plan and repairing, maintaining, or
17        building the parent-child relationship; or
18            (D) limitations in the parent's access to family
19        support programs, therapeutic services, visiting
20        opportunities, telephone and mail services, and
21        meaningful participation in court proceedings.
22    (b) For purposes of this subsection, the date of entering
23foster care is defined as the earlier of:
24        (1) The date of a judicial finding at an adjudicatory
25    hearing that the child is an abused, neglected, or
26    dependent minor; or

 

 

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1        (2) 60 days after the date on which the child is
2    removed from his or her parent, guardian, or legal
3    custodian.
4    (c) (Blank).
5    (d) (Blank).
6    (5) The court shall liberally allow the petitioner to amend
7the petition to set forth a cause of action or to add, amend,
8or supplement factual allegations that form the basis for a
9cause of action up until 14 days before the adjudicatory
10hearing. The petitioner may amend the petition after that date
11and prior to the adjudicatory hearing if the court grants leave
12to amend upon a showing of good cause. The court may allow
13amendment of the petition to conform with the evidence at any
14time prior to ruling. In all cases in which the court has
15granted leave to amend based on new evidence or new
16allegations, the court shall permit the respondent an adequate
17opportunity to prepare a defense to the amended petition.
18    (6) At any time before dismissal of the petition or before
19final closing and discharge under Section 2-31, one or more
20motions in the best interests of the minor may be filed. The
21motion shall specify sufficient facts in support of the relief
22requested.
23(Source: P.A. 99-836, eff. 1-1-17.)