100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2017 and 2018
SB1416

 

Introduced 2/9/2017, by Sen. William R. Haine

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
20 ILCS 2310/2310-443 new
20 ILCS 2310/2310-678 new
20 ILCS 2310/2310-679 new

    Amends the Department of Public Health Powers and Duties Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that the Director of Public Health shall establish a Statewide Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Program that shall include a referral service for the public and health care professionals on SIDS-related services and a 24-hour telephone hotline. Provides that the Director of Public Health shall encourage the development of local support programs for infants who may be at risk of SIDS. Creates the Sudden Child Death Autopsy Protocol Committee within the Department of Public Health. Provides that the Committee shall assist the Director of Public Health with developing specified sudden child death autopsy protocols and shall annually review the protocols and make suggestions for revisions. Provides that the Committee shall make recommendations by December 31 of each year through December 31, 2021. Repeals provisions concerning the Committee on December 31, 2022. Provides that the Director of Public Health, in consultation with the Committee, shall develop a specified standardized protocol for autopsies performed when the suspected cause of death of a child under one year of age is sudden infant death syndrome and when the death of a child under 2 years of age is sudden and unexpected.


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FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

SB1416LRB100 00050 MJP 10051 b

1    AN ACT concerning State government.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Department of Public Health Powers and
5Duties Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois is
6amended by adding Sections 2310-443, 2310-678, and 2310-679 as
7follows:
 
8    (20 ILCS 2310/2310-443 new)
9    Sec. 2310-443. Statewide Sudden Infant Death Syndrome
10Program. The Director of Public Health shall establish the
11Statewide Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Program to educate the
12public and health care professionals about sudden infant death
13syndrome. The Statewide Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Program
14shall include a referral service for the public and health care
15professionals on SIDS-related services and a 24-hour telephone
16hotline to provide needed information and referrals. The
17Director of Public Health shall encourage the development of
18local support programs to provide early detection, counseling,
19and referrals for infants who may be at risk of sudden infant
20death syndrome.
 
21    (20 ILCS 2310/2310-678 new)
22    Sec. 2310-678. Sudden Child Death Autopsy Protocol

 

 

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1Committee. There is hereby established the Sudden Child Death
2Autopsy Protocol Committee within the Department of Public
3Health to assist in developing and reviewing a sudden child
4death autopsy protocol. The Committee shall consist of 13
5members including:
6        (1) the Director of Public Health or his or her
7    designee;
8        (2) the Director of Healthcare and Family Services or
9    his or her designee;
10        (3) the Director of Children and Family Services or his
11    or her designee;
12        (4) the head of the Statewide Sudden Infant Death
13    Syndrome Program established under Section 2310-443 of
14    this Act or his or her designee;
15        (5) an epidemiologist appointed by the Director of
16    Public Health;
17        (6) a forensic pathologist appointed by the Director of
18    Public Health;
19        (7) a pediatric pathologist appointed by the Director
20    of Public Health;
21        (8) a county medical examiner or county coroner
22    appointed by the Director of Public Health;
23        (9) a pediatrician who is knowledgeable about sudden
24    infant death syndrome and child abuse appointed by the
25    Director of Public Health;
26        (10) a law enforcement officer appointed by the

 

 

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1    Director of Public Health;
2        (11) an emergency medical technician or a paramedic
3    appointed by the Director of Public Health;
4        (12) a family member of a sudden infant death syndrome
5    victim appointed by the Director of Public Health; and
6        (13) a family member of a sudden unexpected death
7    victim who was under 2 years of age at the time of death
8    appointed by the Director of Public Health.
9    The members of the Committee shall serve 4-year terms.
10Membership vacancies on the Committee shall be filled by the
11Director of Public Health. Members shall serve without
12compensation or reimbursement for expenses. The Committee
13shall annually review the protocols and make recommendations to
14the Director of Public Health to revise the protocols, as
15appropriate, by December 31 of each year through December 31,
162021.
17    This Section is repealed on December 31, 2022.
 
18    (20 ILCS 2310/2310-679 new)
19    Sec. 2310-679. Sudden child death autopsy protocol. The
20Director of Public Health, in consultation with the Sudden
21Child Death Autopsy Protocol Committee established under
22Section 2310-678 of this Act, shall develop a standardized
23protocol for autopsies performed in those cases in which the
24suspected cause of death of a child under one year of age is
25sudden infant death syndrome and when the death of a child

 

 

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1under 2 years of age is sudden and unexpected. The protocol
2shall include requirements and standards for scene
3investigation, criteria for ascertaining the cause of death
4based on autopsy, and such other requirements as the Committee
5deems appropriate. The protocol shall take into account
6nationally recognized standards for pediatric autopsies. The
7Director of Public Health shall be responsible for ensuring
8that the protocol is followed by all county medical examiners,
9county coroners, and other persons authorized to conduct
10autopsies when the suspected cause of death is sudden infant
11death syndrome or when the death of a child under 2 years of
12age is sudden and unexpected. The sudden infant death syndrome
13autopsy protocol shall provide that if the findings in the
14autopsy are consistent with the definition of sudden infant
15death syndrome specified in the protocol, then the person who
16conducts the autopsy shall state on the death certificate that
17sudden infant death syndrome is the cause of death.