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1
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, Termination of parental rights and subsequent
3 adoption of minor children fails to recognize the importance to
4 children of maintaining ties to siblings and is a severing of
5 all sibling contact; and
 
6     WHEREAS, There are over 500,000 children in foster care in
7 the United States, 55% to 69% have siblings, 30% have 4 or more
8 siblings; and
 
9     WHEREAS, Only 26 states address the sibling relationship in
10 legislation; 61% of children with siblings are placed with at
11 least one sibling; this is good news; and
 
12     WHEREAS, Only 38% of children with siblings are placed with
13 all of their siblings; current estimates indicate that 75% of
14 sibling groups end up living apart after they enter foster
15 care; and
 
16     WHEREAS, The policy of the State of Illinois mandates that
17 contact be maintained between siblings pre-termination while
18 they are in foster care or youth in care and provides for
19 possible contact post majority via the Illinois Adoption
20 Registry and Medical Information Exchange; and
 
21     WHEREAS, The General Assembly recognizes that generally it
22 is in the best interests of children to maintain continuing
23 contact after termination of parental rights; and
 
24     WHEREAS, The General Assembly recognizes efforts to
25 maintain sibling bonds will diminish the negative impact
26 termination of parental rights has on sibling relationships;
27 and
 
28     WHEREAS, The General Assembly recognizes the challenges in

 

 

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1 providing continuing contact among siblings once parental
2 rights have been terminated; and
 
3     WHEREAS, The General Assembly recognizes that the
4 importance of maintaining continuing contact among siblings
5 warrants further study and consideration to develop policies
6 and programs which best address the needs of children affected
7 by the severing of sibling ties; therefore, be it
 
8     RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-THIRD GENERAL
9 ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
10 CONCURRING HEREIN, that within 90 days after the adoption of
11 this joint resolution, there shall be created a Sibling
12 Post-Adoption Continuing Contact Governor's Joint Task Force
13 to study and make recommendations regarding post-termination
14 sibling contact; and be it further
 
15     RESOLVED, That the Governor's Joint Task Force shall
16 consist of 20 members appointed as follows: four legislative
17 members, one each appointed by the President of the Senate, the
18 Minority Leader of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of
19 Representatives, and the Minority Leader of the House of
20 Representatives; 15 members appointed by the Governor as
21 follows: one member from each of the Department of Children and
22 Family Services' six Regional Youth Advisory Boards; one
23 Statewide Youth Advisory Board alumnus; three members from the
24 Adoption Advisory Council; three members from the Statewide
25 Foster Care Council; and two Youth Advisory Board Coordinators;
26 and the Director of Children and Family Services or his or her
27 designee; all of whom shall serve without compensation; and be
28 it further
 
29     RESOLVED, That the President of the Senate and the Speaker
30 of the House of Representatives shall each designate one member
31 to serve as co-chairs of the Joint Task Force; and that the
32 Task Force shall meet as often as necessary to accomplish its

 

 

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1 objectives, but at least four times; and be it further
 
2     RESOLVED, That the Joint Task Force shall examine issues
3 including, but not limited to: (1) establishing policies and
4 programs regarding post-adoption contact that serve the best
5 interests of children and respect the rights of adoptive
6 parents, (2) determining the appropriate forum for hearing
7 disputes in individual cases, and (3) to study and make
8 recommendations to the General Assembly regarding continuing
9 sibling contact post-adoption including, but not limited to,
10 visitation, contact via telephone, and contact via mail
11 including e-mail; and be it further
 
12     RESOLVED, That the Joint Task Force shall hold public
13 hearings on the subject of post-adoption contact; and be it
14 further
 
15     RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall make recommendations
16 regarding rights of children to maintain continuing contact
17 with siblings post-termination of parental rights and
18 post-adoption and shall deliver to the General Assembly and the
19 Governor a final report with its recommendations within one
20 year of the effective date of the creation of the Joint Task
21 Force.