94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2005 and 2006
HB4305

 

Introduced 12/21/05, by Rep. Mary E. Flowers

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
705 ILCS 405/2-18   from Ch. 37, par. 802-18
705 ILCS 405/2-34 new

    Amends the Juvenile Court Act of 1987. Provides that in unfitness proceedings alleging that a minor is abused, neglected, or dependent, if documents, assessments, and evaluations are directly used to prove an unfitness ground as alleged in the petition or at the best interest portion, relating to parent child bonding, and a party objects to the introduction of the documents into evidence, the author of those documents shall testify, if available, as to the recommendations and findings. Provides that if the author is unavailable, the documents are admissible without such testimony. Provides that the court shall determine the proper weight accorded to the documents. Provides that a supplemental petition to reinstate parentage may be filed regarding any minor who is presently a ward of the court under the Abused, Neglected, or Dependent Minors Article of the Act. Establishes procedures for filing such supplemental petition. Effective August 1, 2006.


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A BILL FOR

 

HB4305 LRB094 16256 RLC 51500 b

1     AN ACT concerning courts.
 
2     Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3 represented in the General Assembly:
 
4     Section 5. The Juvenile Court Act of 1987 is amended by
5 changing Section 2-18 and by adding Section 2-34 as follows:
 
6     (705 ILCS 405/2-18)  (from Ch. 37, par. 802-18)
7     Sec. 2-18. Evidence.
8     (1) At the adjudicatory hearing, the court shall first
9 consider only the question whether the minor is abused,
10 neglected or dependent. The standard of proof and the rules of
11 evidence in the nature of civil proceedings in this State are
12 applicable to proceedings under this Article. If the petition
13 also seeks the appointment of a guardian of the person with
14 power to consent to adoption of the minor under Section 2-29,
15 the court may also consider legally admissible evidence at the
16 adjudicatory hearing that one or more grounds of unfitness
17 exists under subdivision D of Section 1 of the Adoption Act.
18     (2) In any hearing under this Act, the following shall
19 constitute prima facie evidence of abuse or neglect, as the
20 case may be:
21         (a) proof that a minor has a medical diagnosis of
22     battered child syndrome is prima facie evidence of abuse;
23         (b) proof that a minor has a medical diagnosis of
24     failure to thrive syndrome is prima facie evidence of
25     neglect;
26         (c) proof that a minor has a medical diagnosis of fetal
27     alcohol syndrome is prima facie evidence of neglect;
28         (d) proof that a minor has a medical diagnosis at birth
29     of withdrawal symptoms from narcotics or barbiturates is
30     prima facie evidence of neglect;
31         (e) proof of injuries sustained by a minor or of the
32     condition of a minor of such a nature as would ordinarily

 

 

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1     not be sustained or exist except by reason of the acts or
2     omissions of the parent, custodian or guardian of such
3     minor shall be prima facie evidence of abuse or neglect, as
4     the case may be;
5         (f) proof that a parent, custodian or guardian of a
6     minor repeatedly used a drug, to the extent that it has or
7     would ordinarily have the effect of producing in the user a
8     substantial state of stupor, unconsciousness,
9     intoxication, hallucination, disorientation or
10     incompetence, or a substantial impairment of judgment, or a
11     substantial manifestation of irrationality, shall be prima
12     facie evidence of neglect;
13         (g) proof that a parent, custodian, or guardian of a
14     minor repeatedly used a controlled substance, as defined in
15     subsection (f) of Section 102 of the Illinois Controlled
16     Substances Act, in the presence of the minor or a sibling
17     of the minor is prima facie evidence of neglect. "Repeated
18     use", for the purpose of this subsection, means more than
19     one use of a controlled substance as defined in subsection
20     (f) of Section 102 of the Illinois Controlled Substances
21     Act;
22         (h) proof that a newborn infant's blood, urine, or
23     meconium contains any amount of a controlled substance as
24     defined in subsection (f) of Section 102 of the Illinois
25     Controlled Substances Act, or a metabolite of a controlled
26     substance, with the exception of controlled substances or
27     metabolites of those substances, the presence of which is
28     the result of medical treatment administered to the mother
29     or the newborn, is prime facie evidence of neglect;
30         (i) proof that a minor was present in a structure or
31     vehicle in which the minor's parent, custodian, or guardian
32     was involved in the manufacture of methamphetamine
33     constitutes prima facie evidence of abuse and neglect.
34     (3) In any hearing under this Act, proof of the abuse,
35 neglect or dependency of one minor shall be admissible evidence
36 on the issue of the abuse, neglect or dependency of any other

 

 

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1 minor for whom the respondent is responsible.
2     (4) (a) Any writing, record, photograph or x-ray of any
3 hospital or public or private agency, whether in the form of an
4 entry in a book or otherwise, made as a memorandum or record of
5 any condition, act, transaction, occurrence or event relating
6 to a minor in an abuse, neglect or dependency proceeding, shall
7 be admissible in evidence as proof of that condition, act,
8 transaction, occurrence or event, if the court finds that the
9 document was made in the regular course of the business of the
10 hospital or agency and that it was in the regular course of
11 such business to make it, at the time of the act, transaction,
12 occurrence or event, or within a reasonable time thereafter.
13     (a-5) In unfitness proceedings under Section 2-29 of this
14 Act, if documents, assessments, and evaluations are directly
15 used to prove an unfitness ground as alleged in the petition,
16 and a party objects to the introduction of the documents into
17 evidence, the author of those documents shall testify, if
18 available, as to the recommendations and findings. If the
19 author is unavailable, the documents are admissible without
20 such testimony. The court shall determine the proper weight
21 accorded to the documents.
22     (a-10) In unfitness proceedings under Section 2-29 of this
23 Act, if documents, assessments, or evaluations are used at the
24 best interest portion, relating to parent child bonding, and a
25 party objects to the introduction of the documents into
26 evidence, the author of those documents shall testify, if
27 available, as to the recommendations and findings. If the
28 author is unavailable, the documents are admissible without
29 such testimony. The court shall determine the proper weight
30 accorded to the documents.
31     (a-15) For purposes of paragraphs (a-5) and (a-10) of this
32 subsection (4), "unavailable" means: the author is absent from
33 the hearing and the party wishing to introduce the document has
34 been unable to procure the author's attendance by process or
35 other reasonable means; or the author persists in refusing to
36 testify concerning the document despite an order of the court

 

 

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1 to do so; or the author is unable to be present or to testify at
2 the hearing because of health, or then existing physical or
3 mental illness or infirmity, or death.
4     (a-20) A certification by the head or responsible employee
5 of the hospital or agency that the writing, record, photograph
6 or x-ray is the full and complete record of the condition, act,
7 transaction, occurrence or event and that it satisfies the
8 conditions of this paragraph shall be prima facie evidence of
9 the facts contained in such certification. A certification by
10 someone other than the head of the hospital or agency shall be
11 accompanied by a photocopy of a delegation of authority signed
12 by both the head of the hospital or agency and by such other
13 employee. All other circumstances of the making of the
14 memorandum, record, photograph or x-ray, including lack of
15 personal knowledge of the maker, may be proved to affect the
16 weight to be accorded such evidence, but shall not affect its
17 admissibility.
18     (b) Any indicated report filed pursuant to the Abused and
19 Neglected Child Reporting Act shall be admissible in evidence.
20     (c) Previous statements made by the minor relating to any
21 allegations of abuse or neglect shall be admissible in
22 evidence. However, no such statement, if uncorroborated and not
23 subject to cross-examination, shall be sufficient in itself to
24 support a finding of abuse or neglect.
25     (d) There shall be a rebuttable presumption that a minor is
26 competent to testify in abuse or neglect proceedings. The court
27 shall determine how much weight to give to the minor's
28 testimony, and may allow the minor to testify in chambers with
29 only the court, the court reporter and attorneys for the
30 parties present.
31     (e) The privileged character of communication between any
32 professional person and patient or client, except privilege
33 between attorney and client, shall not apply to proceedings
34 subject to this Article.
35     (f) Proof of the impairment of emotional health or
36 impairment of mental or emotional condition as a result of the

 

 

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1 failure of the respondent to exercise a minimum degree of care
2 toward a minor may include competent opinion or expert
3 testimony, and may include proof that such impairment lessened
4 during a period when the minor was in the care, custody or
5 supervision of a person or agency other than the respondent.
6     (5) In any hearing under this Act alleging neglect for
7 failure to provide education as required by law under
8 subsection (1) of Section 2-3, proof that a minor under 13
9 years of age who is subject to compulsory school attendance
10 under the School Code is a chronic truant as defined under the
11 School Code shall be prima facie evidence of neglect by the
12 parent or guardian in any hearing under this Act and proof that
13 a minor who is 13 years of age or older who is subject to
14 compulsory school attendance under the School Code is a chronic
15 truant shall raise a rebuttable presumption of neglect by the
16 parent or guardian. This subsection (5) shall not apply in
17 counties with 2,000,000 or more inhabitants.
18     (6) In any hearing under this Act, the court may take
19 judicial notice of prior sworn testimony or evidence admitted
20 in prior proceedings involving the same minor if (a) the
21 parties were either represented by counsel at such prior
22 proceedings or the right to counsel was knowingly waived and
23 (b) the taking of judicial notice would not result in admitting
24 hearsay evidence at a hearing where it would otherwise be
25 prohibited.
26 (Source: P.A. 93-884, eff. 1-1-05.)
 
27     (705 ILCS 405/2-34 new)
28     Sec. 2-34. Supplemental petition to reinstate parentage.
29     (1) A supplemental petition to reinstate parentage may be
30 filed regarding any minor who is presently a ward of the court
31 under this Article II when:
32         (a) one or more of the following situations exist:
33             (i) the minor's parent or parents surrendered the
34         minor for adoption to the Department of Children and
35         Family Services; or

 

 

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1             (ii) the minor's parent or parents consented to his
2         or her adoption; or
3             (iii) the minor's parent or parents consented to
4         his or her adoption by a specified person or persons;
5         or
6             (iv) the guardianship administrator of the
7         Department or a guardian was appointed with the power
8         to consent to adoption after the parents' rights were
9         terminated pursuant to a finding of unfitness pursuant
10         to Section 2-29 of this Act; and
11         (b) the minor is without a legally recognized parent;
12     and
13         (c) the court finds that it is in the minor's best
14     interest that parentage be reinstated; if the finding is
15     being made subsequent to a finding of unfitness pursuant to
16     Section 2-29 of this Act having been entered, the court in
17     determining the minor's best interest shall also consider,
18     in addition to the factors set forth in paragraph (4.05) of
19     Section 1-3 of this Act, the specific grounds upon which
20     the unfitness findings were made; and
21         (d) the court finds that the parent named in the
22     supplemental petition wishes parentage to be reinstated;
23     and
24         (e) more than 3 years have elapsed since the signing of
25     the consent or surrender, or the entry of the order
26     appointing a guardian with the power to consent to
27     adoption; or where the minor is at least 14 years of age,
28     more than 2 years have elapsed since the signing of the
29     consent or surrender, or the entry of the order appointing
30     a guardian with the power to consent to adoption.
31     (2) The supplemental petition may be filed by the
32 Department, the minor's guardian ad litem, the State's
33 Attorney, any party, or by the individual seeking reinstatement
34 of parentage. Unless excused by the court for good cause shown,
35 the petitioner shall give notice of the time and place of the
36 hearing on the supplemental petition, in person or by mail, to

 

 

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1 the parties to the juvenile court proceeding and the person
2 whose parentage would be restored if the petition were granted.
3 Notice shall be provided at least 14 days in advance of the
4 hearing date.
5     (3) Upon the entry of an order granting a supplemental
6 petition to reinstate parentage, parentage of the parent named
7 in the order shall be reinstated, any previous order appointing
8 a guardian with the power to consent to adoption shall be void
9 and with respect to the parent named in the order, any consent
10 shall be void.
11     (4) If the case is post-disposition, the court, upon the
12 entry of an order granting a supplemental petition to reinstate
13 parentage, shall schedule the matter for a permanency hearing
14 pursuant to Section 2-28 of this Act within 45 days.
15     (5) Custody of the minor shall not be restored to the
16 parent, except by order of court pursuant to subsection (4) of
17 Section 2-28 of this Act.
 
18     Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect August 1,
19 2006.