HB5459 Engrossed LRB096 18646 KTG 34029 b

1     AN ACT concerning children.
 
2     Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3 represented in the General Assembly:
 
4     Section 5. The Abandoned Newborn Infant Protection Act is
5 amended by changing Section 35 as follows:
 
6     (325 ILCS 2/35)
7     Sec. 35. Information for relinquishing person.
8     (a) A hospital, police station, fire station, or emergency
9 medical facility that receives a newborn infant relinquished in
10 accordance with this Act must offer an information packet to
11 the relinquishing person and, if possible, must clearly inform
12 the relinquishing person that his or her acceptance of the
13 information is completely voluntary, that registration with
14 the Illinois Adoption Registry and Medical Information
15 Exchange is voluntary, that the person will remain anonymous if
16 he or she completes a Denial of Information Exchange, and that
17 the person has the option to provide medical information only
18 and still remain anonymous. The information packet must include
19 all of the following:
20         (1) Blank All Illinois Adoption Registry and Medical
21     Information Exchange application forms, including the
22     Medical Information Exchange Questionnaire and the web
23     site address and toll-free phone number of the Registry.

 

 

HB5459 Engrossed - 2 - LRB096 18646 KTG 34029 b

1         (2) Written notice of the following:
2             (A) No sooner than 60 days following the date of
3         the initial relinquishment of the infant to a hospital,
4         police station, fire station, or emergency medical
5         facility, the child-placing agency or the Department
6         will commence proceedings for the termination of
7         parental rights and placement of the infant for
8         adoption.
9             (B) Failure of a parent of the infant to contact
10         the Department and petition for the return of custody
11         of the infant before termination of parental rights
12         bars any future action asserting legal rights with
13         respect to the infant.
14         (3) A resource list of providers of counseling services
15     including grief counseling, pregnancy counseling, and
16     counseling regarding adoption and other available options
17     for placement of the infant.
18     Upon request of a parent, the Department of Public Health
19 shall provide the application forms for the Illinois Adoption
20 Registry and Medical Information Exchange to hospitals, police
21 stations, fire stations, and emergency medical facilities.
22     (b) The information packet given to a relinquishing parent
23 in accordance with this Act shall include, in addition to other
24 information required under this Act, the following:
25         (1) A brochure (with a self-mailer attached) that
26     describes this Act and the rights of birth parents,

 

 

HB5459 Engrossed - 3 - LRB096 18646 KTG 34029 b

1     including an optional section for the parent to complete
2     and mail to the Department of Children and Family Services,
3     that shall ask for basic anonymous background information
4     about the relinquished child. This brochure shall be
5     maintained by the Department on its website.
6         (2) A brochure that describes the Illinois Adoption
7     Registry, including a toll-free number and website
8     information. This brochure shall be maintained on the
9     Office of Vital Records website.
10         (3) A brochure describing postpartum health
11     information for the mother.
12     The information packet shall be designed in coordination
13 between the Office of Vital Records and the Department of
14 Children and Family Services, with the exception of the
15 resource list of providers of counseling services and adoption
16 agencies, which shall be provided by the hospital, fire
17 station, police station, sheriff's office, or emergency
18 medical facility.
19 (Source: P.A. 92-408, eff. 8-17-01; 92-432, eff. 8-17-01;
20 93-820, eff. 7-27-04.)
 
21     Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
22 becoming law.