Illinois General Assembly - Bill Status for SB2246

Amends the Adoption Act. Provides that if a child is placed for adoption, any relative who wishes to adopt the child, upon a written or oral motion to intervene, shall be made a party to the adoption proceeding. Provides that an intervening party may not exercise the right to a substitution of judge. Provides that if there is a grandparent who wishes to adopt, the court shall place the child with the grandparent unless the court makes an express finding based on clear and convincing evidence that placement with the grandparent would be harmful to the child's welfare. Provides that if no grandparent is available, the court shall place the child with another relative in the following order: an older sibling, an aunt or uncle, a cousin or cousins, or other relative. Provides that a relative may waive his or her right to adopt a child, and make the waiver conditional on the child being adopted by some other designated relative. Provides that if the designated relative fails to adopt the child, or the designative relative adopts the child and his or her parental rights to the child are subsequently terminated, then the rights waived may be reasserted. Provides that the court may enter an order requiring any relative who wishes to conditionally waive adoption rights to name the designated relative no less than 30 days after being made a party to the adoption proceeding.

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