Bill Text: IL HB2153 | 2019-2020 | 101st General Assembly | Engrossed

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Bill Title: Amends the Adoption Act. In a provision regarding the Adoption Registry-Confidential Intermediary Advisory Council, changes the name of the Jewish Children's Bureau to "Jewish Child & Family Services".

Sponsorship: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2019-04-12 - Rule 19(a) / Re-referred to Rules Committee [HB2153 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2019-HB2153-Engrossed.html

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AN ACT concerning civil law.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
Section 5. The Adoption Act is amended by changing Section
18.08 as follows:
(750 ILCS 50/18.08)
Sec. 18.08. Adoption Registry-Confidential Intermediary
Advisory Council.
(a) There shall be established under the Department of
Public Health and the Department of Children and Family
Services the Adoption Registry-Confidential Intermediary
Advisory Council. The Council shall include:
(1) the Director of the Department of Public Health, or
his or her designee, who shall serve as the co-chairperson
of the Council;
(2) the Director of the Department of Children and
Family Services, or his or her designee, who shall serve as
the co-chairperson of the Council;
(3) an attorney representing the Attorney General's
Office appointed by the Attorney General;
(4) a currently certified confidential intermediary
appointed by the Director of the Department of Children and
Family Services;

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(5) one representative from each of the following
organizations appointed by the Director of the Department
of Public Health: Adoption Advocates of America, Adoptive
Families Today, Catholic Conference of Illinois, Chicago
Area Families for Adoption, Chicago Bar Association, Child
Care Association of Illinois, Children's Home and Aid
Society of Illinois, Child Welfare Advisory Council, The
Cradle, Healing Hearts, Illinois Foster Parents
Association, Illinois State Bar Association, Illinois
State Medical Society, Jewish Child & Family Services
Jewish Children's Bureau, LDS Social Services, Lutheran
Social Services of Illinois, Maryville Academy, Midwest
Adoption Center, St. Mary's Services, Stars of David,
Truthseekers in Adoption, and White Oak Foundation;
(6) 5 additional members appointed by the Director of
the Department of Children and Family Services who shall,
when making those appointments, consider advocates for
adopted persons, adoptive parents, or birth parents,
lawyers who represent clients in private adoptions,
lawyers specializing in privacy law, and representatives
of agencies involved in adoptions;
(7) an attorney from the Department of Children and
Family Services, who shall serve as an ex-officio,
non-voting advisor to the Council; and
(8) the person directly responsible for administering
the confidential intermediary program, who shall serve as

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an ex-officio, non-voting advisor to the Council.
(b) If any one of the named organizations in item (5) of
subsection (a) notifies the Director of the Department of
Public Health or the Director of the Department of Children and
Family Services in writing that the organization does not wish
to participate on the Adoption Registry-Confidential
Intermediary Advisory Council or that the organization is no
longer functioning, the Directors may designate another
organization that represents the same constituency as the named
organization to replace the named organization on the Council.
(c) Council members shall receive no compensation for their
service. The Council shall meet no less often than once every 6
months and shall meet as the Director of the Department of
Public Health or the Director of the Department of Children and
Family Services deems necessary. The Council shall have only an
advisory role to the Directors and may make recommendations to
the pertinent Department regarding the development of rules,
procedures, and forms that will promote the efficient and
effective operation of (i) the Illinois Adoption Registry, (ii)
the Office of Vital Records as it pertains to the Registry and
to access to the non-certified copy of the original birth
certificate, and (iii) the Confidential Intermediary Program
in Illinois. The Council will also serve in an advisory
capacity regarding the effective delivery of adult
post-adoption services in Illinois, including:
(1) advising the Department of Public Health on the

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development of rules, procedures, and forms utilized by the
Illinois Adoption Registry and Medical Information
Exchange;
(2) making recommendations regarding the procedures,
tools, and technology that will promote efficient and
effective operation of the Registry;
(3) assisting the Department of Public Health with the
development, publication, and circulation of an
informational pamphlet that describes the purpose,
function, and mechanics of the Illinois Adoption Registry
and Medical Information Exchange, including information
about who is eligible to register and how to register;
information about the questions and concerns that
registrants may develop when they register or when they
receive information from the Registry; and a list of
services, programs, groups, and informational websites
that are available to assist registrants with their
questions and concerns;
(4) collecting, compiling, and reviewing statistical
data and empirical information concerning the procedures
in the Registry including, but not limited to, data
concerning the filing of Denials of Information Exchange,
Information Exchange Authorizations, Requests for a
Non-Certified Copy of an Original Birth Certificate, and
Birth Parent Preference Forms;
(5) making recommendations to the Director of the

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Department of Children and Family Services regarding the
standards for certification for confidential
intermediaries;
(6) making recommendations to the Director of the
Department of Children and Family Services concerning
oversight methods used to verify that intermediaries are
complying with the appropriate laws;
(7) assisting the Department of Children and Family
Services with training for confidential intermediaries,
including training with respect to federal and State
privacy laws;
(8) reviewing the relationship between confidential
intermediaries and the court system and making
recommendations to the Director of the Department of
Children and Family Services concerning sample orders that
define the scope of the intermediaries' access to
information;
(9) considering any recent violations of policy or
procedures by confidential intermediaries and remedial
steps, including decertification, which might be
recommended to the Director of the Department of Children
and Family Services so as to prevent future violations; and
(10) reviewing reports from the Department of Children
and Family Services submitted by July 1 and January 1 of
each year in order detailing the penalties assessed and
collected, the amounts of related deposits into the DCFS

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Children's Services Fund, and any expenditures from such
deposits.
(d) Within 45 days after the effective date of this
amendatory Act of the 97th General Assembly, both the Adoption
Registry Advisory Council and the Confidential Intermediary
Council shall, notwithstanding any other provision of this Act,
turn over the Council's records to the Adoption
Registry-Confidential Intermediary Advisory Council and cease
to function.
(Source: P.A. 97-1063, eff. 1-1-13; 98-704, eff. 1-1-15.)