Bill Text: IL HB4227 | 2021-2022 | 102nd General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Amends the Abandoned Newborn Infant Protection Act. In the definition of "relinquish", removes language stating that it is not a "relinquishment" under the Act if a mother who gives birth to an infant in a hospital, leaves the newborn infant at the hospital (i) without expressing an intent to return for the infant or (ii) stating that she will not return for the infant.

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2022-02-18 - Rule 19(a) / Re-referred to Rules Committee [HB4227 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2021-HB4227-Introduced.html

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102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2021 and 2022 HB4227 Introduced , by Rep. Michelle Mussman SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
325 ILCS 2/10
Amends the Abandoned Newborn Infant Protection Act. In the definition of "relinquish", removes language stating that it is not a "relinquishment" under the Act if a mother who gives birth to an infant in a hospital, leaves the newborn infant at the hospital (i) without expressing an intent to return for the infant or (ii) stating that she will not return for the infant.
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A BILL FOR
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AN ACT concerning children.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
Section 5. The Abandoned Newborn Infant Protection Act is
amended by changing Section 10 as follows:
(325 ILCS 2/10)
Sec. 10. Definitions. In this Act:
"Abandon" has the same meaning as in the Abused and
Neglected Child Reporting Act.
"Abused child" has the same meaning as in the Abused and
Neglected Child Reporting Act.
"Child-placing agency" means a licensed public or private
agency that receives a child for the purpose of placing or
arranging for the placement of the child in a foster family
home or other facility for child care, apart from the custody
of the child's parents.
"Department" or "DCFS" means the Illinois Department of
Children and Family Services.
"Emergency medical facility" means a freestanding
emergency center or trauma center, as defined in the Emergency
Medical Services (EMS) Systems Act.
"Emergency medical professional" includes licensed
physicians, and any emergency medical technician, emergency

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medical technician-intermediate, advanced emergency medical
technician, paramedic, trauma nurse specialist, and
pre-hospital registered nurse, as defined in the Emergency
Medical Services (EMS) Systems Act.
"Fire station" means a fire station within the State with
at least one staff person.
"Hospital" has the same meaning as in the Hospital
Licensing Act.
"Legal custody" means the relationship created by a court
order in the best interest of a newborn infant that imposes on
the infant's custodian the responsibility of physical
possession of the infant, the duty to protect, train, and
discipline the infant, and the duty to provide the infant with
food, shelter, education, and medical care, except as these
are limited by parental rights and responsibilities.
"Neglected child" has the same meaning as in the Abused
and Neglected Child Reporting Act.
"Newborn infant" means a child who a licensed physician
reasonably believes is 30 days old or less at the time the
child is initially relinquished to a hospital, police station,
fire station, or emergency medical facility, and who is not an
abused or a neglected child.
"Police station" means a municipal police station, a
county sheriff's office, a campus police department located on
any college or university owned or controlled by the State or
any private college or private university that is not owned or

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controlled by the State when employees of the campus police
department are present, or any of the district headquarters of
the Illinois State Police.
"Relinquish" means to bring a newborn infant, who a
licensed physician reasonably believes is 30 days old or less,
to a hospital, police station, fire station, or emergency
medical facility and to leave the infant with personnel of the
facility, if the person leaving the infant does not express an
intent to return for the infant or states that he or she will
not return for the infant. In the case of a mother who gives
birth to an infant in a hospital, the mother's act of leaving
that newborn infant at the hospital (i) without expressing an
intent to return for the infant or (ii) stating that she will
not return for the infant is not a "relinquishment" under this
Act.
"Temporary protective custody" means the temporary
placement of a newborn infant within a hospital or other
medical facility out of the custody of the infant's parent.
(Source: P.A. 97-293, eff. 8-11-11; 98-973, eff. 8-15-14.)