Bill Text: IL HB4298 | 2025-2026 | 104th General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Amends the Children and Family Services Act. Provides that the purpose of the amendatory Act is to ensure that individuals with felony convictions are not assigned to child protective investigations or issued a Child Welfare Employee License (CWEL). Prohibits persons with a felony conviction from holding a CWEL, performing child protection investigations, or supervising investigation staff. Requires the Department of Children and Family Services and every purchase of service agency that contracts with the Department to require all child welfare employees to undergo a fingerprint-based background check, a statewide criminal history search, and a Federal Bureau of Investigation national criminal history background check every 3 years during the term of employment. Requires the Department to revoke a child welfare employee's CWEL immediately upon discovery that the employee has a felony conviction. Prohibits POS agencies that contract with the Department from employing any person convicted of a felony to work as a child welfare employee and sets forth certain penalties for violations of the prohibition. Effective January 1, 2027.

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 1)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2026-01-14 - Referred to Rules Committee [HB4298 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2025-HB4298-Introduced.html

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104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026HB4298 Introduced , by Rep. Jed Davis SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
20 ILCS 505/5c-1 new
Amends the Children and Family Services Act. Provides that the purpose of the amendatory Act is to ensure that individuals with felony convictions are not assigned to child protective investigations or issued a Child Welfare Employee License (CWEL). Prohibits persons with a felony conviction from holding a CWEL, performing child protection investigations, or supervising investigation staff. Requires the Department of Children and Family Services and every purchase of service agency that contracts with the Department to require all child welfare employees to undergo a fingerprint-based background check, a statewide criminal history search, and a Federal Bureau of Investigation national criminal history background check every 3 years during the term of employment. Requires the Department to revoke a child welfare employee's CWEL immediately upon discovery that the employee has a felony conviction. Prohibits POS agencies that contract with the Department from employing any person convicted of a felony to work as a child welfare employee and sets forth certain penalties for violations of the prohibition. Effective January 1, 2027.
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A BILL FOR
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AN ACT concerning State government.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
Section 5. The Children and Family Services Act is amended
by adding Section 5c-1 as follows:
(20 ILCS 505/5c-1 new)
Sec. 5c-1. Child protection investigator integrity.
(a) Purpose. The purpose of this Section is to ensure that
individuals with felony convictions are not assigned to child
protective investigations or issued a Child Welfare Employee
License (CWEL).
(b) Prohibition. No person who has been convicted of any
felony offense may:
(1) hold a Child Welfare Employee License (CWEL);
(2) perform child protection investigations; or
(3) supervise investigation staff.
(c) Background checks.
(1) All employees of the Department or a purchase of
service (POS) agency that contracts with the Department
who are employed to perform child welfare duties shall
undergo:
(A) a fingerprint-based background check;
(B) a statewide criminal history search; and

HB4298 - 2 - LRB104 16911 KTG 30322 b
(C) a Federal Bureau of Investigation criminal
history background check.
(2) The background checks required under paragraph (1)
shall be repeated every 3 years during the employee's term
of employment.
(d) Revocation of CWEL. The Department shall revoke a
child welfare employee's CWEL immediately upon discovery that
the employee has a felony conviction.
(e) POS agency obligations. POS agencies that contract
with the Department may not employ as a child welfare employee
any person with a felon conviction. Any POS agency that
violates this subsection is subject to:
(1) a civil penalty of $10,000 per violation;
(2) contract termination; and
(3) referral to the Attorney General for civil action.
Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect January
2, 2027.