IllinoisSB0104104th General Assembly (2025–2026)SenateWALLET

ADOPT-CONFIDENTIAL INTERMED

Sponsored By: Sara Feigenholtz (Democratic)

Signed by Governor

Summary

Amends the Adoption Act. Provides that in request for a confidential intermediary by an adoptive parent or legal guardian of an adopted or surrendered person under the age of 21, the appointment of the confidential intermediary may include, for the purpose of exchanging medical information, identifying information or arranging contact with a mutually consenting adoptive parent or legal guardian of an adopted or surrendered person under the age of 21 who is biologically related to the petitioning adoptive parent's or legal guardian's adopted or surrendered child. Provides that the confidential intermediary shall disclose identifying information about the adult adopted or surrendered person that would have been reflected on the original filed certificate of birth under certain circumstances. Moves a provision regarding records a confidential intermediary has access to from a Section concerning the Illinois Adoption Registry and Medical Information Exchange to a Section concerning confidential intermediaries.

assignmentsjudiciaryjudiciary - civil

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

4 provisions identified: 4 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.

Adoption searchers get repayment for noncompliance

Adoption agencies must comply with court orders within 45 days. If a court finds an agency failed to meet its legal duties, it must repay all the petitioner's intermediary payments. The agency also owes a $1,000 civil penalty to the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services. After the court order, each subsequent day of noncompliance brings another $500 penalty. Fine money helps pay petitioners' fees.

Adoptive families can seek sibling connections

Adoptive parents or legal guardians can ask an Illinois court to appoint a confidential intermediary to seek sibling-family connections. The adopted or surrendered person and their birth sibling must both be under 21. The intermediary can seek identifying information or contact with the sibling's adoptive parent or guardian. Both sides must agree before identities are shared or contact is arranged.

Broader access to closed adoption records

The law replaces a narrower records-access rule with access for all eligible petitioners through a confidential intermediary. This covers closed child welfare agency records held in State Central Storage, subject to search and privacy limits. Some petitioners can also request details without names, including available medical information from birth through adoption. They include adult adopted or surrendered people, adoptive parents of adopted adults under 21, and adoptive parents of deceased adopted or surrendered people.

More identifying information for adoption searches

The birth-certificate remedy lets intermediaries share identifying information about adult adopted or surrendered people, not just birth parents. Eligible petitioners include those adults and, after their death, their adult children, adult grandchildren, or surviving spouses. Petitioners must request a non-certified copy of the original birth certificate. For births before January 1, 1946, Illinois public health officials must confirm it was not found, or the petitioner must present a copy without the birth parent's name. For births after January 1, 1946, those officials must confirm the requested copy was not found. Information from sources other than official birth certificates may be inaccurate.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Sara Feigenholtz

    Democratic • Senate

Cosponsors

  • Ann M. Williams

    Democratic • House

  • Li Arellano, Jr.

    Republican • Senate

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 189 • No: 7

House vote • 5/20/2025

Third Reading - Short Debate - Passed

Yes: 110 • No: 3

House vote • 4/23/2025

Do Pass / Short Debate Judiciary - Civil Committee;

Yes: 19 • No: 0

Senate vote • 4/9/2025

Third Reading - Passed;

Yes: 51 • No: 4

Senate vote • 3/19/2025

Do Pass as Amended Judiciary;

Yes: 9 • No: 0

Actions Timeline

  1. Public Act . . . . . . . . . 104-0069

    8/1/2025Senate
  2. Effective Date January 1, 2026

    8/1/2025Senate
  3. Governor Approved

    8/1/2025Senate
  4. Sent to the Governor

    6/18/2025Senate
  5. Passed Both Houses

    5/20/2025Senate
  6. Third Reading - Short Debate - Passed 110-003-000

    5/20/2025House
  7. Placed on Calendar Order of 3rd Reading - Short Debate

    5/16/2025House
  8. Second Reading - Short Debate

    5/16/2025House
  9. Placed on Calendar 2nd Reading - Short Debate

    4/23/2025House
  10. Do Pass / Short Debate Judiciary - Civil Committee; 019-000-000

    4/23/2025House
  11. Assigned to Judiciary - Civil Committee

    4/17/2025House
  12. Referred to Rules Committee

    4/9/2025House
  13. First Reading

    4/9/2025House
  14. Chief House Sponsor Rep. Ann M. Williams

    4/9/2025House
  15. Arrived in House

    4/9/2025House
  16. Third Reading - Passed; 051-004-000

    4/9/2025Senate
  17. Placed on Calendar Order of 3rd Reading

    4/9/2025Senate
  18. Added as Co-Sponsor Sen. Li Arellano, Jr.

    4/9/2025Senate
  19. Placed on Calendar Order of 3rd Reading **

    4/4/2025Senate
  20. Placed on Calendar Order of 3rd Reading April 1, 2025

    3/20/2025Senate
  21. Second Reading

    3/20/2025Senate
  22. Placed on Calendar Order of 2nd Reading March 20, 2025

    3/19/2025Senate
  23. Do Pass as Amended Judiciary; 009-000-000

    3/19/2025Senate
  24. Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Adopted

    3/19/2025Senate
  25. Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Assignments Refers to Judiciary

    3/12/2025Senate

Bill Text

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