Chapter 325 — CHILDREN

(325 ILCS 2/1) Sec. 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Abandoned Newborn Infant Protection Act. (Source: P.A. 92-408, eff. 8-17-01; 92-432, eff. 8-17-01.)

(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 welfare agency" means an Illinois licensed public o…

(325 ILCS 2/15) Sec. 15. Presumptions. (a) There is a presumption that by relinquishing a newborn infant in accordance with this Act, the infant's parent consents to the termination of the parent's parental rights with respect to the infant. (b) There is a presumption that a pers…

(325 ILCS 2/20) Sec. 20. Procedures with respect to relinquished newborn infants. (a) Hospitals. Every hospital must accept and provide all necessary emergency services and care to a relinquished newborn infant, in accordance with this Act. The hospital shall examine a relinquish…

(325 ILCS 2/22) Sec. 22. Signage. Every hospital, fire station, emergency medical facility, and police station that is required to accept a relinquished newborn infant in accordance with this Act must post, either by physical or electronic means, a sign in a conspicuous place on …

(325 ILCS 2/25) Sec. 25. Immunity for relinquishing person. (a) The act of relinquishing a newborn infant to a hospital, police station, fire station, or emergency medical facility in accordance with this Act does not, by itself, constitute a basis for a finding of abuse, neglect…

(325 ILCS 2/27) Sec. 27. Immunity of facility and personnel. A hospital, police station, fire station, or emergency medical facility, and any personnel of a hospital, police station, fire station, or emergency medical facility, are immune from criminal or civil liability for acti…

(325 ILCS 2/30) Sec. 30. Anonymity of relinquishing person. If there is no evidence of abuse or neglect of a relinquished newborn infant, the relinquishing person has the right to remain anonymous and to leave the hospital, police station, fire station, or emergency medical facil…

(325 ILCS 2/35) Sec. 35. Information for relinquishing person. (a) The hospital, police station, fire station, or emergency medical facility that receives a newborn infant relinquished in accordance with this Act shall offer to the relinquishing person information about the relin…

(325 ILCS 2/37) Sec. 37. Public disclosure of information prohibited. Emergency medical professionals, employees, or other persons engaged in the administration or operation of a fire station, police station, hospital, emergency medical facility, child welfare agency, or the Depa…

(325 ILCS 2/40) Sec. 40. Reporting requirements. (a) Within 12 hours after accepting a newborn infant from a relinquishing person or from a police station, fire station, or emergency medical facility in accordance with this Act, a hospital must report to the Department's State Ce…

(325 ILCS 2/45) Sec. 45. Medical assistance. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a newborn infant relinquished in accordance with this Act shall be deemed eligible for medical assistance under the Illinois Public Aid Code, and a hospital providing medical services to such…

(325 ILCS 2/5) Sec. 5. Public policy. Illinois recognizes that newborn infants have been abandoned to the environment or to other circumstances that may be unsafe to the newborn infant. These circumstances have caused injury and death to newborn infants and give rise to potential…

(325 ILCS 2/50) Sec. 50. Child welfare agency procedures. (a) The Department's State Central Registry must maintain a list of licensed child welfare agencies willing to take legal custody of newborn infants relinquished in accordance with this Act. The child welfare agencies on t…

(325 ILCS 2/55) Sec. 55. Petition for return of custody. (a) A parent or person claiming to be a parent of a newborn infant relinquished in accordance with this Act may petition for the return of custody of the infant before the termination of parental rights with respect to the …

(325 ILCS 2/60) Sec. 60. Department's duties. The Department must implement a public information program to promote safe placement alternatives for newborn infants. The public information program must inform the public of the following: (1) The relinquishment alternative provided…

(325 ILCS 2/65) Sec. 65. Evaluation. (a) The Department shall collect and analyze information regarding the relinquishment of newborn infants and placement of children under this Act. Police stations, fire stations, emergency medical facilities, and medical professionals acceptin…

(325 ILCS 2/70) Sec. 70. Construction of Act. Nothing in this Act shall be construed to preclude the courts of this State from exercising their discretion to protect the health and safety of children in individual cases. The best interests and welfare of a child shall be a paramo…

(325 ILCS 2/75) Sec. 75. (Repealed). (Source: P.A. 92-432, eff. 8-17-01. Repealed by P.A. 94-207, eff. 1-1-06.)

(325 ILCS 2/90) Sec. 90. (Amendatory provisions; text omitted). (Source: P.A. 92-408, eff. 8-17-01; 92-432, eff. 8-17-01; text omitted.)

(325 ILCS 2/92) Sec. 92. (Amendatory provisions; text omitted). (Source: P.A. 92-408, eff. 8-17-01; 92-432, eff. 8-17-01; text omitted.)

(325 ILCS 2/95) Sec. 95. (Amendatory provisions; text omitted). (Source: P.A. 92-408, eff. 8-17-01; 92-432, eff. 8-17-01; text omitted.)

(325 ILCS 2/96) Sec. 96. (Amendatory provisions; text omitted). (Source: P.A. 92-408, eff. 8-17-01; 92-432, eff. 8-17-01; text omitted.)

(325 ILCS 2/96.5) Sec. 96.5. (Amendatory provisions; text omitted). (Source: P.A. 92-408, eff. 8-17-01; 92-432, eff. 8-17-01; text omitted.)

(325 ILCS 2/97) Sec. 97. (Amendatory provisions; text omitted). (Source: P.A. 92-408, eff. 8-17-01; 92-432, eff. 8-17-01; text omitted.)

(325 ILCS 2/999) Sec. 999. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law. (Source: P.A. 92-408, eff. 8-17-01; 92-432, eff. 8-17-01.)

(325 ILCS 3/1-1) Sec. 1-1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Department of Early Childhood Act. (Source: P.A. 103-594, eff. 6-25-24.)

(325 ILCS 3/1-10) Sec. 1-10. Purpose. It is the purpose of this Act to provide for the creation of the Department of Early Childhood and to transfer to it certain rights, powers, duties, and functions currently exercised by various agencies of State Government. The Department of …

(325 ILCS 3/1-11) Sec. 1-11. Rights; privileges; protections. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, any rights, privileges, or protections afforded to students in early childhood education and care programs, including undocumented students, under the School Code o…

(325 ILCS 3/1-15) Sec. 1-15. Definitions. As used in this Act, unless the context otherwise requires: "Department" means the Department of Early Childhood. "Secretary" means the Secretary of Early Childhood. "Transferring agency" means the Department of Human Services, Department…

(325 ILCS 3/1-20) Sec. 1-20. Department; Secretary; organization. (a) The Department of Early Childhood is created and shall begin operation on July 1, 2024. (b) The head officer of the Department is the Secretary. The Secretary shall be appointed by the Governor, with the advice…

(325 ILCS 3/1-30) Sec. 1-30. General powers and duties. (a) The Department shall exercise the rights, powers, duties, and functions provided by law, including, but not limited to, the rights, powers, duties, and functions transferred to the Department. (a-5) The Department shall …

(325 ILCS 3/1-35) Sec. 1-35. Advisory body. By July 1, 2026, the Department shall create or designate an advisory body to counsel the Department on an ongoing basis, ensuring the Department functions with transparency, operates with a commitment to centering racial equity and to …

(325 ILCS 3/1-5) Sec. 1-5. Findings. The General Assembly finds that: (1) There are over 875,000 children under the age of 5 in Illinois, nearly half of whom are under the age of 3. At birth, a baby's brain is 25% the size of an adult's brain. Yet, an infant's brain has roughly 8…

(325 ILCS 3/10-10) Sec. 10-10. Legislative findings and policy. (a) The General Assembly finds that there is an urgent and substantial need to: (1) enhance the development of all eligible infants and toddlers in the State of Illinois in order to minimize developmental delay and m…

(325 ILCS 3/10-100) Sec. 10-100. Private insurance; exemption. (a) The lead agency shall establish procedures for a family whose child is eligible to receive early intervention services to apply for an exemption restricting the use of its private insurance plan or policy based on…

(325 ILCS 3/10-105) Sec. 10-105. System of personnel development. The lead agency shall provide training to early intervention providers and may enter into contracts to meet this requirement in accordance with Section 1-30(c) of this Act. This training shall include, at minimum, …

(325 ILCS 3/10-110) Sec. 10-110. Contracting. In accordance with Section 1-30(c) of this Act, the lead agency may enter into contracts for some or all of its responsibilities under this Act, including, but not limited to: credentialing and enrolling providers; training under Sect…

(325 ILCS 3/10-120) Sec. 10-120. Early Intervention Services Revolving Fund. The Early Intervention Services Revolving Fund, created by Public Act 89-106, shall be held by the lead agency. The Early Intervention Services Revolving Fund shall be used to the extent determined neces…

(325 ILCS 3/10-15) Sec. 10-15. Definitions. As used in this Act: (a) "Eligible infants and toddlers" means infants and toddlers under 36 months of age with any of the following conditions: (1) Developmental delays. (2) A physical or mental condition which typically results in dev…

(325 ILCS 3/10-25) Sec. 10-25. Services delivered by telehealth. An early intervention provider may deliver via telehealth any type of early intervention service outlined in subsection (e) of Section 10-15 to the extent of the early intervention provider's scope of practice as es…

(325 ILCS 3/10-30) Sec. 10-30. Illinois Interagency Council on Early Intervention. (a) There is established the Illinois Interagency Council on Early Intervention. The Council shall be composed of at least 20 but not more than 30 members. The members of the Council and the design…

(325 ILCS 3/10-35) Sec. 10-35. Lead agency. Through June 30, 2026, the Department of Human Services is designated the lead agency and shall provide leadership in establishing and implementing the coordinated, comprehensive, interagency and interdisciplinary system of early interv…

(325 ILCS 3/10-40) Sec. 10-40. Local structure and interagency councils. The lead agency, in conjunction with the Council and as defined by administrative rule, shall define local service areas and define the geographic boundaries of each so that all areas of the State are includ…

(325 ILCS 3/10-45) Sec. 10-45. Essential components of the statewide service system. As required by federal laws and regulations, a statewide system of coordinated, comprehensive, interagency and interdisciplinary programs shall be established and maintained. The framework of the…

(325 ILCS 3/10-5) Sec. 10-5. Transition planning. Beginning July 1, 2024, the Department of Early Childhood and the Department of Human Services shall collaborate and plan for the transition of administrative responsibilities as prescribed in the Early Intervention Services Syste…

(325 ILCS 3/10-50) Sec. 10-50. Authority to adopt rules. The lead agency shall adopt rules under this Act. These rules shall reflect the intent of federal regulations adopted under Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (Sections 1431 throug…

(325 ILCS 3/10-55) Sec. 10-55. Role of other State entities. The Departments of Public Health, Early Childhood, Human Services, Children and Family Services, and Healthcare and Family Services; the University of Illinois Division of Specialized Care for Children; the State Board …

(325 ILCS 3/10-60) Sec. 10-60. Standards. The Council and the lead agency, with assistance from parents and providers, shall develop and promulgate policies and procedures relating to the establishment and implementation of program and personnel standards to ensure that services …

(325 ILCS 3/10-65) (Text of Section from P.A. 104-270) Sec. 10-65. Individualized Family Service Plans. (a) Each eligible infant or toddler and that infant's or toddler's family shall receive: (1) timely, comprehensive, multidisciplinary assessment of the unique strengths and nee…