summary
Introduced
01/27/2025
01/27/2025
In Committee
03/21/2025
03/21/2025
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
Introduced Session
104th General Assembly
Bill Summary
Amends the Juvenile Court Act of 1987. Defines a guardian ad litem as either (i) an attorney licensed in Illinois to practice law; or (ii) a person who holds at a minimum a bachelor's degree in psychology, psychiatry, social work, education, or any other relevant child-related discipline involving determining a child's best interests. Provides that a guardian ad litem must receive training to ensure the guardian ad litem has a fundamental working knowledge of abuser tactics and its effects on children in domestic violence cases as ordered by the Supreme Court. Requires a guardian ad litem to meet with a child who has been exposed to domestic violence in an age-appropriate manner for at least an hour before the issuance of any judicial decision affecting the parental rights of the child and to meet with the child for at least an hour every 3 months and provide a written update to the court at least every 6 months. Amends the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act to make conforming changes.
AI Summary
This bill amends the Juvenile Court Act and the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act to establish more rigorous requirements for guardians ad litem (GALs) in cases involving children. The bill defines a guardian ad litem as either an Illinois-licensed attorney or a person with at least a bachelor's degree in a child-related field like psychology or social work. The legislation mandates that GALs receive specialized training on domestic violence and its effects on children. Critically, the bill requires GALs to have substantive, regular contact with children in cases involving domestic violence, specifically mandating at least one hour of age-appropriate meetings with the child before any judicial decision affecting parental rights and subsequent meetings every three months, with written updates provided to the court at least every six months. These new requirements aim to ensure that GALs have a comprehensive understanding of the child's circumstances and can more effectively advocate for the child's best interests in legal proceedings. The changes apply to both juvenile court and marriage dissolution cases, emphasizing a consistent approach to child representation across different legal contexts.
Committee Categories
Justice
Sponsors (1)
Last Action
Rule 19(a) / Re-referred to Rules Committee (on 03/21/2025)
bill text
bill summary
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bill summary
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bill summary
| Document Type | Source Location |
|---|---|
| State Bill Page | https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?DocNum=1762&GAID=18&DocTypeID=HB&SessionID=114&GA=104 |
| BillText | https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/104/HB/10400HB1762.htm |
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