summary
Introduced
02/06/2025
02/06/2025
In Committee
03/18/2026
03/18/2026
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
Introduced Session
104th General Assembly
Bill Summary
Amends the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act. Sets forth certain protections that must be provided to the parent or guardian of a child at the center of an abuse or neglect investigation whenever the Department of Children and Family Services refers a child to a medical professional. Defines "medical professional". Provides that the medical professional must explain to the parent or guardian of the child, whenever the medical professional has direct contact with the child or the family of the child, that the medical professional is involved for the purpose of providing an opinion to the Department regarding whether the child's injury or condition is suspicious for child maltreatment. Provides that, in any investigation where a medical professional is providing a medical opinion to the Department, the Department shall inform the parent or guardian of the child at the center of an investigation: (i) of the right to request and receive a copy of the medical professional's opinion, including the basis for the opinion, and a copy of any written report the medical professional has provided to the Department; (ii) of the right to obtain, at the parent's or guardian's own expense, and submit to the Department a second medical opinion for consideration in the investigation at any time prior to the conclusion of the investigation; (iii) that any second medical opinion submitted to the Department prior to the Department rendering a final determination in the investigation will be considered as inculpatory or exculpatory evidence; and (iv) of the Department's time frames for the investigative process. Requires the Department to annually prepare and make available on the Department's Reports and Statistics webpage a report on the number of children or families referred by the Department to a medical professional as part of an investigation of abuse or neglect by the Department. Sets forth the information that must be contained in the annual reports. Provides that the first report must be posted within 9 months after the effective date of the amendatory Act.
AI Summary
This bill amends the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act to establish new protections and reporting requirements for medical professionals involved in child abuse and neglect investigations. The bill defines a "medical professional" as any physician, nurse practitioner, physician assistant, nurse, resident, or subspecialist who is not part of the child's initial care team and is involved in an investigation through an agreement with the Department of Children and Family Services. When a medical professional is involved in an investigation, they must explicitly explain to the child's parent or guardian the purpose of their involvement, including that they may need to communicate with law enforcement and provide court testimony. The bill requires the Department to inform parents or guardians of their rights during such investigations, including the right to request a copy of the medical professional's opinion, obtain and submit a second medical opinion at their own expense, and be informed of the investigation's time frames. Additionally, the Department must annually publish a report on the website detailing investigations involving medical professionals, including statistics on case outcomes, referrals, and demographics, while ensuring no personally identifiable information is disclosed. The first such report must be posted within 9 months of the bill's effective date, and any category with fewer than 10 cases will not be included in the report.
Committee Categories
Health and Social Services
Sponsors (4)
Last Action
Placed on Calendar 2nd Reading - Short Debate (on 03/19/2026)
bill text
bill summary
Loading...
bill summary
Loading...
bill summary
| Document Type | Source Location |
|---|---|
| State Bill Page | https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?DocNum=3169&GAID=18&DocTypeID=HB&SessionID=114&GA=104 |
| BillText | https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/104/HB/10400HB3169.htm |
Loading...