SB 1834

Abstract

Amends the Juvenile Court Act of 1987. Provides that a neglected minor includes any minor (rather than a minor under 14 years) whose parent or other person responsible for the minor's welfare leaves the minor without supervision for an unreasonable period of time without regard for the mental or physical health, safety, or welfare of that minor. Provides that a minor shall not be considered neglected for the sole reason that the minor was engaged in independent activities, except if the person responsible for the minor's health, safety, or welfare willfully disregards danger that the independent activity poses to the physical or mental health of the minor under circumstances when the danger is sufficiently obvious that no reasonable person would cause or permit the minor to be unsupervised in such a situation given the minor's level of maturity, physical condition, or mental abilities. Provides factors that must be considered in determining if a minor's needs can be sufficiently met during an independent activity. Amends the Criminal Code of 2012 to change the child abandonment statute. Deletes language providing that a person commits child abandonment by leaving a child who is under the age of 13 without supervision by a responsible person over the age of 14 for a period of 24 hours or more. Provides instead that a person commits child abandonment when he or she, as a parent, guardian, or other person having physical custody or control of a child, without regard for the mental or physical health, safety, or welfare of that child, knowingly permits a child to engage in independent activities that were unreasonable under the circumstances or for an unreasonable period of time without regard for the minor's mental or physical health, safety or well-being. Provides that no specific age shall be determinative of reasonableness, and that reasonableness shall be determined by the maturity of each individual child. Effective immediately. Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Provides that the definition of "neglected minor" includes any minor under 18 years of age or a minor 18 years of age or older for whom the court has made a finding of probable cause to believe that the minor is abused, neglected, or dependent prior to the minor's 18th birthday who is subject to the various conditions of neglect under the statute.