SB 511

Abstract

Amends the Adoption Act. Provides that the sole purpose of notice shall be to enable the person receiving the notice to appear in the adoption proceedings to present evidence to the court relevant to whether the consent or surrender of the person to the adoption is required by the Act (instead of to present evidence to the court relevant to the best interests of the child). Provides that, if the court determines that the consent or surrender of the person is not required, then the person shall not be entitled to participate in the proceedings or to any further notice of the proceedings. Adds to the exceptions to the requirement for consent and surrender: (i) the father of the child who is a family member of the mother of the child and the mother is under the age of 18 at the time of the child's conception; and (ii) the father of the child who is at least 5 years older than the child's mother and the mother was under the age of 17 at the time of child's conception, unless the mother and father voluntarily acknowledge the father's paternity of the child by marrying or by establishing the father's paternity by consent of the parties pursuant to the Illinois Parentage Act of 1984 or pursuant to a substantially similar statute in another state. Defines "family member". Removes from the exceptions to the requirement for consent and surrender a person who has been indicated for child sexual abuse as defined in the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act that involved sexual penetration of the mother and a person who was at least 5 years older than the mother and the mother was under the age of 17 at the time of conception of the child to be adopted. Removes any employee of a licensed child welfare agency certified by the agency as qualified to serve as a confidential intermediary from the list of eligible intermediaries.