HB3101 - ABANDONED NEWBORN INFANT

1 Co-Sponsor

Amends the Abandoned Newborn Infant Protection Act. Provides that there is a presumption that by relinquishing a newborn infant in accordance with the Act, the infant's parent waives notice of any legal proceeding to terminate his or her parental rights. Requires a hospital to complete and submit, on behalf of a relinquished newborn infant, an application for medical assistance benefits provided under the Illinois Public Aid Code and to provide all available medical information and records regarding the infant to the Department of Children and Family Services and to the child welfare agency (rather than child-placing agency) that has accepted the referral of the infant. Provides that if the person (rather than parent) who relinquished a newborn infant, or a person claiming to be the parent of the infant, returns to reclaim the infant within 30 days (rather than 72 hours) after the infant was relinquished to a police station, the police station must inform such person of the name and location of the hospital to which the infant was transported. Makes changes to provisions concerning information for a relinquishing person on the relinquishment process; a child welfare agency's authority to make medical and health related decisions for a relinquished infant; notice to the infant's biological parents of legal proceedings to terminate their parental rights; the appointment of a guardian ad litem to represent the infant's interests; the alternative to relinquishment that results in the adoption of a relinquished infant under 30 (rather than 7) days of age; and other matters. Amends the Abandoned Newborn Infant Protection Act, the Immunization Data Registry Act, the Illinois Parentage Act of 2015, and the Adoption Act by replacing all references to "child placing agency" with "child welfare agency".