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HJR 24

CHILD WELFARE LIAB TASK FORCE

104th Regular Session Introduced by Dee Avelar and 70 co-sponsors

HJR 24 creates a temporary Child Welfare Agency Liability Task Force to devise a permanent fix for the insurance crisis hurting foster agencies, families, and youth in care.

Rule 19(b) / Re-referred to Rules Committee
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Bill Summary · HJR 24

Summary — HJR 24: Child Welfare Liability Task Force

Status: Joint resolution introduced August 19, 2025. Read first time Aug 20, 2025. Rule 19(b) / Re‑referred to Rules Committee. (See Legislative Actions for full history of filings and co‑sponsors.)

Purpose

HJR 24 creates a temporary Child Welfare Agency Liability Task Force to develop and recommend a permanent solution to the reported unavailability and unaffordability of liability insurance for child welfare / foster care agencies in Illinois. The resolution cites that community‑based organizations provide foster care for nearly 70% of youth in care (over 13,000 children) and reports that major carriers announced they will stop writing new policies in 2025 and will renew existing policies only case‑by‑case — often at very high premium increases and reduced coverage. The resolution expresses concern this could force provider exits, transfers of youth to DCFS, longer stays, loss of foster families, and additional DCFS budget pressures.

Key provisions / requirements

  • Creates the Child Welfare Agency Liability Task Force to propose a permanent solution to the liability insurance crisis facing child welfare agencies.
  • Directs the Illinois Department of Insurance (DOI) and the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) to provide administrative support to the Task Force.
  • Specifies initial appointment timing, vacancy filling, meeting frequency, report deadline, and dissolution (see below).

Note: The bill text includes a gap/garbled text on the timing for the Task Force’s first meeting (it states “The Task Force shall hold its first meeting within … days after all Task Force members have been appointed” but the number of days is missing). This is an unresolved drafting omission in the posted version.

Membership (serve without compensation)

  1. Director of the Department of Insurance (or designee) — Chair
  2. One Representative appointed by the Speaker of the House
  3. One Representative appointed by the House Minority Leader
  4. One Senator appointed by the Senate President
  5. One Senator appointed by the Senate Minority Leader
  6. Director of DCFS (or designee)
  7. One insurance‑industry representative with liability expertise (appointed by Governor)
  8. One representative from a statewide attorneys’ advocacy organization (appointed by Governor)
  9. One representative from a statewide child & family community‑based services advocacy organization (appointed by Governor)

Timeline, reporting, and dissolution

  • Initial appointments: to be made no more than three months after adoption of the resolution.
  • Meetings: first meeting to occur within a specified (but currently missing) number of days after all members are appointed; thereafter to meet monthly.
  • Final report: Task Force must submit a final report to the General Assembly no later than December 31, 2026.
  • Upon filing the final report, the Task Force is dissolved.

Who is affected / potential impacts

  • Community‑based foster care agencies and their ability to obtain liability insurance.
  • DCFS operations and budget (potentially absorbing youth if providers exit).
  • Foster youth and foster families (potential service disruptions, transfers, longer stays).
  • Insurance market stakeholders and state policymakers seeking systemic solutions.

Funding

The resolution does not appropriate funding or specify a budget for Task Force activities.

Notes

  • HJR is a joint resolution establishing an advisory/working group; it does not itself create regulatory or funding changes. Recommendations from the Task Force would require subsequent legislative or administrative action to implement.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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