IL HB0125

Amends the Child Protective Investigator and Child Welfare Specialist Certification Act of 1987 to add criminal justice as an acceptable bachelor's degree field for child protective investigator certification.

Requires applicants for child protective investigator or child welfare specialist certification to pass a Department-approved examination, be at least 18 years old, and complete an approved curriculum.

Maintains existing educational requirement of a bachelor's degree in human services fields such as law enforcement, police science, criminology, social work, early childhood development, or psychology.

Exempts persons already employed by the Department prior to the effective date from the bachelor's degree requirement.

Allows the Department to consider felony convictions in certification decisions but prohibits automatic disqualification based on felony conviction alone.