HB4964 Summary

• Amends the Juvenile Court Act of 1987 to prohibit courts from finding a minor abused or neglected based solely on a parent, guardian, or custodian disclosing they are a domestic violence victim, seeking services for domestic violence, and not living with the perpetrator.

• Prohibits courts from placing a minor in shelter care, committing them to the Department of Children and Family Services, or removing them from home based solely on the same domestic violence disclosure circumstances.

• Clarifies definitions of neglected and abused minors, establishing factors for courts to consider when determining if a minor was left without supervision for an unreasonable period of time, including the minor's age, special needs, duration of neglect, weather conditions, and whether economic hardship or illness contributed to the conduct.

• Requires the Department of Children and Family Services to file parent-child visiting plans within 10 days of appointment as temporary custodian and to file sibling placement and contact plans when children have siblings in care.

• Applies changes to pending cases on or after the effective date of the 101st General Assembly amendments.