---
type: "Bill"
title: "DCFS-FICTIVE KIN"
description: "Amends the Children and Family Services Act. Expands the definition of \"fictive kin\" to include any individual, unrelated by birth or marriage, who is the foster parent of a child in the custody or guardianship of the Department of Children and Family Services, has established a significant and family-like relationship with the child, and has been identified by the Department as the child's permanent connection, as defined by rule by the Department."
jurisdiction: "us/states/il"
legislature: "Illinois General Assembly"
session: "99th"
identifier: "HB 5551"
citation: "Illinois HB 5551 (99th)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: []
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: []
version_count: 3
action_count: 39
vote_count: 2
first_action: "2016-02-09"
last_action: "2016-08-19"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/205ae47d-7fcd-40b5-a83b-43eb8b2b17b3"
source_url: "http://ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?DocNum=5551&GAID=13&DocTypeID=HB&LegId=94970&SessionID=88&GA=99"
source_hash: "8c1df5603890d4687b75fa0d285f5d36a590d635f6afacd4545091d2b5c0f750"
vintage: "2026-07-01"
source_snapshot: "https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-06"
confidence: "reported"
tags: ["legislation", "bill", "us-il"]
---

# Illinois HB 5551 (99th) — DCFS-FICTIVE KIN

Amends the Children and Family Services Act. Expands the definition of "fictive kin" to include any individual, unrelated by birth or marriage, who is the foster parent of a child in the custody or guardianship of the Department of Children and Family Services, has established a significant and family-like relationship with the child, and has been identified by the Department as the child's permanent connection, as defined by rule by the Department.

## Version chain

The bill's text revisions, in order — the diff chain from filing to enrollment.

1. **Introduced** (filed) — [source](http://ilga.gov/legislation/fulltext.asp?DocName=09900HB5551&GA=99&SessionId=88&DocTypeId=HB&LegID=94970&DocNum=5551&GAID=13&Session=&print=true)
2. **Engrossed** (committee substitute) — [source](http://ilga.gov/legislation/fulltext.asp?DocName=09900HB5551eng&GA=99&SessionId=88&DocTypeId=HB&LegID=94970&DocNum=5551&GAID=13&Session=&print=true)
3. **Enrolled** (enrolled) — [source](http://ilga.gov/legislation/fulltext.asp?DocName=09900HB5551enr&GA=99&SessionId=88&DocTypeId=HB&LegID=94970&DocNum=5551&GAID=13&Session=&print=true)

## Votes

- Third Reading — **76–34** (pass) · lower
- Third Reading — **53–0** (pass) · upper

## Sponsors

- Ann M. Williams — primary (person)
- Donne E. Trotter — cosponsor (person)

## Timeline

The legislative action history — every referral, reading, and vote.

- **2016-02-09** Filed with the Clerk by Rep. Sara Feigenholtz `filing`
- **2016-02-10** First Reading `reading-1`
- **2016-02-10** Referred to Rules Committee `referral-committee`
- **2016-04-04** Assigned to Adoption Reform `referral-committee`
- **2016-04-08** Committee Deadline Extended-Rule 9(b) April 22, 2016
- **2016-04-08** House Committee Amendment No. 1 Filed with Clerk by Rep. Sara Feigenholtz `amendment-introduction`
- **2016-04-08** House Committee Amendment No. 1 Referred to Rules Committee `referral-committee`
- **2016-04-12** House Committee Amendment No. 2 Filed with Clerk by Rep. Sara Feigenholtz `amendment-introduction`
- **2016-04-12** House Committee Amendment No. 2 Referred to Rules Committee `referral-committee`
- **2016-04-13** House Committee Amendment No. 2 Rules Refers to Adoption Reform
- **2016-04-14** House Committee Amendment No. 2 Adopted in Adoption Reform; by Voice Vote `amendment-passage`
- **2016-04-14** Do Pass as Amended / Short Debate Adoption Reform; 004-000-000 `committee-passage`
- **2016-04-14** House Committee Amendment No. 1 Tabled Pursuant to Rule 40 `amendment-failure`
- **2016-04-14** Placed on Calendar 2nd Reading - Short Debate
- **2016-04-14** Chief Sponsor Changed to Rep. Ann M. Williams
- **2016-04-14** Added Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. Sara Feigenholtz
- **2016-04-14** Added Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. Keith P. Sommer
- **2016-04-15** Second Reading - Short Debate `reading-2`
- **2016-04-15** Placed on Calendar Order of 3rd Reading - Short Debate
- **2016-04-19** Third Reading - Short Debate - Passed 076-034-000 `reading-3, passage`
- **2016-04-19** Arrive in Senate `introduction`
- **2016-04-19** Placed on Calendar Order of First Reading April 20, 2016 `reading-1`
- **2016-04-20** Chief Senate Sponsor Sen. Sue Rezin
- **2016-04-20** First Reading `reading-1`
- **2016-04-20** Referred to Assignments `referral-committee`
- **2016-04-27** Assigned to Judiciary `referral-committee`
- **2016-05-04** Alternate Chief Sponsor Changed to Sen. Kwame Raoul
- **2016-05-04** Do Pass Judiciary; 010-000-000 `committee-passage`
- **2016-05-04** Placed on Calendar Order of 2nd Reading May 5, 2016
- **2016-05-04** Added as Alternate Chief Co-Sponsor Sen. Julie A. Morrison
- **2016-05-17** Second Reading `reading-2`
- **2016-05-17** Placed on Calendar Order of 3rd Reading May 18, 2016
- **2016-05-26** Added as Alternate Co-Sponsor Sen. Donne E. Trotter
- **2016-05-26** Third Reading - Passed; 053-000-000 `reading-3, passage`
- **2016-05-26** Passed Both Houses
- **2016-06-24** Sent to the Governor `executive-receipt`
- **2016-08-19** Governor Approved `executive-signature`
- **2016-08-19** Effective Date January 1, 2017
- **2016-08-19** Public Act . . . . . . . . . 99-0836 `became-law`

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/205ae47d-7fcd-40b5-a83b-43eb8b2b17b3`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official Illinois legislature records).