republic-os/legislation/us/states/il/94th/hb-4242.md

---
type: "Bill"
title: "DCFS-RELATIVE PLACEMENTS"
description: "Amends the Children and Family Services Act. Provides that the Department may place a child with a relative if the Department determines that the relative will be able to adequately provide for the child's safety and welfare based on the factors set forth in the Department's Rules governing relative placements and if the placement is consistent with the child's best interests taking into consideration the factors set out by statute for a \"best interests\" determination. Provides that in placing a child under the Act, the Department shall make reasonable efforts to identify and locate a relative who is ready, willing, and able to care for the child and that, at a minimum, these efforts are to be renewed each time the child requires a placement change when it is appropriate for the child to be cared for in a home environment. Requires the Department to document its efforts to identify and locate a relative placement and maintain the documentation in the child's case file. Provides that if any person files an administrative appeal of the Department's decision not to place a child with a relative, it will be the Department's burden to prove that its decision is consistent with the child's best interests. Sets forth additional requirements for the Department regarding relative placements. Includes , within the definition of \"relative\", any person who would have qualified as a relative under this paragraph, prior to an adoption, but only if the Department determines, and documents its determination, that it would be in the child's best interests to consider this person a relative. Makes other changes. Effective August 1, 2006."
jurisdiction: "us/states/il"
legislature: "Illinois General Assembly"
session: "94th"
identifier: "HB 4242"
citation: "Illinois HB 4242 (94th)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: []
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: []
version_count: 3
action_count: 42
vote_count: 2
first_action: "2005-12-09"
last_action: "2006-06-20"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/dbe88930-cf3a-4db3-9877-e68256c16991"
source_url: "http://ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?DocNum=4242&GAID=8&DocTypeID=HB&LegId=22339&SessionID=50&GA=94"
source_hash: "270399a55ea8ddfc722a1550442c06c1c32d9a1bff38821566c5715b5b4c014e"
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 4242 (94th) — DCFS-RELATIVE PLACEMENTS

Amends the Children and Family Services Act. Provides that the Department may place a child with a relative if the Department determines that the relative will be able to adequately provide for the child's safety and welfare based on the factors set forth in the Department's Rules governing relative placements and if the placement is consistent with the child's best interests taking into consideration the factors set out by statute for a "best interests" determination. Provides that in placing a child under the Act, the Department shall make reasonable efforts to identify and locate a relative who is ready, willing, and able to care for the child and that, at a minimum, these efforts are to be renewed each time the child requires a placement change when it is appropriate for the child to be cared for in a home environment. Requires the Department to document its efforts to identify and locate a relative placement and maintain the documentation in the child's case file. Provides that if any person files an administrative appeal of the Department's decision not to place a child with a relative, it will be the Department's burden to prove that its decision is consistent with the child's best interests. Sets forth additional requirements for the Department regarding relative placements. Includes , within the definition of "relative", any person who would have qualified as a relative under this paragraph, prior to an adoption, but only if the Department determines, and documents its determination, that it would be in the child's best interests to consider this person a relative. Makes other changes. Effective August 1, 2006.

## 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=09400HB4242&GA=94&SessionId=50&DocTypeId=HB&LegID=22339&DocNum=4242&GAID=8&Session=&print=true)
2. **Engrossed** (committee substitute) — [source](http://ilga.gov/legislation/fulltext.asp?DocName=09400HB4242eng&GA=94&SessionId=50&DocTypeId=HB&LegID=22339&DocNum=4242&GAID=8&Session=&print=true)
3. **Enrolled** (enrolled) — [source](http://ilga.gov/legislation/fulltext.asp?DocName=09400HB4242enr&GA=94&SessionId=50&DocTypeId=HB&LegID=22339&DocNum=4242&GAID=8&Session=&print=true)

## Votes

- Third Reading — **55–0** (pass) · upper
- Third Reading — **116–0** (pass) · lower

## Sponsors

- William Delgado — primary (person)

## Timeline

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

- **2005-12-09** Filed with the Clerk by Rep. William Delgado `filing`
- **2006-01-04** First Reading `reading-1`
- **2006-01-04** Referred to Rules Committee `referral-committee`
- **2006-01-12** Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Kenneth Dunkin
- **2006-01-12** Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Sara Feigenholtz
- **2006-01-12** Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Patricia Reid Lindner
- **2006-01-18** Assigned to Human Services Committee `referral-committee`
- **2006-01-23** Fiscal Note Filed
- **2006-01-31** Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Lovana Jones
- **2006-01-31** Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Esther Golar
- **2006-02-01** Do Pass / Short Debate Human Services Committee; 008-000-000 `committee-passage`
- **2006-02-01** Placed on Calendar 2nd Reading - Short Debate
- **2006-02-07** Second Reading - Short Debate `reading-2`
- **2006-02-07** Placed on Calendar Order of 3rd Reading - Short Debate
- **2006-02-08** Added Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. Mary E. Flowers
- **2006-02-08** Added Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. Cynthia Soto
- **2006-02-08** Chief Co-Sponsor Changed to Rep. Mary E. Flowers
- **2006-02-08** Added Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. Maria Antonia Berrios
- **2006-02-08** Chief Co-Sponsor Changed to Rep. Cynthia Soto
- **2006-02-08** Chief Co-Sponsor Changed to Rep. Mary E. Flowers
- **2006-02-08** Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Richard T. Bradley
- **2006-02-08** Third Reading - Short Debate - Passed 116-000-000 `reading-3, passage`
- **2006-02-09** Arrive in Senate `introduction`
- **2006-02-09** Placed on Calendar Order of First Reading February 14, 2006 `reading-1`
- **2006-02-09** Chief Senate Sponsor Sen. Iris Y. Martinez
- **2006-02-14** First Reading `reading-1`
- **2006-02-14** Referred to Rules `referral-committee`
- **2006-02-14** Added as Alternate Chief Co-Sponsor Sen. Jacqueline Y. Collins
- **2006-03-01** Assigned to Health & Human Services `referral-committee`
- **2006-03-15** Added as Alternate Chief Co-Sponsor Sen. M. Maggie Crotty
- **2006-03-15** Do Pass Health & Human Services; 009-000-000 `committee-passage`
- **2006-03-15** Placed on Calendar Order of 2nd Reading March 16, 2006
- **2006-03-16** Second Reading `reading-2`
- **2006-03-16** Placed on Calendar Order of 3rd Reading March 22, 2006
- **2006-03-28** Added as Alternate Chief Co-Sponsor Sen. Mattie Hunter
- **2006-03-28** Added as Alternate Chief Co-Sponsor Sen. Kwame Raoul
- **2006-03-28** Third Reading - Passed; 055-000-000 `reading-3, passage`
- **2006-03-28** Passed Both Houses
- **2006-04-26** Sent to the Governor `executive-receipt`
- **2006-06-20** Governor Approved `executive-signature`
- **2006-06-20** Effective Date August 1, 2006
- **2006-06-20** Public Act . . . . . . . . . 94-0880 `became-law`

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/dbe88930-cf3a-4db3-9877-e68256c16991`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official Illinois legislature records).