SB 2895 Illinois Senate · 104th Regular Session

HEALING THROUGH HISTORY ACT

Summary
Creates the Healing Through History Act. Requires the Department of Healthcare and Family Services to provide prospective adoptive families, no less than 30 days prior to adoption finalization, with a complete, unredacted copy of the child's full case record, including, but not limited to: (i) all placement histories and foster home records; (ii) all caseworker notes and observations; (iii) all educational, psychological, and behavioral reports; (iv) all therapy or counseling notes, subject to certain federal requirements; and (v) all medical records in full, including historical records. Provides that former foster youth aged 18 or older are entitled to receive the same information and records at no cost in both physical and digital form. Contains provisions concerning ongoing record access post-adoption or post-emancipation; the development of Department protocols and infrastructure necessary to collect, preserve, and transmit full child records; exemption and confidentiality protections; federal disclosure requirements; and other matters. Effective January 1, 2026.
Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Apr 2026
Committee Review
May 2026
Senate Passage
Apr 2026
House Passage
Governor
Introduced Apr 15, 2026 Last action May 15, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced Engrossed · 6 edits · Apr 15, 2026
MODERATE
The bill was significantly rewritten to replace a new 'Healing Through History Act' with an amendment to the existing Adoption Act. Instead of creating a new law requiring the release of full, unredacted case files (including caseworker notes and therapy records), the new version maintains the current legal framework for providing non-identifying biological information to adoptees. It also adds specific rules for the Illinois Adoption Registry regarding medical information exchanges and extends file retention requirements.
Scope change
The bill's scope shifted from creating a new statute with broad record disclosure mandates to amending an existing statute that limits information to non-identifying biological data.
REQUIREMENT

Removed the requirement for the Department of Children and Family Services to provide prospective adoptive families with unredacted full case records, including caseworker notes, foster home histories, and therapy logs.

Removed provisions requiring the department to develop new protocols and infrastructure to collect and transmit full child records.

Modified the disclosure requirements to align with the existing Adoption Act, which provides non-identifying biological information (such as race, religion, and medical history) rather than full case files.

Added specific provisions for the Illinois Adoption Registry to release medical information and adoption details to registrants who complete a Medical Information Exchange Authorization.

REMOVED

Removed the mandate that former foster youth aging out of care receive complete, unredacted case files at no cost.

TIMELINE

Added a requirement for the Department of Children and Family Services to retain adoption files until the adoptee reaches the age of 99.

Floor votes · Senate Apr 15, 2026

How they voted

550
Passed · 3 other
Total votes 58
Apr 15, 2026
D Democratic39
36 Yea 3
92% Yea
R Republican19
19 Yea
100% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
37
Key actions
5
Committee
9
Amendments
2
May 15, 2026
Committee
Rule 19(a) / Re-referred to Rules Committee
lower
May 7, 2026
Lower · Passed
Committee Deadline Extended-Rule 9(b) May 15, 2026
lower
Apr 27, 2026
Committee
Assigned to Executive Committee
lower
Apr 15, 2026
Committee
Referred to Rules Committee
lower
Apr 15, 2026
Introduced
Arrived in House
lower
Apr 15, 2026
Upper · Passed
Third Reading - Passed; 056-000-000
upper
Mar 4, 2026
Upper · Passed
Do Pass as Amended Child Welfare; 008-000-000
upper
Mar 3, 2026
Upper · Passed
Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Adopted
upper
Feb 24, 2026
Upper · Passed
Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Assignments Refers to Child Welfare
upper
Feb 18, 2026
Committee
Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Referred to Assignments
upper
Feb 18, 2026
Introduced
Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Filed with Secretary by Sen. Darby A. Hills
upper
Feb 3, 2026
Committee
Assigned to Child Welfare
upper
Jan 16, 2026
Committee
Referred to Assignments
upper
2 primary · 16 co-sponsors

Sponsors