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104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
HB4879

Introduced , by Rep. Jed Davis

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

20 ILCS 505/5c-1 new

Amends the Children and Family Services Act. Requires the Department
of Children and Family Services to maintain a public, searchable online
portal that lists every individual employed by the Department or a
purchase of service agency (POS) who holds a Child Welfare Employee
License (CWEL) and performs investigations, casework, or supervisory
functions. Requires the portal to contain certain employee information,
including, but not limited to, each child welfare employee's full name,
official job title, CWEL license number and date of issuance, employment
and child welfare employee license status, an indication of whether the
individual is authorized to conduct child welfare investigations, and any
disciplinary actions taken under the Child and Protective Investigator and
Child Welfare Specialist Certification Act of 1987. Prohibits the
Department and POS agencies from assigning investigative or casework
duties to any child welfare employee who is not listed on the portal, has a
suspended or expired CWEL, or has been disciplined or disqualified.
Provides that nothing in the amendatory Act shall be construed to alter,
expand, or limit existing licensure, certification, training, experience,
or assignment requirements under State law. Effective January 1, 2027.
LRB104 18901 KTG 32346 b

A BILL FOR

HB4879
LRB104 18901 KTG 32346 b
1

AN ACT concerning State government.

2

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3
represented in the General Assembly:

4

Section 5.
The Children and Family Services Act is amended
5
by adding Section 5c-1 as follows:

6

(20 ILCS 505/5c-1 new)
7

Sec. 5c-1.
Child welfare employee transparency portal.
8

(a) Findings. The General Assembly finds the following:

9

(1) Families have the right to know who is entering
10

their home and making decisions regarding child safety.
11

(2) The Department of Children and Family Services and
12

purchase of service (POS) agencies that contract with the
13

Department employ individuals whose licensure and
14

qualifications are not easily verified.
15

(3) A public, searchable database increases
16

accountability, prevents misuse of titles, and helps
17

ensure only properly certified child welfare workers
18

investigate cases.
19

(4) The purpose of this Section is to require full
20

transparency of child welfare employee identity,
21

credentials, Child Welfare Employee License (CWEL) status,
22

and disciplinary actions.
23

(b) Definitions. As used in this Section:

HB4879
- 2 -
LRB104 18901 KTG 32346 b
1

"Authorized to conduct child welfare investigations" means
2
an individual who holds an active Child Welfare Employee
3
License and meets the applicable requirements and
4
qualifications for certification under subsection (d) of
5
Section 21 of this Act and under the Child Protective
6
Investigator and Child Welfare Specialist Certification Act of
7
1987, and who is assigned by the Department to perform child
8
welfare investigations.

9

"Certification and qualification" means the education,
10
training, experience, and competency requirements applicable
11
to child welfare functions in accordance with the Child
12
Protective Investigator and Child Welfare Specialist
13
Certification Act of 1987, as determined by existing law and
14
rule.

15

"Licensure" means an active Child Welfare Employee License
16
issued in accordance with Section 5c of this Act.

17

(c) Public transparency portal.

18

(1) The Department shall maintain a public, searchable
19

online portal that lists every individual who:
20

(A) holds a Child Welfare Employee License (CWEL);
21

(B) performs investigations, casework, or
22

supervisory functions; and
23

(C) is employed by the Department or a POS agency
24

that contracts with the Department.

25

(2) The portal shall include the following information
26

on each child welfare employee listed:

HB4879
- 3 -
LRB104 18901 KTG 32346 b
1

(A) full legal name;
2

(B) official job title;
3

(C) employer agency;
4

(D) child welfare employee license number and date
5

of issuance;
6

(E) child welfare employee license status (active,
7

inactive, suspended, or revoked);

8

(F) certification and qualification status (met or
9

not met) in accordance with requirements under
10

subsection (d) of Section 21 of this Act and the Child
11

Protective Investigator and Child Welfare Specialist
12

Certification Act of 1987;

13

(G) an indication of whether the individual is
14

authorized to conduct child welfare investigations,
15

based on licensure and certification status;

16

(H) employment status (active or suspended);
17

(I) any disciplinary actions taken under the Child
18

Protective Investigator and Child Welfare Specialist
19

Certification Act of 1987; and
20

(J) the last date upon which the child welfare
21

employee submitted to a criminal history background
22

check.
23

(3) The portal shall be updated within 48 hours of any
24

change in a child welfare employee's licensing,
25

disciplinary, or employment status.
26

(d) Prohibited assignments. The Department and POS

HB4879
- 4 -
LRB104 18901 KTG 32346 b
1
agencies that contract with the Department may not assign
2
investigative or casework duties to any child welfare employee
3
who:

4

(1) is not listed on the portal;
5

(2) has a suspended or expired CWEL; or
6

(3) has been disciplined or disqualified under
7

subsection (e) or under the Child Protective Investigator
8

and Child Welfare Specialist Certification Act of 1987.
9

(e) Penalties. POS agencies that contract with the
10
Department that knowingly assign investigation or casework
11
duties to unlicensed or unlisted individuals shall be subject
12
to mandatory corrective action.

13

(f) Nothing in this Section shall be construed to alter,
14
expand, or limit existing licensure, certification, training,
15
experience, or assignment requirements under State law.

16

Section 99.
Effective date.
This Act takes effect January
17
1, 2027.

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