Illinois House Bill HB1797

Illinois 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/27/25
• Refer: 1/28/25
• Refer: 2/25/25
• Refer: 3/21/25

Caption

DCFS-ANCRA-AJ'S LAW

Summary

HB1797 amends the Illinois Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act, also referred to in the bill as the AJ Freund Act. The bill broadens the circumstances under which the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) must share child abuse or neglect reports with local law enforcement. Under current law, certain reports involving alleged abuse by persons outside the child’s immediate family or household are referred to law enforcement; HB1797 changes that standard so that reports alleging abuse or neglect by any person must be immediately shared with the appropriate local police agency. The bill also clarifies that, once a report is shared, local law enforcement may decide whether to conduct a criminal investigation or take other action based on the information received. It retains DCFS as the primary agency responsible for receiving and investigating child abuse and neglect reports, but expands the exceptions allowing other agencies to investigate when the allegation involves any person, rather than only the narrower categories listed in current law. The bill is framed as a child-protection measure and is tied by title to AJ Freund, the child whose death led to reforms in Illinois child welfare law.

Impact

HB1797 would amend Sections 7 and 7.3 of the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act (325 ILCS 5/7 and 5/7.3). Its main legal effect is to expand mandatory information-sharing between DCFS and local law enforcement for all child abuse or neglect allegations, regardless of the alleged perpetrator’s relationship to the child. This would likely increase police involvement in more DCFS reports and could affect how agencies coordinate investigations, especially in cases where the alleged abuser is a parent, family member, or other person already within the child’s household.

Sentiment

Based on the bill text and available context, the measure appears to have a protective, reform-oriented purpose and is presented in response to concerns about child safety and agency coordination. The bill’s naming as the AJ Freund Act suggests a strong emotional and policy impetus to prevent failures in child abuse response. No committee transcripts or votes were provided, so there is no recorded legislative debate or vote history here to indicate broader support or opposition.

Contention

The likely point of contention is the expanded role of local law enforcement in all abuse and neglect reports. Supporters would likely view the change as a way to ensure faster criminal review and prevent DCFS from handling serious allegations in isolation. Critics may be concerned that automatic sharing of all reports could increase police involvement in family and child welfare matters, potentially affecting reporting practices, agency workload, or the balance between protective services and criminal investigation. Another possible issue is the bill’s use of broad language—changing the trigger from specific categories of alleged perpetrators to “any person”—which significantly widens the scope of mandatory sharing and investigation.