Illinois Statutes Chapter 325. Children § 5/7.7. Register of reported cases

§ 7.7. There shall be a central register of all cases of suspected child abuse or neglect reported and maintained by the Department under this Act. Through the recording of initial, preliminary, and final reports, the central register shall be operated in such a manner as to enable the Department to: (1) immediately identify and locate prior reports of child abuse or neglect; (2) continuously monitor the current status of all reports of child abuse or neglect being provided services under this Act; and (3) regularly evaluate the effectiveness of existing laws and programs through the development and analysis of statistical and other information.

The Department shall maintain in the central register a listing of unfounded reports where the subject of the unfounded report requests that the record not be expunged because the subject alleges an intentional false report was made. Such a request must be made by the subject in writing to the Department, within 10 days of the investigation. By January 1, 2014, the Department shall promulgate rules establishing criteria and standards for labeling an unfounded report as an intentional false report in the central register. The rules shall permit the reporter to submit a statement regarding the report unless the reporter has been convicted of knowingly transmitting a false report to the Department under paragraph (7) of subsection (a) of Section 26-1 of the Criminal Code of 2012. 1

The Department shall also maintain in the central register a listing of unfounded reports where the report was classified as a priority one or priority two report in accordance with the Department's rules or the report was made by a person mandated to report suspected abuse or neglect under this Act.

The Department shall maintain in the central register all unfounded reports for a minimum of 5 years following the date of the final finding.

If an individual is the subject of a subsequent investigation that is pending, the Department shall maintain all prior unfounded reports pertaining to that individual until the pending investigation has been completed or for 5 years, whichever time period ends later.

For purposes of this Section “child abuse or neglect” includes abuse or neglect of an adult resident as defined in this Act.