Several bills that had been filed in the state Senate and House of Representatives, which critics have warned would weaken reporting and training standards for the Department of Child and Family Services, have been put on hold, according to state officials.

The move comes after the child-abuse death of 8-year-old Markell Pierce in Round Lake Beach, although state officials have not attributed their decisions to the tragedy.

Cook County Public Guardian Charles Golbert had raised alarm about the bills following the news of Markell’s death, warning they would make it more difficult for the public to get information when a DCFS-involved child is killed or seriously injured, and handicap the department’s internal investigation and review processes.

Twin efforts had been filed in both the House and Senate by state Rep. Suzanne Ness, D-Carpentersville, and state Sen. Lakesia Collins, D-Chicago, respectively. Initially, in February, Ness had provided a statement explaining that the intent of the bills was to “improve — not reduce — accountability for DCFS.”

The following week, however, Ness, who is the chair of the Adoption and Child Welfare Committee, said she was holding the bills back after “speaking with concerned stakeholders.”

“My commitment is to ensure the safety of Illinois’s most vulnerable children,” she said in a statement. “I will only support the final passage of legislation that enhances protections for these children.”

In the Senate, Collins said the bills were “not moving anywhere.” Pointing to her personal experiences with the foster care system, she said she has been “one of the most outspoken” about holding DCFS accountable.

Collins said the agency had reached out to her to carry a reform bill, but after receiving it, she saw the bill was “not going to move” because it was “not reform at all.”

After speaking with the agency about her concerns, Collins said she believed DCFS was being sincere about its intentions with the bill, and wanted to work with her to modify it accordingly.

Collins said DCFS must have the proper training and staffing to catch the key signs of abuse and take reports of child abuse seriously. She also emphasized the need for transparency.

Despite what seemed to be a sometimes-strained relationship with DCFS, Collins said she is an ally of the department and praised the DCFS Director Heidi Mueller.

“I feel they look at me as someone who doesn’t support them, but that’s not the case,” Collins said.

Although Markell’s death was “a tragedy that no one wants to wake up to,” Collins said she is waiting to learn more information about the case.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/03/03/dcfs-bills-on-hold/