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added = the amendment's new text.
SB3398*LRB10417550JRC36512a* EnrolledSen. LRB104 17550 JRC 30978 b AN ACT concerning civil law.
BeRobert itF. enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:
SectionMartwick 5.Filed:
The4/9/2026 Health10400SB3398sam002 CareLRB104 Surrogate17550 ActJRC is36512 amendeda byAMENDMENT changingTO SectionsSENATE 25BILL and3398 30AMENDMENT asNO. follows:
(755______. ILCS 40/25) (from Ch.
110Amend 1/2,Senate par.Bill 3398, AS AMENDED, by replacing everything after the enacting clause with the following:
851-25)"Section Sec.5.
25.The Code of Civil Procedure is amended by adding Section 13-109.2 as follows:
Surrogate(735 decisionILCS making.5/13-109.2 new) Sec.
(a)13-109.2. When a patient lacks decisional capacity, the health care provider must make a reasonable inquiry as to the availability and authority of a health care agent under the Powers of Attorney for Health Care Law.
WhenTenancy no health care agent is authorized and available, the health care provider must make a reasonable inquiry as to the availability of possible surrogates listed in itemscommon, (1)intestate throughsuccession. (4) of this subsection.
For(a) purposesA ofperson thisor Section,persons awith reasonablean inquiryownership includes,interest butin islands notor limitedtenements to,held identifyingas atenants memberin common, who acquired an ownership interest through intestate succession under Article 2 of the patient'sProbate familyAct of 1975, and who are in actual possession of the lands or othertenements, healthmay carecommence agentan byaction examiningseeking to be adjudged the patient'slegal personalowner effectsor owners of the lands or medicaltenements records.to the exclusion of any nonclaiming owner or owners, if the court finds that:
If10400SB3398sam002 -2- LRB104 17550 JRC 36512 a family(1) memberthe person or otherpersons healthbringing carethe agentaction iseach identified,have ana attempthousehold toincome contactof thatunder person80% byof telephonearea mustmedian beincome madeas withindetermined 24by hoursthe afterUnited aStates determinationDepartment byof Housing and Urban Development for the providercounty thatwhere the patientlands lacksor decisionaltenements capacity.are located;
No(2) the person shall be liable for civil damages or subjectpersons tobringing professionalthe disciplineaction basedhave onconducted a claimsearch, SB3398with Enrolleddue -diligence, 2for -anyone LRB104who 17550may JRChave 30978an bownership ofinterest violatingin a patient's right to confidentiality as a result of making a reasonable inquiry as to the availabilityproperty; of a patient's family member or health care agent, except for willful or wanton misconduct.
The(3) surrogatefor decision7 makers,successive asyears, identified by the attendingperson physician,or arepersons thenbringing authorizedthe toaction makehave: decisions as follows:
(i)(A) forheld patientsexclusive whopossession lackof decisionalthe capacitylands andor dotenements, notwith haveor awithout qualifyingthe condition,permission medicalor treatmentknowledge decisionsof others who may behold madean interest in accordancethe withlands subsectionor (b-5)tenements ofas Sectiontenants 20;in common;
and(B) (ii)paid foror patientscaused whoto lackbe decisionalpaid capacityall andtaxes havelegally aassessed qualifying condition, medical treatment decisions including whether to forgo life-sustaining treatment on behalf of the patientlands may be made without court order or judicialtenements; involvement in the following order of priority:
(1)and the(C) patient'sacquired guardianan ofownership interest in the person;lands or tenements through intestate succession;
(2)and (4) for 7 successive years, no other person or persons holding an ownership interest in the patient'slands spouse;or tenements as tenants in common have:
(3)(A) contributed to any adulttaxes sonassessed on the lands or daughtertenements, ofother than a lender under the patient;Residential Mortgage License Act of 1987 making payments of taxes as part of its duties related to a mortgage loan;
(4)10400SB3398sam002 either-3- parentLRB104 17550 JRC 36512 a (B) contributed to the care, maintenance, or improvement of the patient;lands or tenements;
(5)or (C) asserted or acted to preserve any adultinterest brotherin or sisterany ofclaim related to the patient;lands or tenements;
(6)and any(5) adultthe grandchildrequirements of subsection (b) are satisfied and no objection is made by a person or persons with a bona fide ownership interest in the patient;subject lands or tenements as tenants in common as set forth under subsection (c).
(7)(b) aA closeminimum friend of the2 patient;years before commencing an action under subsection (a), a person or persons shall:
(8)(1) file a signed declaration with the patient'srecorder guardianof deeds in the county where the lands or tenements are located that provides a legal description of the estate;subject lands or tenements and states the person's or persons':
(9)(A) theintention patient'sto temporaryseek custodianownership appointed under subsection (2) of Sectionlands 2-10or oftenements theto Juvenile Court Act of 1987 if the courtexclusion has entered an order granting such authority pursuant to subsection (12) of Sectionany 2-10nonclaiming ofowner SB3398or Enrolledowners; - 3 - LRB104 17550 JRC 30978 b the Juvenile Court Act of 1987.
The(B) healthownership careinterest providerin shall have the rightlands toor relytenements onas anytenants ofin thecommon; above surrogates if the provider believes after reasonable inquiry that neither a health care agent under the Powers of Attorney for Health Care Law nor a surrogate of higher priority is available.
Where(C) thereexclusive arepossession multipleof surrogate decision makers at the sameproperty priorityand levelconsistent inpayment the hierarchy, it shall be the responsibility of thoseall surrogatestaxes tolegally makeassessed reasonable efforts to reach a consensus as to their decision on behalf of the patientlands regardingor thetenements; forgoing of life-sustaining treatment.
If 2 or more surrogates who are in the same category and have(D) equalbelief priority indicate to the attending physician that theyno disagreeother aboutperson theor healthpersons carewith matteran atownership issue,interest ain majority of the availablelands personsor intenements thathave categorycontributed (orto the parentpayment withof custodialtaxes rights)or shall control, unless the minoritycare, (ormaintenance, theor parentimprovement withoutof custodial rights) initiates guardianship proceedings in accordance with the Probatelands Actor oftenements; 1975.
No10400SB3398sam002 health-4- careLRB104 provider17550 orJRC other36512 a and (2) send written notice after conducting the search described in paragraph (2) of subsection (a) to any person isor requiredpersons who hold an ownership interest in the lands or tenements by certified and first-class mail to seektheir appointmentlast ofknown aaddress guardian.that includes:
(b)(A) After a surrogatestatement hasof beenintention identified,to theseek name,ownership address,of telephonelands number,or andtenements relationshipto the exclusion of thatany personnonclaiming toowner or owners, including the patientaddress shallor bea recordeddescription inof the patient'slands medicalor record.tenements;
(c)(B) Anya surrogatenotification whothat becomesthe unavailableperson foror anypersons reasonwith an ownership interest in the lands or tenements may befile replacedan byobjection applyingwith the provisionsrecorder of Sectiondeeds 25 in the samecounty mannerwhere asthe forlands theor initialtenements choiceare oflocated surrogate.as set forth in subsection (c);
SB3398and Enrolled(C) - 4 - LRB104 17550 JRC 30978 b (d) In the event an individualattached copy of a higher priority to an identified surrogate becomes available and willing to be the surrogate,declaration thedescribed individualin withparagraph higher(1); priority may be identified as the surrogate.
Inand the(3) eventsend ana individualmessage inafter aconducting higher,the asearch lower,described orin theparagraph same(2) priorityof levelsubsection or(a) ato healthany careperson provideror seekspersons towho challengehold thean priorityownership ofinterest orin the life-sustaininglands treatmentor decisiontenements ofby theemail recognizedat surrogatetheir decisionlast maker,known theemail challengingaddress, partyif mayany, initiateand guardianshipby proceedingstext inat accordancetheir withlast theknown Probatetelephone Actnumber, ofif 1975.any, that includes:
(e)(A) Thea surrogatestatement decisionof makerintention shallto haveseek ownership of lands or tenements to the sameexclusion rightof asany nonclaiming owner or owners, including the patientaddress toor receivea medical10400SB3398sam002 information-5- andLRB104 medical17550 recordsJRC and36512 toa consentdescription toof disclosure.the lands or tenements;
Exceptand as(B) otherwise provided by law, a healthnotification carethat providerthe shall,person inor responsepersons towith a written request from an individualownership whointerest wasin namedthe aslands a surrogate or anytenements person,may entity,file oran organizationobjection presentingwith a valid authorization for the releaserecorder of recordsdeeds signedin by the surrogate,county releasewhere the medicallands recordsor intenements accordanceare withlocated Sectionas 8-2001set offorth thein Codesubsection of(c); Civil Procedure.
(f)and Any(4) surrogatepublish shallor havecause theto authoritybe topublished makeone decisionsnotice forof the patientclaim untilunder removedthe Notice by thePublication patientAct whoin noa longernewspaper lacksof decisionalgeneral capacity,circulation appointmentcovering ofthe acounty, guardiancity, ofor township where the person,lands or thetenements patient'sare death.located.
(g)(c) UponA aperson determinationor thatpersons awith patientan lacksownership decisionalinterest capacityin andthe alands healthor caretenements surrogatemay isobject identified,to a healthclaim careunder facilitythis shallSection provideby writtenfiling information,an whichobjection maywith bethe SB3398recorder Enrolledof -deeds 5in -the LRB104county 17550where JRCthe 30978lands bor providedtenements electronically,are tolocated. the surrogate that states:
(1)The thatobjection ashall: named patient has been determined to lack decisional capacity by the attending physician, the name of the attending physician, and the date of such determination;
(2)(1) thatbe thesigned surrogate was designated under this Section and has the rights and responsibilities prescribed by this Act, including the rightperson toor obtainpersons theobjecting; patient's medical records;
(3)(2) thedescribe identification of the surrogate,subject includinglands theor surrogate'stenements; name, address, and telephone number, the relationship of that person to the patient, the date the surrogate was identified, and the name of the health care facility where the patient was determined to lack decisional capacity;
(4)(3) state that athe copyobjecting ofperson thisor writtenpersons informationhave shallan beownership placedinterest in the patient'ssubject medicallands record and be provided to any transferring health care provider or healthtenements; care facility;
(5) that the health care provider relying upon a surrogate for medical decision making shall ensure the surrogate form is provided to and is(4) accessibledeclare totheir theobjection.". health care provider's health information or medical records department;
and (6) that each health care provider shall be required to disclose the identity of a patient's health care SB3398 Enrolled - 6 - LRB104 17550 JRC 30978 b surrogate to any person qualified under subsection (a) upon proper documentation of the relationship to the patient if any qualified person under subsection (a) requests such information.
(Source:
P.A.
100-959, eff.
1-1-19.) (755 ILCS 40/30) (from Ch.
110 1/2, par.
851-30) Sec.
30.
Reliance on authority of surrogate decision maker.
(a) Every health care provider and other person (a "reliant") shall have the right to rely on any decision or direction by the surrogate decision maker (the "surrogate") that is not clearly contrary to this Act, to the same extent and with the same effect as though the decision or direction had been made or given by a patient with decisional capacity.
Any person dealing with the surrogate may presume in the absence of actual knowledge to the contrary that the acts of the surrogate conform to the provisions of this Act.
A reliant will not be protected who has actual knowledge that the surrogate is not entitled to act or that any particular action or inaction is contrary to the provisions of this Act.
(b) A health care provider (a "provider") who relies on and carries out a surrogate's directions, including a request from a surrogate for records under subsection (e) of Section 25, and who acts with due care and in accordance with this Act shall not be subject to any claim based on lack of patient SB3398 Enrolled - 7 - LRB104 17550 JRC 30978 b consent or authorization, including, but not limited to, claims of violation of privacy rights, or to criminal prosecution or discipline for unprofessional conduct.
Nothing in this Act shall be deemed to protect a provider from liability for the provider's own negligence in the performance of the provider's duties or in carrying out any instructions of the surrogate, and nothing in this Act shall be deemed to alter the law of negligence as it applies to the acts of any surrogate or provider.
(c) A surrogate who acts or fails to act with due care and in accordance with the provisions of this Act shall not be subject to criminal prosecution or any claim based upon lack of surrogate authority or failure to act.
The surrogate shall not be liable merely because the surrogate may benefit from the act, has individual or conflicting interests in relation to the care and affairs of the patient, or acts in a different manner with respect to the patient and the surrogate's own care or interests.
(Source:
P.A.
87-749.) Section 99.
Effective date.
This Act takes effect upon becoming law.