Bill SB3396 GAL TRAINING HAS BEEN FILED!
The filing of new legislation can be a turning point — the moment when private fear and exhaustion finally become public responsibility.
The Protective Mother Project is proud to announce the filing of SB3396, introduced with the support of Senator Mike Hastings, to mandate specialized training for Guardians ad Litem (GALs) in life-threatening pediatric chronic illness.
For families caring for medically complex children, this step is not symbolic. It is urgent, practical, and potentially lifesaving.
Why this bill matters
Across Illinois, judges rely heavily on GAL recommendations when making decisions about parenting time and medical responsibility. Yet many GALs receive little to no education in:
the daily management of diseases like type 1 diabetes, epilepsy, asthma, or severe allergies
how quickly a child’s condition can become life-threatening
the difference between routine disagreement and legitimate medical risk
Signs of medical neglect
Without that knowledge, critical warnings can be minimized, misinterpreted, or dismissed.
Parents — most often mothers — report being labeled “difficult,” “overreactive,” or “alienating” when they attempt to explain insulin timing, ketone monitoring, seizure protocols, or emergency thresholds. Meanwhile, children may return home destabilized, sick, or in medical crisis.
Training changes this.
When a GAL understands what diabetic ketoacidosis is, what a bent cannula means, or why sick-day protocols exist, the conversation becomes grounded in health rather than opinion.
What SB3396 aims to do
SB3396 calls for structured education so that GALs can competently evaluate cases involving chronic pediatric illness. While final language will evolve through the legislative process, the intent is clear:
✔ increase medical literacy
✔ improve child safety
✔ support informed recommendations to the court
✔ reduce preventable harm
✔ recognize the expertise of day-to-day caregivers
This is about equipping court-appointed professionals with the tools necessary to understand the reality families live every hour.
The gap families are facing
Imagine making legal decisions about aviation safety without understanding how airplanes fly.
That is what many parents experience in family court.
Medical parents meticulously track blood sugars, medications, equipment failures, nutrition, and behavioral changes. They consult specialists, attend trainings, and stay awake through the night to prevent emergencies.
Then they enter a courtroom where the key decision-maker assigned to represent the child may not know the basics of the illness.
The result can be devastating:
warnings minimized
patterns overlooked
safety plans ignored
high-risk situations repeated
Children deserve better. Courts deserve better information. GALs deserve better preparation.
Leadership that listens
We are deeply grateful to Senator Hastings for recognizing that when vulnerable children are involved, “good intentions” are not enough. Competence matters. Knowledge matters. Training matters.
Filing a bill does not end the work — but it begins accountability and opens the door for meaningful reform.
What happens next
A bill must move through committees, hearings, and votes. Along the way, lawmakers will hear from professionals, parents, and community members.
Your voices will shape what becomes possible.
If you are a parent of a medically complex child, a healthcare provider, educator, or advocate, your lived experience helps legislators understand why this is necessary.
A message to protective parents
If you have ever felt invisible while trying to explain your child’s medical needs, this filing is for you.
If you have ever been told you are exaggerating danger, this filing is for you.
If you have ever watched your child suffer after warnings went unheeded, this filing is for you.
You are not asking for special treatment.
You are asking for informed protection.
Our commitment
The Protective Mother Project will continue tracking SB3396, providing updates, and organizing opportunities for families to engage in the process. Transparency and collaboration are central to building a system that truly safeguards children.
This is momentum.
This is progress.
And most importantly, this is hope backed by action.