An Illinois child custody law will allow parents who have lost custody of their children to adopt them in certain situations.

The law will allow those who have lost parental rights to have those rights restored if they can show the court that they deserve custody, according to WLS, an ABC affiliate. The law applies to those children who have been looked after by a relative who passes away, such as a grandparent.

This law could allow fathers who have lost child custody of their children to regain their parent rights if the mother, or other relative custodian, dies.

Although it was passed in 2009, the law was recently in the spotlight as an Illinois mother of 11 was able to adopt four of her children after losing parental rights years ago. According to CNN, Yolanda Miller became the first person to adopt her children in such a manner.

State Representative Sara Feigenholtz, who sponsored the bill, said that such legislation made sense.

“I believe that overall there is a great interest in progressive policies and common-sense laws,” she said, reports CNN.

WLS reports that according to the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, 500 children in the Prairie State are orphaned each year when the person who adopted them dies.

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