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State Government / Indiana / Legislation / SB 171

SB 171Session 2026SenateBecame law

Family and children matters.

Requires the local office of the department of child services to provide notice of an adoption petition to the court in which a CHINS proceeding is open or pending. Provides that the consent to adoption may be executed or acknowledged at any time after the birth of the child in the presence of an attorney, in person, or by video conferencing. Provides that a court may grant postadoption contact privileges if the child is at least 12 months of age. (Current law requires the child to be at least two years of age.) Provides certain exceptions to confidentiality requirements. Requires the department of child services (department) to consider certain factors when evaluating an out-of-home placement for a child in a child in need of services (CHINS) case. Provides that a placement with whom a child has resided with for at least 12 months, consecutively or nonconsecutively, is presumed to be an individual who has a significant relationship with the child. Requires a court to write a formal order in certain circumstances and include specific information in the order. Provides that the objectives of the dispositional decree are not considered met solely because a court is prohibited from changing a child's placement under IC 31-34-23-6(g) and prohibits the court from considering certain information when deciding whether the objectives of the dispositional decree are met. Requires any party seeking a change in placement for certain children to file a motion with the court, provide notice to all persons affected, and inform all persons affected of the right to file a written objection within 15 days. (Current law only allows the department to file the motion for a change of placement.) Allows a court to rule on a party's motion for the change in placement without delay if exigent circumstances are alleged in the party's motion. Provides that, with certain exceptions, if a child is the subject of an adoption petition, the adoption petitioner is the child's current placement, and the adoption petitioner has been the child's placement for at least 12 months, the court shall not change the child's placement until the adoption petition has been ruled on. Provides that if the party seeking a change of placement is a parent, guardian ad litem, or a court appointed special advocate, the party must provide notice to the department of child services, and the department shall then provide notice of the motion to the child's out-of-home placement.

Latest development · Mar 5, 2026

Signed by the Governor

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Source record ↗
Session
2026
Introduced
Jan 5, 2026
Latest passage
Feb 27, 2026
TopicsSponsorsActionsRelated billsDiscussion

Topics and classification

Civixly topics

Justice & Public SafetyFamily & Social Services

Source subjects

AGENCIES; Department of Child Services (DCS)CHILDREN AND MINORS; AdoptionCHILDREN AND MINORS; Children in Need of Services (CHINS)CHILDREN AND MINORS; Foster CareCHILDREN AND MINORS; GenerallyCOURTS; JudgesMARRIAGE AND FAMILY LAW; Child Support, Custody, and Visitation

Document type

Bill

Sponsors

Primary sponsors are listed before cosponsors and other sponsoring entities.

Primary sponsorGreg Walker
Primary sponsorJulie McGuire
Primary sponsorLiz Brown
Primary sponsorTyler Johnson
coauthorJ.D. Ford
coauthorLonnie Randolph
cosponsorLori Goss-Reaves
cosponsorRobert Morris
coauthorStacey Donato

Action timeline

Newest action first. Action language is supplied by the state source.

View full action timeline26 actions⌄
  1. Mar 5, 2026

    Signed by the Governor

    Executive SignatureOffice of the Governor
  2. Mar 5, 2026

    Public Law 116

    Became LawSenate
  3. Feb 27, 2026

    Signed by the President Pro Tempore

    PassageSenate
  4. Feb 27, 2026

    Signed by the Speaker

    PassageHouse
  5. Feb 27, 2026

    Signed by the President of the Senate

    PassageSenate
  6. Feb 25, 2026

    Senate concurred with House amendments; Roll Call 279: yeas 46, nays 0

    Senate
  7. Feb 23, 2026

    Motion to concur filed

    FilingSenate
  8. Feb 20, 2026

    Returned to the Senate with amendments

    ReceiptHouse
  9. Feb 19, 2026

    Representative Morris added as cosponsor

    House
  10. Feb 19, 2026

    Representative Goss-Reaves added as cosponsor

    House
  11. Feb 19, 2026

    Third reading: passed; Roll Call 290: yeas 94, nays 0

    PassageReading 3Reading 3House
  12. Feb 18, 2026

    Second reading: ordered engrossed

    Reading 2House
  13. Feb 16, 2026

    Committee report: amend do pass, adopted

    Committee PassageHouse
  14. Jan 28, 2026

    First reading: referred to Committee on Judiciary

    Reading 1Referral CommitteeHouse
  15. Jan 23, 2026

    Referred to the House

    ReferralSenate
  16. Jan 22, 2026

    Third reading: passed; Roll Call 54: yeas 43, nays 0

    PassageReading 3Reading 3Senate
  17. Jan 22, 2026

    House sponsor: Representative McGuire

    Senate
  18. Jan 20, 2026

    Second reading: amended, ordered engrossed

    Reading 2Senate
  19. Jan 20, 2026

    Amendment #1 (Johnson T) prevailed; voice vote

    Amendment PassageSenate
  20. Jan 20, 2026

    Senator Randolph added as coauthor

    Senate
  21. Jan 13, 2026

    Senator Brown L added as third author

    Senate
  22. Jan 13, 2026

    Senator Walker G added as second author

    Senate
  23. Jan 13, 2026

    Senators Ford J.D., Donato added as coauthors

    Senate
  24. Jan 12, 2026

    Committee report: amend do pass, adopted

    Committee PassageSenate
  25. Jan 5, 2026

    Authored by Senator Johnson T

    Senate
  26. Jan 5, 2026

    First reading: referred to Committee on Family and Children Services

    Reading 1Referral CommitteeSenate

Related Indiana legislation

Other measures from this legislative session that share one or more Civixly topics with SB 171.

HB 1003Updated Mar 12, 2026

Boards and commissions.

Justice & Public Safety
SB 179Updated Mar 12, 2026

Indiana department of transportation.

Justice & Public Safety
HB 1249Updated Mar 12, 2026

Various criminal law matters.

Justice & Public SafetyFamily & Social Services
SB 80Updated Mar 12, 2026

Code publication.

Justice & Public Safety
Browse all Indiana legislation →

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State legislative data provided by Open States and linked legislature sources when available.

Civixly tracks state bill actions, passage dates, and sponsors. Member-level state roll-call histories are not included.

Source data last updated Apr 29, 2026.