KLS Keeping Law Simple Legislation in plain English

Straight-ahead summaries built from the official bill text. We keep the source links front and center and leave the decision up to you.

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HB1036 • 2026

A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning family law and juvenile law.

A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning family law and juvenile law.

Children Taxes
Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Representative Victoria Garcia Wilburn
Last action
2026-02-26
Official status
Enrolled House Bill (H)
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details on procedural safeguards, consequences for non-compliance, or the exact date of enactment and implementation.

Law for Protecting Children from Abuse and Neglect

This law requires the Department of Child Services to have face-to-face contact with alleged victims of abuse or neglect before concluding an assessment or dismissing a case.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires the Department of Child Services (DCS) to meet in person with children who are alleged victims of abuse or neglect.
  • This must happen before DCS concludes its investigation into whether there is abuse or neglect.
  • It also needs to occur before DCS dismisses a case where a child may need services.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Children who are alleged victims of abuse or neglect
  • The Department of Child Services

Terms To Know

Department of Child Services (DCS)
A government agency that helps protect children from abuse and neglect.
Child in need of services
A child who needs help because they might be abused or neglected.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The law does not specify what happens if DCS cannot meet with the alleged victim.
  • It is unclear how this will affect current cases when it becomes a law.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

HB1036.01.INTR.AMH01

Committee Introduced House Bill (H) • Representative Victoria Garcia Wilburn

Filed

Plain English: The amendment proposes to require in-person contact for certain family law and juvenile law matters.

  • Requires that specific family law and juvenile law proceedings must be conducted in person rather than through remote means.
  • The exact details of which proceedings are required to be in-person are not specified in the provided amendment text.
HB1036.03.COMS.AMS001

Filed House Bill (S) • Senator Aaron Freeman

Failed

Plain English: This amendment aims to modify the Indiana Code regarding family law and juvenile law, but does not provide specific details on what changes it intends to make.

  • The amendment seeks to change parts of the Indiana Code related to family and juvenile laws, though exact modifications are unclear from the provided text.
  • The official amendment text is incomplete and does not specify the concrete changes intended for the Indiana Code.
HB1036.03.COMS.AMS002

Filed House Bill (S) • Senator Aaron Freeman

Passed

Plain English: This amendment changes the Indiana Code to include new requirements for certain family law and juvenile law cases.

  • Adds new rules about how family law and juvenile law cases should be handled in Indiana.
  • The official text does not provide specific details on what these new rules are, making it hard to explain the exact changes.

Bill History

  1. 2026-02-26 House

    Signed by the Governor

  2. 2026-02-26 House

    Public Law 37

  3. 2026-02-25 Senate

    Signed by the President of the Senate

  4. 2026-02-24 Senate

    Signed by the President Pro Tempore

  5. 2026-02-23 House

    Signed by the Speaker

  6. 2026-02-19 House

    House concurred with Senate amendments; Roll Call 294: yeas 94, nays 0

  7. 2026-02-19 House

    Motion to concur filed

  8. 2026-02-18 Senate

    Returned to the House with amendments

  9. 2026-02-17 Senate

    Third reading: passed; Roll Call 175: yeas 45, nays 0

  10. 2026-02-17 Senate

    Senator Maxwell added as cosponsor

  11. 2026-02-16 Senate

    Second reading: amended, ordered engrossed

  12. 2026-02-16 Senate

    Amendment #2 (Freeman) prevailed; voice vote

  13. 2026-02-16 Senate

    Senator Hunley added as cosponsor

  14. 2026-02-16 Senate

    Senators Goode, Donato, Walker G, Qaddoura added as cosponsors

  15. 2026-02-16 Senate

    Senators Schmitt, Gaskill, Johnson T added as cosponsors

  16. 2026-02-09 Senate

    Committee report: do pass, adopted

  17. 2026-02-05 Senate

    First reading: referred to Committee on Family and Children Services

  18. 2026-02-03 House

    Referred to the Senate

  19. 2026-02-02 House

    Third reading: passed; Roll Call 189: yeas 95, nays 0

  20. 2026-02-02 House

    Senate sponsors: Senators Rogers, Pol, Clark

  21. 2026-02-02 House

    Cosponsor: Senator Ford J.D.

  22. 2026-02-02 House

    Representative Goss-Reaves added as coauthor

  23. 2026-01-29 House

    Second reading: ordered engrossed

  24. 2026-01-27 House

    Committee report: amend do pass, adopted

  25. 2025-12-04 House

    Representative McGuire added as coauthor

  26. 2025-12-01 House

    Authored by Representative Garcia Wilburn

  27. 2025-12-01 House

    Coauthored by Representative Burton

  28. 2025-12-01 House

    First reading: referred to Committee on Judiciary

Official Summary Text

A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning family law and juvenile law.
Children in need of services.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning family law and juvenile law.

Children in need of services.

Requires the department of child services, subject to certain procedural safeguards, to have in-person contact with an alleged victim of child abuse or neglect: (1) before concluding an assessment; and (2) before dismissing or terminating a pending child in need of services case with the juvenile court.