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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HB1357 • 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 Labor
Enacted

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

Sponsor
Representative Elizabeth Rowray
Last action
2026-03-03
Official status
Enrolled House Bill (H)
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source does not provide specific details on the consequences of failing a background check or how this law interacts with existing requirements.

Background Checks for Child Services Workers

This law requires employees of certain organizations providing child welfare services to undergo background checks every four years.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires employees of organizations that provide child welfare services, such as preventative providers and group homes, to get a background check once every four years.
  • Allows workers to skip separate federal background checks if they already had one for the same employer.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Employees of organizations providing child welfare services
  • Organizations like preventative providers, home-based family preservation service providers, child caring institutions, group homes, and child placing agencies

Terms To Know

Preventative provider
An organization that offers programs to prevent problems before they happen, such as stopping children from entering foster care.
Home-based family preservation services
Services provided in a child's home to help keep families together and avoid removing the child from their home.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The law does not specify what happens if someone fails a background check.
  • It is unclear how this will affect existing background check requirements for these workers.

Amendments

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

HB1357.02.COMH.AMS01

Committee House Bill (S) • Senator Greg Walker

Filed

Plain English: The amendment adds a requirement for background checks in the Indiana Code concerning family law and juvenile law.

  • Adds a new section requiring background checks under family law and juvenile law.
  • The specific details of what kind of background checks are required, who must undergo them, and how they will be conducted are not provided in the amendment text.
HB1357.03.COMS.AMS001

Filed House Bill (S) • Senator Greg Walker

Passed

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

  • The amendment adds new rules about family law and juvenile law in the Indiana Code.
  • The official text does not provide specific details on what these new rules are, so it's unclear exactly how they will change current laws.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-03 House

    Signed by the Governor

  2. 2026-03-03 House

    Public Law 62

  3. 2026-02-27 Senate

    Signed by the President Pro Tempore

  4. 2026-02-27 Senate

    Signed by the President of the Senate

  5. 2026-02-25 House

    House concurred with Senate amendments; Roll Call 369: yeas 92, nays 0

  6. 2026-02-25 House

    Signed by the Speaker

  7. 2026-02-24 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 192: yeas 44, nays 0

  10. 2026-02-16 Senate

    Senator Becker added as second sponsor

  11. 2026-02-16 Senate

    Senator Donato added as third sponsor

  12. 2026-02-12 Senate

    Second reading: amended, ordered engrossed

  13. 2026-02-12 Senate

    Amendment #1 (Walker G) prevailed; voice vote

  14. 2026-02-09 Senate

    Committee report: amend do pass, adopted

  15. 2026-01-27 Senate

    First reading: referred to Committee on Family and Children Services

  16. 2026-01-23 House

    Referred to the Senate

  17. 2026-01-22 House

    Third reading: passed; Roll Call 80: yeas 88, nays 0

  18. 2026-01-22 House

    Senate sponsor: Senator Walker G

  19. 2026-01-20 House

    Second reading: ordered engrossed

  20. 2026-01-14 House

    Committee report: do pass, adopted

  21. 2026-01-08 House

    Authored by Representative Rowray

  22. 2026-01-08 House

    First reading: referred to Committee on Family, Children and Human Affairs

Official Summary Text

A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning family law and juvenile law.
Child services provider background checks.

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.

Child services provider background checks.

Requires an employee of: (1) a preventative provider that operates a child welfare program; (2) a provider of home based family preservation services; (3) a child caring institution; (4) a group home; or (5) a child placing agency; to undergo a background check once every four years. Provides that the employee is not required to complete a separate federally required background check to provide additional child welfare services for the same employer.