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SB128 • 2026

A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning criminal law and procedure.

A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning criminal law and procedure.

Children Crime Education Firearms Parental Rights
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Senator David Niezgodski
Last action
2025-12-11
Official status
Introduced Senate Bill (S)
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source does not provide details about the enforcement or effectiveness of the bill.

Improper Supervision of Dangerous Children

This bill amends Indiana's criminal law by adding new rules for parents, guardians, or custodians who fail to report their child's intent to use a firearm illegally or cause bodily injury on school property.

What This Bill Does

  • Includes teachers in the definition of 'public safety official' for certain battery offenses.
  • Makes it against the law for parents, guardians, or custodians not to tell police if they know their child plans to use a gun in an illegal way or might hurt someone on school property or a bus.
  • Says that if a child hurts another person seriously because of something like this, the parent, guardian, or custodian can be punished more severely.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Parents and guardians who do not report their children's dangerous behavior to police.
  • Teachers, as they are now considered public safety officials in certain situations.

Terms To Know

public safety official
A person like a teacher or police officer whose job involves protecting the community from harm.
battery offense
An act of violence against another person, such as hitting or threatening to hit someone.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify what happens if a parent reports their child's dangerous behavior but the police do not take action.
  • It is unclear how this law will be enforced in practice and whether it will reduce incidents of violence involving children on school property.

Bill History

  1. 2025-12-11 Senate

    Authored by Senator Niezgodski

  2. 2025-12-11 Senate

    First reading: referred to Committee on Corrections and Criminal Law

Official Summary Text

A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning criminal law and procedure.
Improper supervision of a dangerous child.

Current Bill Text

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

Improper supervision of a dangerous child.

Includes teachers in the definition of "public safety official" for purposes of certain battery offenses. Provides that, if a child commits an offense involving the use of a firearm or that results in bodily injury to another person on school property or a school bus, and the parent, guardian, or custodian of the child: (1) knew or reasonably should have known that the child intended to commit an unlawful act involving the use of a firearm or that might result in bodily injury to another person; and (2) failed to notify law enforcement; the parent, guardian, or custodian commits improper supervision of a dangerous child, a Class A misdemeanor. Increases the penalty to a Level 6 felony if the act results in serious bodily injury to another person.