Indiana House advances bill on child welfare investigations

(INDIANA CAPITAL CHRONICLE) — A bill to shield Hoosier parents from child welfare investigations solely for allowing their children age-appropriate independence cleared the House Judiciary Committee on Monday with bipartisan support.

House Bill 1035 advanced to the full House on a 12-1 vote after more than an hour of testimony and discussion.

Only Rep. Ryan Dvorak, D-South Bend, voted against the bill, citing concerns that its new “recklessness” standard could raise the threshold too high for state intervention in child welfare cases.

Another Democrat on the committee, Rep. Victoria Garcia Wilburn of Fishers, is a co-author and voted in favor.

The bill follows other proposals in recent years to broaden parents’ rights and prevent “unjust” Department of Child Services inquiries and investigations. Senate Enrolled Act 143, for example, was passed during the 2025 session and requires courts to give deference to parental rights in disputes with government regulators.

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