The Senate Family and Children Services Committee heard SB 305 on Department of Child Services matters authored by Sen. Head. This bill makes a child who is a victim of human trafficking a new CHINS category, and other CHINS changes. It also removes a requirement that a delinquent be removed from the home in order to have DCS pay for services in an informal adjustment, deletes statutes permitting a court to assign a case to a foster care review board, allows a court to approve payment of more than $3,000 for adoption expenses in payment to a birth parent if a state with jurisdiction over the child has a higher limit than Indiana for these expenses; extends the deadline DCS or the probation department must notify a school corporation a student will be placed in the school district from June 30 to September 1, adds language to permit DCS to share reports of abuse or neglect with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, and makes other changes.
Judge Kim Dowling, Delaware Circuit Court 2, spoke in favor of the new CHINS provision for children who are victims of human or sexual trafficking in order to get services to these children. Representatives from the Governor’s office and DCS spoke in favor of the bill. After adoption of a minor amendment, the bill passed, 7-1.
Read the bill at https://iga.in.gov/legislative/2016/bills/senate/305