The Senate Civil Law Committee heard HB 1048, sponsored by Sen. Niemeyer and Sen. Charbonneau, on the adoption criminal history check. This bill removes a requirement that a criminal history check in an adoption or guardianship proceeding must include a request for information from a national registry of substantiated child abuse and neglect reports. Author Rep. Aylesworth testified that this national registry does not exist, so this bill removes an impossible requirement.
Representatives from Baptist Children’s Home, Indiana Adoption Agencies United, and Indiana Department of Child Services testified in favor of the bill. The bill passed 7-0.
Read the bill at http://iga.in.gov/legislative/2017/bills/house/1048