The Senate Judiciary Committee heard HB 1172 on paternity actions sponsored by Sen. Greg Walker, Sen. Jon Ford, and Sen. Pol. Author Rep. Clere introduced the bill, explaining that it allows a child to commence a child custody proceeding under certain circumstances and provides that a court having jurisdiction over a child who is the subject of a child in need of services proceeding or juvenile delinquency proceeding has concurrent jurisdiction with a court having jurisdiction over a paternity proceeding for the purpose of establishing or modifying paternity, custody, parenting time, or child support of the child.
The bill was amended by consent to allow DCS or CASA to file a CHINS/TPR petition on behalf of a child as next friend. Representatives from the Indiana Public Defenders Council and Indiana Association of Resources and Child Advocacy testified in favor of the bill.
The bill, as amended, passed, 9-1.
Read the bill at: https://iga.in.gov/legislative/2023/bills/house/1172