The House Judiciary Committee heard SB 143 on parental rights sponsored by Rep. Lindauer and Rep. Commons. Author Sen. Brown introduced the bill, which:
- Provides that a governmental entity may not substantially burden certain parental rights unless the burden, as applied to the parent and the child, is required to advance a compelling governmental interest and is the least restrictive means of advancing the governmental interest.
- Prohibits a governmental entity from: (1) advising, directing, or coercing a child to withhold certain information from the child’s parent; or (2) denying a child’s parent access to certain information.
- Allows a parent to bring an action against a governmental entity for certain violations and provides for certain relief.
- Specifies that the parent of a child does not have a right to access certain medical care on behalf of the child if the child does not have an affirmative right of access to medical care.
The Committee amended the bill by consent to remove the provision stating that a governmental entity that is a party to a civil, judicial, or administrative proceeding has the burden of proof to demonstrate by clear and convincing evidence that it did not violate certain provisions. The Indiana Family Institute, Alliance Defending Freedom, and several members of the public testified in support of the bill. Purple for Parents United Indiana, The American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana, and several members of the public testified against the bill. The amended bill passed 9-3.
Read the bill at: https://iga.in.gov/legislative/2025/bills/senate/143