Title 31, FAMILY LAW AND JUVENILE LAW

Sec. 255. "Voluntary information", for purposes of IC 31-19-18, means the information transmitted to the state registrar as provided in IC 31-19-18-3. As added by P.L.145-2026, SEC.161.

Sec. 256. (a) "Wardship", for purposes of the juvenile law, means the responsibility for temporary care and custody of a child by transferring the rights and obligations from the child's parent, guardian, or custodian to the person granted wardship. Except to the extent a right o…

Sec. 257. (a) "Warrant", for purposes of IC 31-25-3 and IC 31-25-4, means an instrument that is: (1) the equivalent of a money payment; and (2) immediately convertible into cash by the payee for the full face amount of the instrument. (b) "Warrant", for purposes of the Uniform Ch…

Sec. 258. "Youth service bureau", for purposes of IC 31-26-1, has the meaning set forth in IC 31-26-1-2. As added by P.L.145-2026, SEC.161.

Sec. 26. (a) "Board", for purposes of IC 31-25-4, has the meaning set forth in IC 31-25-4-34(a). (b) "Board", for purposes of IC 31-26-4, has the meaning set forth in IC 31-26-4-2. As added by P.L.145-2026, SEC.161.

Sec. 27. "Bureau", for purposes of IC 31-16-15 and IC 31-25, has the meaning set forth in IC 31-25-4-1. As added by P.L.145-2026, SEC.161.

Sec. 28. "Case", for purposes of IC 31-33-18-1.5, has the meaning set forth in IC 31-33-18-1.5(d). As added by P.L.145-2026, SEC.161.

Sec. 29. "Caseworker", for purposes of the juvenile law (excluding IC 31-27), means an employee of the department of child services who is classified as a family case manager. As added by P.L.145-2026, SEC.161.

Sec. 3. "Abandoned infant", for purposes of IC 31-34-21-5.6, means a child who is less than twelve (12) months of age and whose parent, guardian, or custodian has knowingly or intentionally left the child in: (1) an environment that endangers the child's life or health; or (2) a …

Sec. 30. "Center", for purposes of IC 31-31-9, means any secure juvenile detention center that operates in a county containing a consolidated city except for a center operated by the federal government. The term includes a juvenile detention facility. As added by P.L.145-2026, SE…

Sec. 31. "Central authority", for purposes of the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act under IC 31-18.5, has the meaning set forth in IC 31-18.5-7-1. As added by P.L.145-2026, SEC.161.

Sec. 32. (a) "Child", for purposes of IC 31-15, IC 31-16 (excluding IC 31-16-12.5), and IC 31-17, means a child or children of both parties to the marriage. The term includes the following: (1) Children born out of wedlock to the parties. (2) Children born or adopted during the m…

Sec. 33. (a) "Child abuse or neglect", for purposes of IC 31-32-11-1, IC 31-33, IC 31-34-7-4, and IC 31-39-8-4, refers to: (1) a child described in IC 31-34-1-1 through IC 31-34-1-5 and IC 31-34-1-8 through IC 31-34-1-11, regardless of whether the child needs care, treatment, reh…

Sec. 34. "Child advocacy center", for purposes of IC 31-25-2-14.5 and IC 31-33-18-2, means a child focused, trauma informed community based organization that: (1) is: (A) recognized by the Indiana Chapter of National Children's Alliance; and (B) designed to collaborate on reports…

Sec. 35. "Child at imminent risk of placement", for purposes of IC 31-26-5, has the meaning set forth in IC 31-26-5-1. As added by P.L.145-2026, SEC.161.

Sec. 36. "Child born in wedlock", for purposes of IC 31-19-9, means a child born to: (1) a woman; and (2) a man who is presumed to be the child's father under IC 31-14-7-1(1) or IC 31-14-7-1(2) unless the presumption is rebutted. As added by P.L.145-2026, SEC.161.

Sec. 37. "Child born out of wedlock", for purposes of IC 31-19-3, IC 31-19-4-4, and IC 31-19-9, means a child who is born to: (1) a woman; and (2) a man who is not presumed to be the child's father under IC 31-14-7-1(1) or IC 31-14-7-1(2). As added by P.L.145-2026, SEC.161.…

Sec. 38. "Child care", for purposes of section 40 of this chapter and IC 31-27, means a service that provides for the care, health, safety, and supervision of a child's social, emotional, and educational growth. As added by P.L.145-2026, SEC.161.

Sec. 39. "Child care provider", for purposes of IC 31-33-26, has the meaning set forth in IC 31-33-26-1. As added by P.L.145-2026, SEC.161.

Sec. 4. (a) "Account", for purposes of IC 31-25-4, has the meaning set forth in IC 31-25-4-3. (b) "Account", for purposes of IC 31-26-1, has the meaning set forth in IC 31-26-1-1. As added by P.L.145-2026, SEC.161.

Sec. 40. "Child care worker", for purposes of IC 31-33, means an individual who: (1) is: (A) employed, other than self-employed as an owner; or (B) actively seeking employment; with an agency, facility, or home described in section 71(b)(2) of this chapter; (2) is a child caregiv…

Sec. 41. "Child caregiver", for purposes of sections 40 and 71 of this chapter, means a person who provides, or is responsible for providing, care and supervision of a child (other than a child of whom the person is a parent, stepparent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, sibling, legal g…

Sec. 42. "Child caring institution", for purposes of IC 31-27, means: (1) a residential facility that provides child care on a twenty-four (24) hour basis for more than ten (10) children; or (2) a residential facility with a capacity of not more than ten (10) children that does n…

Sec. 43. "Child custody determination", for purposes of the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction Act under IC 31-21, has the meaning set forth in IC 31-21-2-4. As added by P.L.145-2026, SEC.161.

Sec. 44. "Child custody proceeding", for purposes of the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction Act under IC 31-21, has the meaning set forth in IC 31-21-2-5. As added by P.L.145-2026, SEC.161.

Sec. 45. "Child in need of services", for purposes of this title, refers to a child described in IC 31-34-1. As added by P.L.145-2026, SEC.161.

Sec. 46. "Child placing agency", for purposes of IC 31-27, means a person that provides child welfare services to children and families, including: (1) home studies, investigation, and recommendation of families for the purpose of placing, arranging, or causing the placement of c…

Sec. 47. "Child services", for purposes of this title, means the following: (1) Services, other than services that are costs of secure detention, specifically provided by or on behalf of the department for or on behalf of children who are: (A) adjudicated to be: (i) children in n…

Sec. 48. "Child support guidelines", for purposes of IC 31-16-8-1, refers to the guidelines adopted by the Indiana supreme court. As added by P.L.145-2026, SEC.161.

Sec. 49. "Child support order", for purposes of the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act under IC 31-18.5, has the meaning set forth in IC 31-18.5-1-2. As added by P.L.145-2026, SEC.161.

Sec. 5. "Act of rape", for purposes of IC 31-35-3.5, means an act described in: (1) IC 35-42-4-1; (2) IC 35-42-4-3; or (3) IC 35-42-4-9. As added by P.L.145-2026, SEC.161.

Sec. 50. "Child welfare agency", for purposes of IC 31-25-2-20.4 and IC 31-33-18-1.6, means: (1) the department of child services; and (2) a person (as defined in IC 24-4-14-5) that, directly or indirectly, provides: (A) services to a child or family of a child, for which payment…

Sec. 51. "Child welfare program", for purposes of this title, has the meaning set forth in IC 31-26-3.5-1. As added by P.L.145-2026, SEC.161.

Sec. 52. "Child welfare services", for purposes of this title, means services provided under a child welfare program. As added by P.L.145-2026, SEC.161.

Sec. 53. "Child with a disability", for purposes of IC 31-34-1-9, means an individual who: (1) is less than eighteen (18) years of age; and (2) has a disability (as defined in IC 22-9-1-3(r)). As added by P.L.145-2026, SEC.161.

Sec. 54. "Child with special needs", for purposes of IC 31-19-26.5, has the meaning set forth in IC 31-19-26.5-2. As added by P.L.145-2026, SEC.161.

Sec. 55. "Commencement", for purposes of the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction Act under IC 31-21, has the meaning set forth in IC 31-21-2-6. As added by P.L.145-2026, SEC.161.

Sec. 56. "Compact", for purposes of IC 31-37-23, has the meaning set forth in IC 31-37-23-2. As added by P.L.145-2026, SEC.161.

Sec. 57. (a) Subject to subsection (b), "concurrent planning", for purposes of IC 31-34 and IC 31-35, means the establishment of a case plan with concurrent permanency plan goals, including the following: (1) Return to or continuation of existing custodial care within the home of…

Sec. 58. "Conduct a criminal history check", for purposes of IC 31-19, IC 31-26, IC 31-27, IC 31-28, IC 31-33, IC 31-34, IC 31-37, and IC 31-39-2-13.5, means to: (1) request: (A) the state police department to conduct a: (i) fingerprint based criminal history background check of …

Sec. 59. "Contact", for purposes of IC 31-33-18-1.5, has the meaning set forth in IC 31-33-18-1.5(d). As added by P.L.145-2026, SEC.161.

Sec. 6. "Active duty", for purposes of IC 31-14-13-6.3, IC 31-17-2-21.3, IC 31-33-8-7, and IC 31-33-14-3, means full-time service in: (1) the armed forces of the United States (as defined in IC 5-9-4-3); or (2) the National Guard (as defined in IC 5-9-4-4); for a period that exce…

Sec. 60. "Contact preference form" means the form prescribed by the state registrar under IC 31-19-25-4.6. As added by P.L.145-2026, SEC.161.

Sec. 61. "Controlled substance", for purposes of the juvenile law, has the meaning set forth in IC 35-48-1.1. As added by P.L.145-2026, SEC.161.

Sec. 62. "Convention", for purposes of the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act under IC 31-18.5, has the meaning set forth in IC 31-18.5-1-2. As added by P.L.145-2026, SEC.161.

Sec. 63. "Convention support order", for purposes of the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act under IC 31-18.5, has the meaning set forth in IC 31-18.5-7-1. As added by P.L.145-2026, SEC.161.