Bill > HB0030

This bill amends multiple sections of Utah state law to create and implement the Indian Family Preservation Act, effectively replacing references to the Indian Child Welfare Act with a new state-level chapter. The bill establishes comprehensive provisions for child custody proceedings involving Native American children, including detailed definitions, jurisdiction rules, placement preferences, and procedural protections. Key provisions include requiring active efforts to prevent family separation, mandating specific notification and consent procedures, establishing placement preferences that prioritize keeping Indian children connected to their tribal communities, and ensuring that tribal courts have significant input and potential jurisdiction in child custody cases. The bill requires state courts and agencies to give preference to placements with extended family members or within the child's tribe, mandates special protections for parental rights, and establishes detailed recordkeeping and information-sharing requirements. The new law aims to preserve the cultural, familial, and tribal connections of Indian children while ensuring their safety and well-being, and will take effect on May 7, 2025, with provisions that do not retroactively affect proceedings initiated before November 1, 2025.

https://le.utah.gov/~2025/bills/static/HB0030.html