Bill > SB0239

This bill establishes comprehensive protections for child welfare providers who make decisions based on religious beliefs. The legislation defines "adoption or foster care services" broadly, including activities like promoting foster parenting, recruiting foster parents, placing children in homes, licensing, certifying, and supporting adoptive families. The bill prohibits the state from discriminating against child welfare providers who choose to provide or not provide services based on sincerely held religious beliefs. This protection extends to licensing, accreditation, contracts, and custody considerations. The bill allows providers to sue the state if they face discrimination, with potential remedies including declaratory relief, injunctive relief, compensatory damages, and attorney's fees. Providers can bring claims in judicial or administrative proceedings without first exhausting administrative remedies, and they have two years from the date they knew of potential discrimination to file a claim. The legislation explicitly states that it must be construed to broadly protect religious freedom and supplements existing federal and state constitutional protections. Importantly, the bill does not prevent the state from providing services through providers who do not seek religious exemptions, and it allows some consideration of religious matching when placing children in adoptive or foster homes.

Health and Social Services

https://iga.in.gov/legislative/2025/bills/senate/239/details