Foster youth., the official text

Second Regular Session of the 124th General Assembly (2026)

PRINTING CODE. Amendments: Whenever an existing statute (or a section of the Indiana
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 Additions: Whenever a new statutory provision is being enacted (or a new constitutional
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between statutes enacted by the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly.

   SENATE ENROLLED ACT No. 15

   AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning family law and
juvenile law.

   Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Indiana:

   SECTION 1. IC 14-19-3-1, AS AMENDED BY P.L.213-2025,
SECTION 130, IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS
[EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2026]: Sec. 1. (a) The department may not
charge a price of admission to:

      (1) inpatients of state or federally owned or operated hospitals or
      institutions and their supervisors;
      (2) foster families who reside together in the same foster family
      home licensed under IC 31-27-4;
      (3) individuals who meet the definition of foster youth set forth in
      IC 31-9-2-47.3; IC 31-9-2-47.3(a); or
      (4) a Gold Star family member who displays:

         (A) an Indiana Gold Star family member license plate under
         IC 9-18.5-33; or
         (B) a free annual pass;
for the use of any property owned or managed by the department for
purposes of this article.
   (b) If necessary, the department may adopt rules concerning the
appropriate form of identification or documentation required for
admission to a location described in subsection (a).
   SECTION 2. IC 27-1-22-20.1, AS AMENDED BY P.L.46-2024,
SECTION 2, IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE

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JULY 1, 2026]: Sec. 20.1. (a) For purposes of this section, an
individual is a "foster youth" if:

      (1) the department of child services; or
      (2) a designee of the department of child services;
certifies or acknowledges that the individual is a foster youth (as
defined by IC 31-9-2-47.3). IC 31-9-2-47.3(a)).
   (b) The department of child services established by IC 31-25-1-1
shall make available to foster youths and to the public a list, provided
by the Insurance Institute of Indiana, identifying insurers that may
provide automobile insurance coverage outside the plan described in
subsection (c) for a minor without a guardian cosigner. The list of
insurers shall be reviewed annually.
   (c) An assigned risk automobile insurance plan established by
insurers under section 20 of this chapter must, subject to the rules of
the plan, make automobile insurance available to a foster youth who:
      (1) is at least sixteen (16) years of age and not more than
      twenty-three (23) years of age; and
      (2) is receiving services from the department of child services.
   (d) An applicant who is a foster youth is responsible for paying all
costs of a policy of automobile insurance issued under subsection (c).
A state or local government agency, foster parent, or entity providing
services to an applicant under a contract or at the direction of a state or
local government agency shall not be required to pay any costs
associated with a policy of automobile insurance issued under
subsection (c) and shall not be liable for any damages that result from
the foster youth's operation of an automobile owned and insured by the
foster youth.
   SECTION 3. IC 28-1-1-3.9, AS ADDED BY P.L.90-2025,
SECTION 2, IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE
JULY 1, 2026]: Sec. 3.9. For purposes of section 7 of this chapter,
"foster youth" means an individual who is:
      (1) at least sixteen (16) years of age; and
      (2) certified or acknowledged as a foster youth (as defined in
      IC 31-9-2-47.3) IC 31-9-2-47.3(a)) by the department of child
      services or a designee of the department of child services.
   SECTION 4. IC 31-9-2-47.3, AS AMENDED BY P.L.30-2025,
SECTION 3, IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE
JULY 1, 2026]: Sec. 47.3. (a) "Foster youth", for purposes of
IC 31-26-4.5, refers to an individual:
      (1) who is at least fifteen (15) years of age;
      (2) who is not more than twenty-three (23) years of age; and
      (3) who:

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         (A) is adjudicated a child in need of services under
         IC 31-34-1; or
         (B) was in foster care when the individual became an adult (as
         defined by section 7(b) of this chapter).
   (b) "Foster youth", for purposes of IC 31-25-2-29, refers to an
individual:
      (1) who is at least twelve (12) years of age;
      (2) who is not more than twenty-three (23) years of age;
      (3) who:
         (A) is a child in need of services under IC 31-34-1; or
         (B) is receiving collaborative care (as defined in
         IC 31-28-5.8-1); and
      (4) who is in an out-of-home placement.
   SECTION 5. IC 31-25-2-29 IS ADDED TO THE INDIANA CODE
AS A NEW SECTION TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE JULY
1, 2026]: Sec. 29. (a) The department shall collaborate with:
      (1) at least one (1) individual who is at least eighteen (18)
      years of age and who has lived experience as a child within the
      child welfare system;
      (2) at least one (1) child placing agency; and
      (3) any other person with expertise in older foster youth
      services;
to develop and update periodically a statement that describes the
rights and responsibilities of a foster youth and is titled "the foster
youth bill of rights".
   (b) The statement required in subsection (a):
      (1) must summarize a foster youth's rights and
      responsibilities; and
      (2) must be:
         (A) distributed annually to a foster youth, including in a
         translated form for a foster youth with limited English
         proficiency;
         (B) distributed to a current or prospective foster parent (as
         defined in IC 31-9-2-47); and
         (C) published on the department's website.
   SECTION 6. IC 31-33-18-6, AS AMENDED BY P.L.46-2024,
SECTION 17, IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE
JULY 1, 2026]: Sec. 6. For the purposes of IC 31-26-4.5, the
department may certify or acknowledge that an individual qualifies as
a foster youth under IC 31-9-2-47.3. IC 31-9-2-47.3(a).

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President of the Senate

President Pro Tempore

Speaker of the House of Representatives

Governor of the State of Indiana

Date:                             Time:

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