Indiana law protects faith-based adoption and foster care providers 

Indiana is protecting faith-based adoption and foster care providers under a new law signed last week by Gov. Mike Braun.

“By signing this law, Gov. Braun is ensuring that Hoosier children benefit from as many adoption and foster care agencies as possible – faith-based and non-faith-based,” Alliance Defending Freedom Senior Counsel Greg Chafuen said in a statement.

The law protects any person who “provides or declines to provide” adoption or foster care services based on “the person’s sincerely held religious belief.” It also allows state agencies to seek adoptive or foster parents who “share the same religion or faith tradition” as the child or the child’s biological parents.

Rep. Shane Lindauer, R-Jasper, authored the bill. It passed the Indiana Senate unanimously after minor amendments.

“This legislation is rooted in protecting children, strengthening families and ensuring that loving, qualified individuals are not turned away from the opportunity to provide safe, stable homes,” Lindauer told The Lion in a statement. “By removing barriers rooted in discrimination, the bill supports a foster care and adoption system focused on compassion, dignity and the best interests of Indiana’s most vulnerable children.”

Supporters say the law pre-emptively protects faith-based organizations and families after several religious liberty disputes involving adoption and foster care in other states.

In Vermont, religious liberty advocates recently reached a settlement after the state revised its policy following a lawsuit. Officials had previously revoked foster care licenses from parents who declined to affirm gender identity ideology.

Other states, including New York and Oregon, have also agreed to religious liberty protections in similar cases. Massachusetts is currently facing a lawsuit alleging religious discrimination against families who decline to affirm gender transition policies based on their beliefs.

“Every child deserves a loving home that can provide them stability and opportunities to grow,” Chafuen said. “The sad reality is that the government in some states has discriminated against people of faith, allowing vulnerable children to suffer.

“Thankfully, Indiana has taken critical steps to prioritize the well-being of kids by prohibiting state and local government officials from discriminating against adoption and foster care providers and parents simply because of their religious beliefs and moral convictions.”