IndianaIndiana criminal filings must hide details that identify child victims
Starting July 1, 2026, criminal filings must hide certain identifying details, and defendants must meet conditions before deposing child victims in sex-offense cases.
What it does
Criminal filings must hide child victims’ and witnesses’ names, names that could identify them, and victims’ or witnesses’ contact details and birth dates. Needed identifying information may be filed separately as confidential.
A defendant must contact the prosecutor before seeking a deposition of a child victim in a sex-offense case. If the prosecutor does not agree, a judge may allow it only after a hearing and required findings.
Argument forHiding children’s names and contact details could make it harder for strangers to identify or reach them.
Argument againstHiding names and contact details could make it harder for the public to follow who was involved in a criminal case.
More detail
Criminal filings must leave out certain identifying details. The rules cover criminal prosecutions, appeals, postconviction proceedings, and certain investigative documents submitted to a judge, even if no prosecution follows. If unredacted information is needed to resolve the case, it must be filed separately as confidential. Replace names that must be hidden with descriptive labels; do not use initials or family relationships. These rules take effect July 1, 2026.
A defendant must contact the prosecutor before seeking to depose a child victim. This applies to criminal cases involving a child victim of an alleged sex offense. The prosecutor may agree and set conditions. If the prosecutor does not agree, a judge may allow a deposition only after a hearing and required findings. A judge’s order must bar the accused from taking part in or attending the deposition unless the child is likely to be unavailable for trial, the deposition is needed to preserve the child’s testimony, and the accused’s presence is needed to protect constitutional rights. These rules take effect July 1, 2026.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Senate
- Passed House
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Mar 5Public Law 129Latest
- Mar 5Signed by the Governor Mike BraunBecame Law
- Feb 27Signed by the President of the SenateMajor
- Feb 27Signed by the President Pro TemporeMajor
- Feb 27Signed by the SpeakerMajor
- Feb 25Senate concurred with House amendments; Roll Call 286: yeas 47, nays 0
- Vote recorded SB 246 - Freeman. Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 23Motion to concur filedMinor
- Feb 18Returned to the Senate with amendmentsMinor
- Feb 17Third reading: passed; Roll Call 269: yeas 88, nays 0Passed House
- Vote recorded SB 246 - Bascom - 3rd Reading. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 16Second reading: amended, ordered engrossedMinor
- Feb 16Amendment #1 (Bascom) prevailed; voice voteMajor
- Feb 9Representative Isa added as cosponsor
- Feb 5Committee report: amend do pass, adoptedMinor
- Jan 29Representatives Ireland, Zimmerman added as cosponsors
- Jan 28First reading: referred to Committee on Courts and Criminal CodeMinor
- Jan 22Referred to the HouseMinor
- Jan 22Senator Baldwin added as coauthor
- Jan 20Third reading: passed; Roll Call 39: yeas 46, nays 0Passed Senate
- Vote recorded SB 246 - Freeman - 3rd Reading. Result: pass.Upper
- Jan 20House sponsor: Representative Bascom
- Jan 15Second reading: ordered engrossedMinor
- Jan 15Senators Pol, Koch, Clark, Glick added as coauthors
- Jan 14Senator Carrasco added as second author
- Jan 13Committee report: do pass, adoptedMinor
- Jan 8First reading: referred to Committee on Corrections and Criminal LawMinor
- Jan 8Authored by Senator FreemanIntroduced
Criminal Justice