Children’s Bureau/ACYF/ACF/HHS

800.394.3366 | Email: info@childwelfare.gov | https://www.childwelfare.gov

STATE 

STATUTES

Current Through

March 2015

Links to State and Tribal 

Child Welfare Law and Policy

WHAT’S INSIDE

State statutes

Laws of Indian Tribes

State regulation and 

policy 

Other considerations

To find statute 

information for a 

particular State, 

go to 

https://www.childwelfare.

gov/topics/systemwide/

laws-policies/state/

Child welfare professionals require ready access 

to State laws and regulations regarding decisions 

that affect child safety and well-being. This 

publication provides web addresses for State 

statutes that are accessible online and lists the 

parts of the code for each State and territory 

that contain the laws addressing child protection, 

child welfare, adoption, legal guardianship as a 

permanency option, and services for youth aging 

out of foster care. It also provides web addresses 

for States’ regulation and policy sites, State court 

rules, and other judicial resources. 
Links to State and Tribal Child Welfare Law https://www.childwelfare.gov

State Statutes

State statutes are provisions enacted by State legislatures 

that authorize a State government to operate and perform 

its many functions. All States, the District of Columbia, 

Puerto Rico, and the U.S. territories of American Samoa, 

Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin 

Islands currently make their statutes available on websites 

that are freely accessible to the public.1

1 Online regulations for Puerto Rico are available only in Spanish. 

 Statutes are 

organized topically into codes by titles, chapters, articles, 

or sections. Familiarity with the structure of a State’s code 

is helpful for locating information.

Laws of Indian Tribes 

The Federal Government recognizes more than 500 

American Indian Tribes in the United States. Federally 

recognized Tribes possess some powers of selfgovernance, and many have organized Tribal councils and/

or courts to handle issues concerning both Tribal lands 

and members. Several Tribes have posted Tribal codes on 

their websites; these are listed with the States in which the 

Tribes are located.

State Regulation and Policy

State regulations, also known as administrative law or 

policy, are promulgated by State agencies to guide the 

application of statutory requirements to agency practice.2

2 State regulation and policy are subject to a hearing and approval process 

before finalization.

Each department or agency within a State government 

typically is responsible for formulating regulations and 

policy for the programs that the agency administers. 

Regulations tend to be organized into codes by agency, 

topic, or specific programs.

Most States now make regulations available on either a 

State website organizing every agency’s administrative 

code or on the individual department or agency’s 

website. Many State agencies have further organized their 

regulations into policy manuals and other explanatory 

materials. These materials, as well as an array of other 

informational materials, can be found in Child Welfare 

Information Gateway’s State Guides & Manuals Search 

(https://www.childwelfare.gov/topics/systemwide/sgm/). 

The search links to online publications created by State 

agencies to describe their services and provide guidance 

on child welfare topics to both professional and general 

audiences.

Other Considerations

State statutes can be subject to further interpretation 

by State case law. Case law refers to the body of court 

opinion (i.e., the written decisions that are issued at the 

appellate and supreme court levels) that can affect the 

application of law. Individuals interested in how the law 

may apply to their specific situations should consult with 

a legal professional who has experience with child welfare 

law in their State.

How to Access the Information 

Information about the laws and policies of the States and 

territories can be accessed through the State Statutes 

search page on Child Welfare Information Gateway’s 

website at https://www.childwelfare.gov/topics/

systemwide/laws-policies/state/.

This publication is a product of the State Statutes 

Series prepared by Child Welfare Information 

Gateway. While every attempt has been made 

to be complete, additional information on these 

topics may be in other sections of a State’s code 

as well as agency regulations, case law, and 

informal practices and procedures.

Suggested Citation:

Child Welfare Information Gateway. (2015). Links to State 

and Tribal Child Welfare Law and Policy. Washington, 

DC: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 

Children’s Bureau.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 

Administration for Children and Families 

Administration on Children, Youth and Families 

Children’s Bureau