Subdivision 1.Inquiry of Tribal lineage.

The child-placing agency or individual petitioner shall inquire of the child, the child’s parents and custodians, and other appropriate persons whether there is any reason to believe that a child brought to the agency’s attention may have lineage to an Indian Tribe. This inquiry shall occur at the time the child comes to the attention of the child-placing agency or individual petitioner and shall continue throughout the involvement of the child-placing agency or individual petitioner.

Subd. 2.Notice to Tribes of services or court proceedings involving an Indian child.

(a) When a child-placing agency has information that a family assessment, investigation, or noncaregiver sex trafficking assessment being conducted may involve an Indian child, the child-placing agency shall notify the Indian child’s Tribe of the family assessment, investigation, or noncaregiver sex trafficking assessment according to section 260E.18. The child-placing agency shall provide initial notice by telephone and by email or facsimile and shall include the child’s full name and date of birth; the full names and dates of birth of the child’s biological parents; and if known the full names and dates of birth of the child’s grandparents and of the child’s Indian custodian. If information regarding the child’s grandparents or Indian custodian is not immediately available, the child-placing agency shall continue to request this information and shall notify the Tribe when it is received. Notice shall be provided to all Tribes to which the child may have any Tribal lineage. The child-placing agency shall request that the Tribe or a designated Tribal representative participate in evaluating the family circumstances, identifying family and Tribal community resources, and developing case plans. The child-placing agency shall continue to include the Tribe in service planning and updates as to the progress of the case.

(b) When a child-placing agency has information that a child receiving services may be an Indian child, the child-placing agency shall notify the Tribe by telephone and by email or facsimile of the child’s full name and date of birth, the full names and dates of birth of the child’s biological parents, and, if known, the full names and dates of birth of the child’s grandparents and of the child’s Indian custodian. This notification must be provided for the Tribe to determine if the child is a member or eligible for Tribal membership, and the agency must provide this notification to the Tribe within seven days of receiving information that the child may be an Indian child. If information regarding the child’s grandparents or Indian custodian is not available within the seven-day period, the child-placing agency shall continue to request this information and shall notify the Tribe when it is received. Notice shall be provided to all Tribes to which the child may have any Tribal lineage.

(c) In all child placement proceedings, when a court has reason to believe that a child placed in emergency protective care is an Indian child, the court administrator or a designee shall, as soon as possible and before a hearing takes place, notify the Tribal social services agency by telephone and by email or facsimile of the date, time, and location of the emergency protective care or other initial hearing. The court shall make efforts to allow appearances by telephone or video conference for Tribal representatives, parents, and Indian custodians.

(d) The child-placing agency or individual petitioner shall effect service of any petition governed by sections 260.751 to 260.835 by certified mail or registered mail, return receipt requested upon the Indian child’s parents, Indian custodian, and Indian child’s Tribe at least 10 days before the admit-deny hearing is held. If the identity or location of the Indian child’s parents or Indian custodian and Tribe cannot be determined, the child-placing agency shall provide the notice required in this paragraph to the United States Secretary of the Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs by certified mail, return receipt requested.

(e) A Tribe, the Indian child’s parents, or the Indian custodian may request up to 20 additional days to prepare for the admit-deny hearing. The court shall allow appearances by telephone, video conference, or other electronic medium for Tribal representatives, the Indian child’s parents, or the Indian custodian.

(f) A child-placing agency or individual petitioner must provide the notices required under this subdivision at the earliest possible time to facilitate involvement of the Indian child’s Tribe. Nothing in this subdivision is intended to hinder the ability of the child-placing agency, individual petitioner, and the court to respond to an emergency situation. Lack of participation by a Tribe shall not prevent the Tribe from intervening in services and proceedings at a later date. A Tribe may participate in a case at any time. At any stage of the child-placing agency’s involvement with an Indian child, the agency shall provide full cooperation to the Tribal social services agency, including disclosure of all data concerning the Indian child. Nothing in this subdivision relieves the child-placing agency of satisfying the notice requirements in state or federal law.

[See Note.]

Subd. 3.Notice of potential preadoptive or adoptive placement.

In any adoptive or preadoptive placement proceeding, including voluntary proceedings, where any party or participant has reason to believe that a child who is the subject of an adoptive or preadoptive placement proceeding is or may be an “Indian child,” as defined in section 260.755, subdivision 8, and United States Code, title 25, § 1903(4), the child-placing agency or individual petitioner shall notify the Indian child’s Tribe by registered mail or certified mail with return receipt requested of the pending proceeding and of the right of intervention under subdivision 6. If the identity or location of the child’s Tribe cannot be determined, the notice must be given to the United States Secretary of Interior in like manner. No preadoptive or adoptive placement proceeding may be held until at least 20 days after receipt of the notice by the Tribe or the secretary. Upon request, the Tribe must be granted up to 20 additional days to prepare for the proceeding. The child-placing agency or individual petitioner shall include in the notice the identity of the birth parents and child absent written objection by the birth parents. The child-placing agency shall inform the birth parents of the Indian child of any services available to the Indian child through the child’s Tribal social services agency, including child placement services, and shall additionally provide the birth parents of the Indian child with all information sent from the Tribal social services agency in response to the notice.

Subd. 4.Unknown father.

If the child-placing agency, individual petitioner, the court, or any party has reason to believe that a child who is the subject of a child placement proceeding is or may be an Indian child but the father of the child is unknown and has not registered with the fathers’ adoption registry pursuant to section 259.52, the child-placing agency or individual petitioner shall provide to the Tribe believed to be the Indian child’s Tribe information sufficient to enable the Tribe to determine the child’s eligibility for membership in the Tribe, including, but not limited to, the legal and maiden name of the birth mother, her date of birth, the names and dates of birth of her parents and grandparents, and, if available, information pertaining to the possible identity, Tribal affiliation, or location of the birth father.

Subd. 5.Proof of service of notice upon Tribe or secretary.

In cases where a child-placing agency or party to an adoptive placement knows or has reason to believe that a child is or may be an Indian child, proof of service upon the child’s Tribe or the secretary of interior must be filed with the adoption petition.

Subd. 6.Indian Tribe’s right of intervention.

In any child placement proceeding under sections 260.751 to 260.835, the Indian child’s Tribe shall have a right to intervene at any point in the proceeding.

Subd. 6a.Indian Tribe’s access to files.

At any stage of the child-placing agency’s involvement with an Indian child, the child-placing agency shall, upon request, give the Tribal social services agency full cooperation including access to all files concerning the Indian child. If the files contain confidential or private data, the child-placing agency may require execution of an agreement with the Tribal social services agency to maintain the data according to statutory provisions applicable to the data.

Subd. 7.

MS 2022 [Repealed by amendment, 2023 c 16 s 16]