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Online Resources for State Child Welfare Law and Policy
State Statutes Series

Author(s):  Child Welfare Information Gateway

Year Published:  2008

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Current Through October 2008

You may wish to review this introductory text to better understand the information contained in your State's statutes. To view online resources for child welfare laws and policies in your State, visit the State Statutes Search.

Child welfare professionals require ready access to State laws and regulations regarding child protection, foster care, and adoption. This publication provides web addresses for State statutes websites and lists the parts of the code for each State and territory that contain the laws addressing child protection, adoption, and child welfare. It also provides web addresses for State regulation and policy websites and lists other resources that explain States' policies and procedures.

State Statutes

State statutes are provisions enacted by State legislatures that authorize the 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 Virgin Islands currently make their statutes available on websites that are freely accessible to the public.¹ 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.

State Policy and Regulation

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 Each department or agency within a State government typically has responsibility for formulating regulation and policy for the programs that the agency administers. Regulation tends to be organized into codes by agency, topical area, or even specific programs.

Most States now make regulation or administrative law available on a statewide website organizing every agency's administrative code or on the website of the individual department or agency. Some State agencies have further organized their regulations into "policy manuals" and other explanatory materials; many of these are also available online.

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 level) that can impact the application of law. Individuals interested in how the law may apply to their specific situation should consult with a legal professional who has experience in child welfare law in their State.

To view your State's online resources, visit the State Statutes Search.

To find information on all of the States and territories, view the complete printable PDF, Online Resources for State Child Welfare Law and Policy (PDF - 472 KB).

¹ Online statutes and regulation for Puerto Rico are available in Spanish only. Only session laws (recently enacted legislation) are available online for the Northern Mariana Islands at this time. back
² State regulation and policy are subject to a hearing and approval process before finalization. back

This publication is a product of the State Statutes Series prepared by Child Welfare Information Gateway. While every attempt has been made to be as complete as possible, 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.

This material may be freely reproduced and distributed. However, when doing so, please credit Child Welfare Information Gateway.

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Updated on October 9, 2009