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2003 SESSION

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HB 2029 Education in custody and visitation cases.

Introduced by: J. Chapman Petersen | all patrons    ...    notes | add to my profiles

SUMMARY AS INTRODUCED:

Education in custody and visitation cases. Modifies the 2000 provisions that required the court to order parent education in contested cases. Under this bill the court must order attendance of an educational program for parents, guardians, legal custodians and persons serving in loco parentis who petition for custody or visitation, not just parents and not just in contested cases as in current law. The fee remains the same as in current law, which is a sliding scale, not to exceed $50. Under current law, the court may excuse participation in the educational program for good cause shown. This bill excuses participation for compelling circumstances and requires written documentation of the reason for the exemption. The bill requires attendance of the educational program before participating in mediation or other alternative dispute resolution method, unless the court allows the sequence to be reversed for good cause shown.

The 2000 bill had a sunset clause and expires on July 1, 2003. This bill amends the Code as it is without the 2000 amendments, so some of the provisions that are new language in this bill are actually current law that will be repealed by the sunset clause on July 1, 2003. In order to give effect to this bill the sunset clause should not be repealed this session.


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