Posted: | April 13, 2023 03:17 PM |
---|---|
From: | Representative Jamie L. Flick and Rep. Tarah Probst |
To: | All House members |
Subject: | Rights of Children - Ensuring Fairness in Custody Determinations |
In the near future, I will be introducing legislation to ensure fairness in custody determinations and protect the rights of children to have equal access to both loving and fit parents so they have meaningful parental involvement in their lives following a separation or divorce. Currently, many custody plans allow children to see one of their parents only one day a week and every other weekend. This arrangement undermines the fundamental relationship between parent and child during the child’s crucial development years and simply put, is not fair to children or their parents. Research shows that, except in rare cases, children do best if both parents share in the day-to-day responsibilities of raising children. Children with two actively involved parents do better in school, are less likely to suffer abuse or neglect, and are less likely to become involved with drugs and other high-risk behaviors. Equally shared parenting is also linked to higher rates of voluntary child support compliance and lower rates of parental alienation. My legislation will amend the child custody law to codify that a child’s best interests are served when they spend equal time with each parent and removes current language that assumes the “custodial and noncustodial parent” model of split custody. Please join me in cosponsoring this legislation. |
Introduced as HB1684