House of Representatives State of Utah




         UTAH STATE CAPITOL COMPLEX . 350 STATE CAPITOL

Figure

Graphic file number 0 named letter~1.jpg with height 78 p and width 81 p Left aligned
         P.O. BOX 145030 . SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH 84114-5030 . (801) 538-1029         February 18, 2008

Mr. Speaker:

    The Judiciary Committee recommends H.B. 415, JOINT CUSTODY MODIFICATIONS, by Representative L. Fowlke, be replaced and reports a favorable recommendation on 1st Sub. H.B. 415, JOINT CUSTODY MODIFICATIONS with the following amendments:

1.    Page 2, Line 49 through Page 3, Line 63 :    

             49          

{   [   } (b) The court shall, in every case, consider joint custody but may award any form of

             50      custody which is determined to be
{   ]   }

             51          
{   (b) There shall be a rebuttable presumption that joint legal custody, as defined in

             52      Section 30-3-10.1 , is  
}
in the best interest of the child.
{   , so long as the party who desires joint

             53      legal custody files a proposed parenting plan in accordance with Sections 30-3-10.8 and
             54      30-3-10.9. The presumption may be rebutted by a showing by a preponderance of the
             55      evidence that the following circumstances exist:
             56          (i) the parents were not married to each other;
             57          (ii) domestic violence in the home or in the presence of the child;
             58          (iii) special physical or mental needs of a parent or child, making joint legal custody
             59      unreasonable;
             60          (iv) physical distance between the residences of the parents, making joint decision
             61      making impractical in certain circumstances; or
             62          (v) any other factor the court considers relevant, including those listed in Section
             63      30-3-10.2 .  
}


2.    Page 4, Lines 97 through 99 :    



             97          (5) This section establishes neither a preference nor a presumption for or against
{   [   } joint

             98      legal custody,
{   ]   } joint physical custody      {   [   } ,      {   ]   } or sole      {   physical   } custody, but allows the court and the

             99      family the widest discretion to choose a parenting plan that is in the best interest of the child.

3.    Page 5, Lines 128 through 132 :    

             128          (c)
{   [   } The agreement shall contain      {   ]   }      {   An order of joint legal or physical custody shall

             129      require  
}
a parenting plan incorporating a dispute resolution procedure the parties agree to use
{   :   }

             130          
{   (i) in accordance with Section 30-3-10.9 , or as ordered by the court in accordance with

             131      Subsection 30-3-10.2 (5); and  
}

             132          
{   (ii)   } before seeking enforcement or modification of the terms and conditions of the


    Respectfully,

    Douglas C. Aagard
    Committee Chair

Voting: 13-0-0
7 HB0415.HC1.wpd 2/18/08 6:34 pm jdhowe/JDH ECM/JDH


Bill Number
Action Class
Action Code

*HB0415S01*
*H*
*HCRSUBAMD*

HB0415S01
H
HCRSUBAMD