1st Sub.
H.B.
169
CUSTODY EVALUATION AND PARENT COORDINATION
house committee
Amendments
Amendment 4 February 15, 2008 1:33 pm
Representative Tim M. Cosgrove
proposes the following amendments:
1. Page
3, Lines 73 through 84
:
73
(2) Licensed professionals in Subsection (1) shall have:
* * * Some lines not shown * * *
80
involved in custody decisions;
and
81
(b)
{
initial training totaling a minimum of 12 hours, and eight hours annually of
82
continuing education, specific to custody evaluation; and
83
(c)
}
at least
{
24
}
three
hours
{
of initial
}
annual
training
{
, and 16 hours
annually of continuing education,
84
on
}
in
domestic violence
issues
.
2. Page
4, Lines 99 through 106
:
99
A custody evaluator
who accepts a case
shall:
100
(1)
{
accept cases referred by the court without regard to the financial situation of the
101
parties;
102
(2)
}
review with each party the custody evaluator's policies and procedures, including
103
fees, for conducting an evaluation;
104
{
(3)
}
(2)
provide the court with copies of all written documentation and reports; and
105
{
(4)
}
(3)
note in the final report provided to the court, any missing or incomplete
106
information.
3. Page
4, Lines 111 through 113
:
111
(2) The court shall consider the financial situation
and the merits of the claims
of both parties in
determining
112
payment for the custody evaluator's services, and make a final determination on the record of
113
the
{
amounts
}
percentage of the evaluator's fee
each party is responsible for paying.
4. Page
5, Lines 121 through 123
:
121
(1) "Parent coordinator" means a person appointed by the court to minimize trauma to
122
the children of divorce by resolving custody
{
-
}
and parent-time
related disputes between the parents
within the
123
scope of the court's order.
5. Page
5, Lines 135 through 148
:
135
(2) Parent coordinators shall have:
136
(a)
{
formal
}
training
{
or advanced knowledge
}
in child development, child and adult
137
psychopathology, interviewing techniques, and family systems;
* * * Some lines not shown * * *
144
(e) a minimum of
{
40
}
three
hours of initial training which includes training in parent
145
coordination, family dynamics in separation and divorce, domestic violence, child abuse, and
146
court specific parenting procedures; and
147
(f)
{
an additional 20
}
three
hours
annually
of specialized training which includes
maintenance of
148
professional competence in the parenting coordination process
, domestic violence, and child abuse
.
6. Page
6, Lines 156 through 157
:
156
(3) A parent coordinator
{
may
}
should
decline appointment if the case is beyond the parent
157
coordinator's skill or expertise.
7. Page
6, Lines 168 through 170
:
168
continue the coordinator.
169
{
(6) If one parent requests additional time and the other parent declines, the court shall
170
determine the matter.
}
8. Page
6, Line 177
:
177
(3) The parent coordinator shall communicate
{
decisions
}
recommendations
in a timely
manner in person
9. Page
7, Lines 181 through 182
:
181
and standards for decision-making. In addition, each party shall be given a copy of the court's
182
order
{
to
}
appointing
the coordinator.
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LRGC
JDHowe
Echelsea