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H.B. 242

             1     

CHILD VISITATION GUIDELINES

             2     
2000 GENERAL SESSION

             3     
STATE OF UTAH

             4     
Sponsor: Martin R. Stephens

             5      AN ACT RELATING TO HUSBAND AND WIFE; CHANGING VISITATION GUIDELINES
             6      FOR WEEKENDS SO THAT THEY MAY BEGIN AFTER A CHILD'S SCHOOL IS
             7      DISMISSED ON FRIDAY; MAKING THE GUIDELINES FOR HUMAN RIGHTS DAY AND
             8      PRESIDENT'S DAY THE SAME AS FOR OTHER THREE-DAY WEEKENDS; AND
             9      PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
             10      This act affects sections of Utah Code Annotated 1953 as follows:
             11      AMENDS:
             12          30-3-35, as last amended by Chapter 80, Laws of Utah 1997
             13      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             14          Section 1. Section 30-3-35 is amended to read:
             15           30-3-35. Minimum schedule for visitation for children 5 to 18 years of age.
             16          (1) The visitation schedule in this section applies to children 5 to 18 years of age.
             17          (2) If the parties do not agree to a visitation schedule, the following schedule shall be
             18      considered the minimum visitation to which the noncustodial parent and the child shall be entitled:
             19          (a) (i) one weekday evening to be specified by the noncustodial parent or the court from
             20      5:30 p.m. until 8:30 p.m; or
             21          (ii) at the election of the noncustodial parent, one weekday from the time the child's school
             22      is regularly dismissed until 8:30 p.m., unless the court directs the application of Subsection
             23      (2)(a)(i);
             24          (b) (i) alternating weekends beginning on the first weekend after the entry of the decree
             25      from 6 p.m. on Friday until 7 p.m. on Sunday continuing each year; or
             26          (ii) at the election of the noncustodial parent, from the time the child's school is regularly
             27      dismissed on Friday until 7 p.m. on Sunday, unless the court directs the application of Subsection


             28      (2)(b)(i);
             29          (c) holidays take precedence over the weekend visitation, and changes shall not be made
             30      to the regular rotation of the alternating weekend visitation schedule;
             31          (d) if a holiday falls on a regularly scheduled school day, the noncustodial parent shall be
             32      responsible for the child's attendance at school for that school day;
             33          (e) (i) if a holiday falls on a weekend or on a Friday or Monday and the total holiday period
             34      extends beyond that time so that the child is free from school and the parent is free from work, the
             35      noncustodial parent shall be entitled to this lengthier holiday period; or
             36          (ii) at the election of the noncustodial parent, visitation over a scheduled holiday weekend
             37      may begin from the time the child's school is regularly dismissed at the beginning of the holiday
             38      weekend until 7 p.m. on the last day of the holiday weekend;
             39          (f) in years ending in an odd number, the noncustodial parent is entitled to the following
             40      holidays:
             41          (i) child's birthday on the day before or after the actual birthdate beginning at 3 p.m. until
             42      9 p.m.; at the discretion of the noncustodial parent, he may take other siblings along for the
             43      birthday;
             44          (ii) Human Rights Day beginning 6 p.m. [the day before the holiday] on Friday until
             45      Monday at 7 p.m. [on] unless the holiday extends for a lengthier period of time to which the
             46      noncustodial parent is completely entitled;
             47          (iii) Easter holiday beginning at 6 p.m. on Friday until Sunday at 7 p.m., unless the holiday
             48      extends for a lengthier period of time to which the noncustodial parent is completely entitled;
             49          (iv) Memorial Day beginning 6 p.m. on Friday until Monday at 7 p.m., unless the holiday
             50      extends for a lengthier period of time to which the noncustodial parent is completely entitled;
             51          (v) July 24th beginning 6 p.m. on the day before the holiday until 11 p.m. on the holiday;
             52          (vi) Veteran's Day holiday beginning 6 p.m. the day before the holiday until 7 p.m. on the
             53      holiday; and
             54          (vii) the first portion of the Christmas school vacation as defined in Subsection
             55      30-3-32 (3)(b) plus Christmas Eve and Christmas Day until 1 p.m., so long as the entire holiday is
             56      equally divided;
             57          (g) in years ending in an even number, the noncustodial parent is entitled to the following
             58      holidays:


             59          (i) child's birthday on actual birthdate beginning at 3 p.m. until 9 p.m.; at the discretion
             60      of the noncustodial parent, he may take other siblings along for the birthday;
             61          (ii) President's Day beginning at 6 p.m. [the day before the holiday] on Friday until 7 p.m.
             62      on Monday unless the holiday extends for a lengthier period of time to which the noncustodial
             63      parent is completely entitled;
             64          (iii) July 4th beginning at 6 p.m. the day before the holiday until 11 p.m. on the holiday;
             65          (iv) Labor Day beginning at 6 p.m. on Friday until Monday at 7 p.m. unless the holiday
             66      extends for a lengthier period of time to which the noncustodial parent is completely entitled;
             67          (v) the fall school break, if applicable, commonly known as U.E.A. weekend beginning
             68      at 6 p.m. on Wednesday until Sunday at 7 p.m. unless the holiday extends for a lengthier period
             69      of time to which the noncustodial parent is completely entitled;
             70          (vi) Columbus Day beginning at 6 p.m. the day before the holiday until 7 p.m. on the
             71      holiday;
             72          (vii) Thanksgiving holiday beginning Wednesday at 7 p.m. until Sunday at 7 p.m; and
             73          (viii) the second portion of the Christmas school vacation as defined in Subsection
             74      30-3-32 (3)(b) plus Christmas day beginning at 1 p.m. until 9 p.m., so long as the entire Christmas
             75      holiday is equally divided;
             76          (h) Father's Day shall be spent with the natural or adoptive father every year beginning at
             77      9 a.m. until 7 p.m. on the holiday;
             78          (i) Mother's Day shall be spent with the natural or adoptive mother every year beginning
             79      at 9 a.m. until 7 p.m. on the holiday;
             80          (j) extended visitation with the noncustodial parent may be:
             81          (i) up to four weeks consecutive at the option of the noncustodial parent;
             82          (ii) two weeks shall be uninterrupted time for the noncustodial parent; and
             83          (iii) the remaining two weeks shall be subject to visitation for the custodial parent
             84      consistent with these guidelines;
             85          (k) the custodial parent shall have an identical two-week period of uninterrupted time
             86      during the children's summer vacation from school for purposes of vacation;
             87          (l) if the child is enrolled in year-round school, the noncustodial parent's extended
             88      visitation shall be 1/2 of the vacation time for year-round school breaks, provided the custodial
             89      parent has holiday and phone visits;


             90          (m) notification of extended visitation or vacation weeks with the child shall be provided
             91      at least 30 days in advance to the other parent; and
             92          (n) telephone contact shall be at reasonable hours and for reasonable duration.
             93          Section 2. Effective date.
             94          If approved by two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, this act takes effect
             95      upon approval by the governor, or the day following the constitutional time limit of Utah
             96      Constitution Article VII, Section 8, without the governor's signature, or in the case of a veto, the
             97      date of veto override.




Legislative Review Note
    as of 1-10-00 12:27 PM


A limited legal review of this legislation raises no obvious constitutional or statutory concerns.

Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel


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