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S.B. 147

             1     

EXTENDING CHILD VISITATION FOR

             2     
DIVORCED FAMILIES

             3     
2001 GENERAL SESSION

             4     
STATE OF UTAH

             5     
Sponsor: Terry R. Spencer

             6      This act modifies the visitation schedule for children aged three to five years by allowing a
             7      noncustodial parent to pick the child up from daycare for a specified evening visitation.
             8      This act affects sections of Utah Code Annotated 1953 as follows:
             9      AMENDS:
             10          30-3-35.5, as last amended by Chapter 13, Laws of Utah 1998
             11      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             12          Section 1. Section 30-3-35.5 is amended to read:
             13           30-3-35.5. Minimum schedule for visitation for children under five years of age.
             14          (1) The visitation schedule in this section applies to children under five years old.
             15          (2) If the parties do not agree to a visitation schedule, the following schedule shall be
             16      considered the minimum visitation to which the noncustodial parent and the child shall be entitled:
             17          (a) for children under five months of age:
             18          (i) six hours of visitation per week to be specified by the court or the noncustodial parent
             19      preferably:
             20          (A) divided into three visitation periods; and
             21          (B) in the custodial home, established child care setting, or other environment familiar to
             22      the child; and
             23          (ii) two hours on holidays and in the years specified in Subsections 30-3-35 (2)(f) through
             24      (i) preferably in the custodial home, the established child care setting, or other environment
             25      familiar to the child;
             26          (b) for children five months of age or older, but younger than [10] ten months of age:
             27          (i) nine hours of visitation per week to be specified by the court or the noncustodial parent


             28      preferably:
             29          (A) divided into three visitation periods; and
             30          (B) in the custodial home, established child care setting, or other environment familiar to
             31      the child; and
             32          (ii) two hours on the holidays and in the years specified in Subsections 30-3-35 (2)(f)
             33      through (i) preferably in the custodial home, the established child care setting, or other
             34      environment familiar to the child;
             35          (c) for children [10] ten months of age or older, but younger than 18 months of age:
             36          (i) one eight hour visit per week to be specified by the noncustodial parent or court;
             37          (ii) one three hour visit per week to be specified by the noncustodial parent or court;
             38          (iii) eight hours on the holidays and in the years specified in Subsections 30-3-5 (2)(f)
             39      through (i); and
             40          (iv) brief phone contact with the noncustodial parent at least two times per week;
             41          (d) for children 18 months of age or older, but younger than three years of age:
             42          (i) one weekday evening [for two hours] between 5:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. to be specified
             43      by the noncustodial parent or court, however if the child is being cared for during the day outside
             44      his regular place of residence, the noncustodial parent may, with advance notice to the S [ caregiver ]
             44a      CUSTODIAL PARENT s ,
             45      pick up the child from the caregiver at an earlier time and return him to the custodial parent by
             46      8:30 p.m.;
             47          (ii) alternative weekends beginning on the first weekend after the entry of the decree from
             48      6[:00] p.m. on Friday until 7[:00] p.m. on Sunday continuing each year;
             49          (iii) visitation on holidays as specified in Subsections 30-3-35 (2)(c) through (i);
             50          (iv) extended visitation may be:
             51          (A) two one-week periods, separated by at least four weeks, at the option of the
             52      noncustodial parent;
             53          (B) one week shall be uninterrupted time for the noncustodial parent;
             54          (C) the remaining week shall be subject to visitation for the custodial parent consistent
             55      with these guidelines; and
             56          (D) the custodial parent shall have an identical one-week period of uninterrupted time for
             57      vacation; and
             58          (v) brief phone contact with the noncustodial parent at least two times per week;


             59          (e) for children three years of age or older, but younger than five years of age:
             60          (i) one weekday evening between 5:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. to be specified by the
             61      noncustodial parent or court, however if the child is being cared for during the day outside his
             62      regular place of residence, the noncustodial parent may, with advance notice to the S [ caregiver ]
             62a      CUSTODIAL PARENT s , pick
             63      up the child from the caregiver at an earlier time and return him to the custodial parent by 8:30
             64      p.m.;
             65          (ii) alternative weekends beginning on the first weekend after the entry of the decree from
             66      6[:00] p.m. on Friday until 7[:00] p.m. on Sunday continuing each year;
             67          (iii) visitation on holidays as specified in Subsections 30-3-35 (2)(c) through (i);
             68          (iv) extended visitation with the noncustodial parent may be:
             69          (A) two two-week periods, separated by at least four weeks, at the option of the
             70      noncustodial parent;
             71          (B) one two-week period shall be uninterrupted time for the noncustodial parent;
             72          (C) the remaining two-week period shall be subject to visitation for the custodial parent
             73      consistent with these guidelines; and
             74          (D) the custodial parent shall have an identical two-week period of uninterrupted time for
             75      vacation; and
             76          (v) brief phone contact with the noncustodial parent at least two times per week.
             77          (3) A parent shall notify the other parent at least 30 days in advance of extended visitation
             78      or vacation weeks.
             79          (4) Telephone contact shall be at reasonable hours and for reasonable duration.




Legislative Review Note
    as of 1-12-01 4:08 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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