HB 2554 Summary

• Requires courts to hold an appointment review hearing before ordering a custody investigation to address specific issues, necessity, duration, investigator qualifications, and parties' ability to pay.

• Mandates cost allocation for investigations and court-appointed advisors based on parties' financial circumstances, with no party required to pay more than they can reasonably afford.

• Establishes mandatory training requirements for court-appointed attorneys, advisors, and investigators: 6 initial hours on domestic violence, 6 initial hours on child abuse, and 4 hours every two years on both topics combined.

• Allows persons with professional licenses (social workers, psychologists, etc.) to use prior training on domestic violence and child abuse to satisfy training requirements if that training meets minimum standards.

• Exempts licensed physicians from training requirements and clarifies that investigators cannot make temporary or permanent orders on behalf of the court.