HB 13-1259 Summary

• Establishes children's rights to be emotionally, mentally, and physically safe, and to reside in homes free of domestic violence and child abuse or neglect in parental responsibility determinations.

• Prioritizes child safety in allocation of parental rights and responsibilities; requires courts to presume co-parenting is not appropriate in all circumstances and mandates special procedures when child abuse, neglect, or domestic violence claims are made.

• Expands civil protection order definitions to include stalking, sexual assault or abuse, and harassment; allows victims to obtain protection orders without reporting to law enforcement or criminal prosecution.

• Extends temporary care and control duration from 120 days to one year in protection orders and increases time periods for motions regarding protection order modifications from two to four years for certain circumstances.

• Appropriates $217,942 and 3.2 FTE to judicial department for trial court implementation effective July 1, 2013.