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GA HB1140

Bill

Status

Introduced

3/9/2020

Primary Sponsor

Jasmine Clark

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Origin

House of Representatives

2019-2020 Regular Session

AI Summary

  • Establishes a rebuttable presumption that a child's interests are best served by equal or approximately equal parenting time with each parent, replacing the current law that gives no prima-facie right to either father or mother
  • Requires clear and convincing evidence to overcome the equal parenting time presumption or to find that a parent is unfit, unwilling, or unable to participate in such an arrangement
  • Requires judges to enter specific facts, findings, and conclusions of law regarding every factor considered in a custody decision, rather than merely permitting consideration of relevant factors
  • Eliminates existing provisions allowing children aged 14 and older to select their custodial parent and removing the separate consideration framework for children aged 11–13, replacing both with a single factor considering the child's desires if of appropriate age and discretion
  • Requires all permanent custody orders to include detailed findings of fact explaining the basis for the custody award and, if joint legal custody is granted, how final decision-making on education, health, religion, and other important matters will be handled, with the order filed within 30 days of the final hearing

Legislative Description

Domestic relations; revise presumption in cases in which the custody of any child is at issue

Last Action

House Second Readers

3/10/2020

Committee Referrals

Judiciary3/9/2020

Full Bill Text

No bill text available