MN HF909

Parents involved in marriage dissolution or legal separation proceedings with minor children must complete a four-hour education program before the first court appearance or within 30 days of first filing, whichever is sooner.

Education programs must meet scientific standards for effectiveness in reducing parental conflict and improving children's adjustment, either through listing on the National Registry of Evidence-Based Programs and Practices or approval by the Minnesota couples on the brink project.

Programs must provide information on domestic violence assessment, constructive parenting skills, and an overview of the legal dissolution process including litigation and alternative dispute resolution options like mediation and collaborative law.

Parents who qualify for fee waivers are exempt from program fees, and providers must implement sliding fee scales; programs may be conducted in person or online but in-person sessions cannot require both parties to attend together.

Court administrators cannot accept marital termination agreements or stipulated judgments without a certificate of completion or judicial waiver; the Minnesota Supreme Court administrator must submit annual reports to legislative committees on completion and waiver rates by judicial district.