MS HB1662

Creates a rebuttable presumption that joint custody with equally shared parenting time is in the best interest of the child in all custody matters, replacing the previous system where joint custody required application by one or both parents

Allows the presumption to be rebutted by a preponderance of evidence, and requires courts to document reasons for deviating from equal parenting time unless both parents jointly petition for a different arrangement

Establishes a child support calculation method for equal custody arrangements: each parent's support obligation is calculated separately, and the parent with higher adjusted gross income pays the difference to the other parent

Retains existing protections against awarding custody to parents with a history of family violence, requiring courts to make written findings about how the violence presumption was or was not triggered and rebutted

Effective date of July 1, 2026