2002 Legislation
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HOUSE BILL NO. 541 – Child custody/parenting coordinator

HOUSE BILL NO. 541

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Daily Data Tracking History



H0541................................by JUDICIARY, RULES AND ADMINISTRATION
CHILD CUSTODY - Adds to existing law relating to domestic relations and
child custody to provide for parenting coordinators.
                                                                        
02/01    House intro - 1st rdg - to printing
02/04    Rpt prt - to Jud
02/28    Rpt out - rec d/p - to 2nd rdg
03/01    2nd rdg - to 3rd rdg
03/04    3rd rdg - PASSED - 64-2-4
      AYES -- Aikele, Barraclough, Barrett, Bedke, Bell, Bieter, Black,
      Block, Boe, Bolz, Bradford, Bruneel, Campbell, Clark, Collins, Crow,
      Cuddy, Deal, Denney, Ellis, Ellsworth, Eskridge, Field(13),
      Field(20), Gagner, Gould, Hadley, Hammond, Harwood, Henbest, Higgins,
      Hornbeck, Jaquet, Jones, Kellogg(Duncan), Kendell, Kunz, Lake,
      Loertscher, Mader, McKague, Meyer, Montgomery, Mortensen, Moyle,
      Pearce, Pischner, Pomeroy, Raybould, Roberts, Robison, Sali,
      Schaefer, Shepherd, Smith(33), Smith(23), Smylie, Stevenson, Stone,
      Tilman, Trail, Wheeler, Young, Mr. Speaker
      NAYS -- Ridinger, Sellman
      Absent and excused -- Callister, Langford, Martinez, Wood
    Floor Sponsor - Ellis
    Title apvd - to Senate
03/05    Senate intro - 1st rdg - to Jud
03/07    Rpt out - rec d/p - to 2nd rdg
03/08    2nd rdg - to 3rd rdg
03/13    3rd rdg - PASSED - 30-5-0
      AYES -- Andreason, Boatright, Branch(Bartlett), Brandt, Bunderson,
      Burtenshaw, Cameron, Darrington, Deide, Dunklin, Frasure, Goedde,
      Hawkins, Ingram, Ipsen, Keough, King-Barrutia, Little, Lodge, Marley,
      Noh, Risch, Sandy, Schroeder, Sims, Sorensen, Stegner, Stennett,
      Thorne, Wheeler
      NAYS -- Davis, Geddes, Hill, Richardson, Williams
      Absent and excused -- None
    Floor Sponsor - Boatright
    Title apvd - to House
03/14    To enrol
03/15    Rpt enrol - Sp signed
    Pres signed
03/15    To Governor
03/19    Governor signed
         Session Law Chapter 108
         Effective: 07/01/02

Bill Text


                                                                        
                                                                        
  ||||              LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO             ||||
 Fifty-sixth Legislature                  Second Regular Session - 2002
                                                                        
                                                                        
                              IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
                                                                        
                                     HOUSE BILL NO. 541
                                                                        
                      BY JUDICIARY, RULES AND ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE
                                                                        
  1                                        AN ACT
  2    RELATING TO DOMESTIC RELATIONS; AMENDING CHAPTER 7, TITLE 32, IDAHO  CODE,  BY
  3        THE  ADDITION  OF  A  NEW  SECTION  32-717D,  IDAHO  CODE,  TO PROVIDE FOR
  4        PARENTING COORDINATORS.
                                                                        
  5    Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Idaho:
                                                                        
  6        SECTION 1.  That Chapter 7, Title 32, Idaho Code,  be,  and  the  same  is
  7    hereby  amended by the addition thereto of a NEW SECTION, to be known and des-
  8    ignated as Section 32-717D, Idaho Code, and to read as follows:
                                                                        
  9        32-717D.  PARENTING COORDINATOR. (1) Provided that a court has  entered  a
 10    judgment or an order establishing child custody in a case, the court may order
 11    the  appointment  of  a parenting coordinator to perform such duties as autho-
 12    rized by the court, consistent with any controlling judgment  or  order  of  a
 13    court  relating  to  the  child  or  children of the parties, and as set forth
 14    within the order of appointment. The court shall direct the parenting  coordi-
 15    nator  to  provide  a  status report to the court at a time and in a manner as
 16    determined by the court. Provided however, that the court  shall  require  the
 17    parenting  coordinator  to  provide  a minimum of one (1) status report to the
 18    court at least once every six (6) months. At any time  during  the  period  of
 19    appointment,  the  court,  on  its  own  initiative,  or  upon  request of the
 20    parenting coordinator or either party, may hold a status conference to  review
 21    the continued appointment of the coordinator and/or the status of the case.
 22        (2)  Qualification,  selection,  appointment,  termination of appointment,
 23    and prescribed duties and responsibilities of a parenting coordinator shall be
 24    based upon standards and criteria as adopted by the Idaho supreme court.  Pro-
 25    vided  however, that standards and criteria for qualification and selection of
 26    a parenting coordinator, as adopted by the  Idaho  supreme  court,  shall  not
 27    apply  to  a  parenting  coordinator selected and agreed to by the parties. In
 28    addition, as a condition of any appointment, a parenting coordinator shall:
 29        (a)  Be neutral to the dispute and to the parties;
 30        (b)  Be either selected pursuant to agreement of the parties or  appointed
 31        by the court;
 32        (c)  Prior  to any appointment, and at their own cost, have submitted to a
 33        criminal history check through any law enforcement  office  in  the  state
 34        providing  such service. The criminal history check shall include a state-
 35        wide criminal identification bureau, the federal bureau  of  investigation
 36        criminal  history  check,  the  national  crime information center and the
 37        statewide sex offender register. A record of all background  checks  shall
 38        be  maintained  in  the  office of the supreme court of the state of Idaho
 39        with a copy going to the applicant and shall be available  for  review  by
 40        the  court  considering  a  parenting  coordinator appointment prior to an
 41        appointment; and
 42        (d)  Agree to appointment without requiring the parties to pay a  retainer
 43        for  services. Provided however, that any dispute regarding payment of the
                                                                        
                                           2
                                                                        
  1        fees and costs of the parenting coordinator, shall be subject to review by
  2        the court upon request of the parenting coordinator or either party.
  3        (3)  In addition to those duties as authorized by the  court  pursuant  to
  4    the  order  of  appointment,  the  responsibilities of a parenting coordinator
  5    shall include collaborative dispute resolution  in  parenting.  The  parenting
  6    coordinator  shall  act  to empower the parties in resuming parenting controls
  7    and decision-making, and minimize the degree of conflict between  the  parties
  8    for the best interests of the children.
  9        (4)  The  court shall allocate the fees and costs of the parenting coordi-
 10    nator between the parties and may enter an order against either or  both  par-
 11    ties for the reasonable costs, fees and disbursements of the parenting coordi-
 12    nator.

Statement of Purpose / Fiscal Impact


                        STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
                              RS 11801

This bill establishes consistency and criteria for parenting 
coordinators in divorce cases in the State of Idaho. It also gives 
authority to the Idaho Supreme Court to further establish 
qualifications for the parenting coordinators. Parenting coordinators 
will act to assist parents in developing parenting skills, and to 
assist them in collaborative dispute resolution for the best interest 
of the children.



FISCAL IMPACT
None




Contact
Representative Kris Ellis
Phone:	332-1000

Senator Boatright Phone: 332-1000
	STATEMENT OF PURPOSE/FISCAL NOTE		H 541