A new senate bill regarding child custody has unanimous support by the Pennsylvania Senate Judiciary Committee. Named after a young girl, Kayden’s Law seeks to update how Family Courts will determine future custodial privileges.
Changes to child custody methodology
The bill was initiated after an unsupervised visit by a non-custodial parent led to the tragic death of a child. The purpose of Kayden’s Law is to protect the children involved in a divorce proceeding by increasing due diligence on behalf of the courts.
The bill would require for judges to research the background of the parents more thoroughly prior to making child custody decisions. As a result of the research, the judge may include certain safety measures in the decision in order to protect the children.
Family court judges will additionally attend programs that will educate them on topics of domestic violence and child abuse to help them make better decisions.
Status of Senate Bill 78
The bill was reintroduced in 2021 after not being passed before the end of the 2020 term. Once the bill is voted on in the Senate, it can then be passed to the House of Representatives.
Potential effects on parents
If the bill becomes law, there will be some potential changes to the child custody proceedings and how child custody is awarded. Parents who have questions about how this bill will affect them may want to seek the guidance of an experienced attorney.
