Assigned to PS FOR COMMITTEE
ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Seventh Legislature, First Regular Session
FACT SHEET FOR H.B. 2432
parenting time; neutral exchange location
Purpose
Allows a court to order that the custody of minor child is exchanged at a safe exchange
location and a sheriff's office and city or town police department to designate two or more parking
spots as a neutral safe exchange location and prescribes requirements for designated locations.
Background
The court must determine legal decision-making and parenting time, either originally or on
petition for modification, in accordance with the best interests of the child and consider all factors
that are relevant to the child's physical and emotional wellbeing (A.R.S. § 25-403).
If a child's parents are unable to agree on a plan for legal decision-making or parenting
time, each parent is required to submit a proposed parenting plan. The court must adopt a parenting
plan that provides for both parents to share legal decision-making regarding the child and
maximizes respective parenting time. The court may not prefer a parent's proposed plan because
of the parent's or child's gender. Parenting plans must include at a minimum: 1) a designation of
joint or sole legal decision-making; 2) each parent's rights and responsibilities for the personal care
of the child and for decisions in education, health care and religious training; 3) a practical schedule
of parenting time for the child; 4) a procedure for exchanging custody of the child, including
location and responsibility for transportation; 5) a procedure by which proposed changes,
relocation of residences, disputes and alleged breaches may be mediated or resolved, which may
include the use of conciliation services or private counseling; 6) a procedure for the periodic review
of the plan's terms by the parents; 7) a procedure for parent-to-parent communications about the
child, including methods and frequency; and 8) a statement that each party has read, understands
and will abide by prescribed notification requirements. If the parents are unable to agree on any
element included in the parenting plan, the court must determine that element of the plan and may
implement measures that are necessary to promote and protect the emotional and physical health
of the child (A.R.S. § 25-403.02).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this
legislation.
Provisions
1. Allows, if the court finds that it is in the best interest of the child, a court to enter an order
requiring the parties to exchange custody of the minor child at a safe exchange location in any
proceeding in which the court enters a parenting plan or a legal decision-making or parenting
plan order, including the modification of an existing parenting plan or a legal decision-making
or parenting plan order. FACT SHEET
H.B. 2432
Page 2
2. Designates a safe exchange location as:
a) a designated neutral safe exchange location;
b) a location approved by the court; or
c) a location agreed to by the parties.
3. Requires a parenting plan to specify when the exchange is required to take place at a safe
exchange location.
4. Allows a sheriff's office to designate two or more parking spots at the sheriff's office or any
sheriff's office substation as a neutral safe exchange location for the purposes of exchanging
children.
5. Allows a police department of a city or town to designate two or more parking spots at the
police department or any police department substation as a neutral safe exchange location.
6. Requires each parking lot that is designated as a neutral safe exchange location to have a purple
light or a sign clearly identifying the area as a neutral safe exchange location.
7. Requires a neutral safe exchange location to:
a) provide accessibility 24 hours a day, 7 days a week;
b) have adequate lighting and an external video surveillance system that records continuously
24 hours a day, 7 days a week and that can retain videos for 45 days; and
c) have at least one camera that is fixed in or near the designated neutral safe exchange
location, that captures images that clearly and accurately display the time and date and that
can store images for 45 days.
8. Requires each county sheriff to maintain on the office's public website a list of the neutral safe
exchange locations within their county for the purposes of exchanging children pursuant to a
parenting plan.
9. Immunizes counties, cities, towns, sheriffs, law enforcement officers and employees of a
designated neutral safe exchange location from liability for civil damages for any act or
omission relating to an incident arising out of the exchange of a child at a neutral safe exchange
location.
10. Makes technical changes.
11. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
House Action
PSLE 2/17/25 DP 9-3-1-2
3
rd
Read 3/4/25 58-0-2
Prepared by Senate Research
March 17, 2025
KJA/NRG/ci