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| 3 | 3 | | HB 953 2024 |
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| 7 | 7 | | CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. |
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| 8 | 8 | | hb0953-00 |
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| 9 | 9 | | Page 1 of 2 |
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| 10 | 10 | | F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S |
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| 14 | 14 | | A bill to be entitled 1 |
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| 15 | 15 | | An act relating to parenting plan recommendations by 2 |
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| 16 | 16 | | court-appointed psychologists; amending s. 61.122, 3 |
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| 17 | 17 | | F.S.; revising the requirements a parent must follow 4 |
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| 18 | 18 | | before filing a legal action against a court -appointed 5 |
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| 19 | 19 | | psychologist who developed a parenting plan 6 |
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| 20 | 20 | | recommendation in certain cases; making technical 7 |
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| 21 | 21 | | changes; providing an effective date. 8 |
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| 22 | 22 | | 9 |
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| 23 | 23 | | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 10 |
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| 24 | 24 | | 11 |
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| 25 | 25 | | Section 1. Subsections (3) and (4) of section 61.122, 12 |
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| 26 | 26 | | Florida Statutes, are amended to read: 13 |
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| 27 | 27 | | 61.122 Parenting plan recommendation; presumption of 14 |
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| 28 | 28 | | psychologist's good faith; prerequisite to parent's filing suit; 15 |
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| 29 | 29 | | award of fees, costs, reimbursement. — 16 |
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| 30 | 30 | | (3) A parent who desires to file a legal action against a 17 |
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| 31 | 31 | | court-appointed psychologist who developed has acted in good 18 |
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| 32 | 32 | | faith in developing a parenting plan recommendation in a must 19 |
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| 33 | 33 | | petition the judge who presided over the dissolution of 20 |
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| 34 | 34 | | marriage, case of domes tic violence, or paternity matter 21 |
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| 35 | 35 | | involving the relationship of a child and a parent, including 22 |
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| 36 | 36 | | time-sharing of children, must conduct a reasonable 23 |
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| 37 | 37 | | investigation and follow the procedures required under s. 24 |
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| 38 | 38 | | 766.104 to appoint another psychologist . Upon the parent's 25 |
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| 40 | 40 | | HB 953 2024 |
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| 44 | 44 | | CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. |
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| 45 | 45 | | hb0953-00 |
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| 46 | 46 | | Page 2 of 2 |
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| 47 | 47 | | F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S |
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| 51 | 51 | | showing of good cause, the court shall appoint another 26 |
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| 52 | 52 | | psychologist. The court shall determine who is responsible for 27 |
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| 53 | 53 | | all court costs and attorney's fees associated with making such 28 |
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| 54 | 54 | | an appointment. 29 |
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| 55 | 55 | | (4) If a legal action, whether it be a civil ac tion, a 30 |
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| 56 | 56 | | criminal action, or an administrative proceeding, is filed 31 |
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| 57 | 57 | | against a court-appointed psychologist in a dissolution of 32 |
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| 58 | 58 | | marriage, case of domestic violence, or paternity matter 33 |
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| 59 | 59 | | involving the relationship of a child and a parent, including 34 |
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| 60 | 60 | | time-sharing of children, the claimant is responsible for all 35 |
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| 61 | 61 | | reasonable costs and reasonable attorney attorney's fees 36 |
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| 62 | 62 | | associated with the action for both parties if the psychologist 37 |
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| 63 | 63 | | is held not liable. If the psychologist is held liable in civil 38 |
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| 64 | 64 | | court, the psycholog ist must pay all reasonable costs and 39 |
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| 65 | 65 | | reasonable attorney attorney's fees for the claimant. 40 |
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| 66 | 66 | | Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2024. 41 |
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