House File 932 - Reprinted HOUSE FILE 932 BY COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY (SUCCESSOR TO HSB 300) (As Amended and Passed by the House March 27, 2025 ) A BILL FOR An Act relating to requirements for a parent to obtain joint 1 physical custody of a child. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 HF 932 (2) 91 dg/jh/md
H.F. 932 Section 1. Section 598.41, subsection 5, Code 2025, is 1 amended to read as follows: 2 5. a. (1) If joint legal custody is awarded to both 3 parents, the court may award joint physical care to both joint 4 custodial parents upon the request of either parent. Prior 5 to ruling on the request for the award of joint physical 6 care, the court may shall require the parents to submit, 7 either individually or jointly, a proposed joint physical care 8 parenting plan. A proposed joint physical care parenting plan 9 shall address how the parents will make decisions affecting the 10 child, how the parents will provide a home for the child, how 11 the childs time will be divided between the parents and how 12 each parent will facilitate the childs time with the other 13 parent, arrangements in addition to court-ordered child support 14 for the childs expenses, how the parents will resolve major 15 changes or disagreements affecting the child including changes 16 that arise due to the childs age and developmental needs, and 17 any other issues the court may require. 18 (2) If the court denies the request for joint physical care, 19 the determination shall be accompanied by specific findings of 20 fact and conclusions of law that the awarding of joint physical 21 care is not in the best interest of the child , and list the 22 requirements the parent who was not awarded physical care of a 23 child must meet to be awarded joint physical care of the child 24 in the future. A parents fulfillment of the requirements 25 listed by a court under this subparagraph shall be considered 26 a material and substantial change in circumstances for the 27 purposes of modifying an order awarding child custody . 28 (3) The court, at the courts discretion and based on 29 the totality of circumstances, may deny a parents request 30 to modify an order awarding child custody after the parent 31 fulfills the requirements listed by a court under subparagraph 32 (2), provided that the court makes a determination that 33 an award of joint custody is not in the best interest of 34 the child. If the court makes such a determination, the 35 -1- HF 932 (2) 91 dg/jh/md 1/ 2
H.F. 932 determination shall be accompanied by specific findings of fact 1 and conclusions of law supporting the determination. 2 b. If joint physical care is not awarded under paragraph 3 a , and only one joint custodial parent is awarded physical 4 care, the parent responsible for providing physical care 5 shall support the other parents relationship with the child. 6 Physical care awarded to one parent does not affect the 7 other parents rights and responsibilities as a joint legal 8 custodian of the child. Rights and responsibilities as joint 9 legal custodian of the child include but are not limited to 10 equal participation in decisions affecting the childs legal 11 status, medical care, education, extracurricular activities, 12 and religious instruction. A parent awarded physical care of 13 a child shall not intentionally impede the other parent from 14 fulfilling requirements listed by a court under paragraph a , 15 subparagraph (2). 16 -2- HF 932 (2) 91 dg/jh/md 2/ 2