Oklahoma 2022 Regular Session

Oklahoma Senate Bill SB1761 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

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29		-	SENATE FLOOR VERSION
30		-	March 1, 2022
	28	+	STATE OF OKLAHOMA
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	30	+	2nd Session of the 58th Legislature (2022)
32	31
33	32		COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE
34	33		FOR
35		-	SENATE BILL ~~NO.~~ 1761 By: Merrick
	34	+	SENATE BILL 1761 By: Merrick
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	39	+
	40	+	COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE
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41	42		An Act relating to child custody; amending 43 O.S.
42	43		2021, Sections 109 and 112, which relate to care and
43	44		custody of children; modifying requirements for
44	45		certain presumption; defining term; modi fying
45	46		definitions; requiring court to consider certain
46	47		factors; requiring hearing upon certain allegation;
47	48		requiring court to make determination and enter
48	49		findings; setting deadline for evidentiary hearing
49	50		upon certain pleading; authorizing certain em ergency
50	51		orders; prohibiting d enial or restriction of custody
51	52		or visitation for certain reasonable and good faith
52	53		actions; requiring award of sole custody and
53	54		suspension of visitation upon certain findings;
54	55		prohibiting refusal to conside r certain evidence;
55	56		authorizing court to order payment of certain costs
56	57		and fees; updating statutory language; and providing
57	58		an effective date.
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63	62		BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
64	63		SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 43 O.S. 2021, Section 109, is
65	64		amended to read as follows:
66	65		Section 109. A. In awarding the custody of a mi nor unmarried
67	66		child or in appointing a general guardian for said the child, the
68	67		court shall consider what appears to be in the best interests of the
69	68		physical and mental and moral welfare of the child.
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97	95		B. The court, pursuant to the provisions of subsection A of
98	96		this section, may grant the care, custody, and control of a child to
99	97		either parent or to the parents jointly.
100	98		For the purposes of this section, the terms joint custody and
101	99		joint care, custody, and control mean the sharing by p arents in all
102	100		or some of the aspects of physical and legal care, custody, and
103	101		control of their children.
104	102		C. If either or both parents have requested joint custody, said
105	103		the parents shall file with the court their plans for the exercise
106	104		of joint care, custody, and control of their ch ild. The parents of
107	105		the child may submit a plan jointly, or either parent o r both
108	106		parents may submit separate plans. Any plan sha ll include but is
109	107		not limited to provisions detailing the physical living arrangements
110	108		for the child, child support obligatio ns, medical and dental care
111	109		for the child, school placement, and visitation rights. A plan
112	110		shall be accompanied by an affidavit si gned by each parent stating
113	111		that said the parent agrees to the plan and will abide by its terms.
114	112		The plan and affidavit shall be filed with the petition for a
115	113		divorce or legal separation or after said the petition is filed.
116	114		D. The court shall issue a final plan f or the exercise of joint
117	115		care, custody, and control of the child or children, based upon the
118	116		plan submitted by the parents, s eparate or jointly, with appropriate
119	117		changes deemed by the court to be in the best interests of the
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147	144		child. The court also may reje ct a request for joint custody and
148	145		proceed as if the request for joint custody had not been made.
149	146		E. The parents having join t custody of the child may modify the
150	147		terms of the plan for joint c are, custody, and control. The
151	148		modification to the plan shall b e filed with the court and included
152	149		with the plan. If the court determines the modifications are in the
153	150		best interests of th e child, the court shall approve the
154	151		modifications.
155	152		F. The court also may modify the terms of the plan for joint
156	153		care, custody, and control upon the request of one parent. The
157	154		court shall not modify the plan unless the modificatio ns are in the
158	155		best interests of the child.
159	156		G. 1. The court may terminate a joint custody decree upon the
160	157		request of one or both of the parents or wheneve r the court
161	158		determines said the decree is not in the best interests of the
162	159		child.
163	160		2. Upon termination of a joint custody decree, the court shall
164	161		proceed and issue a modified decree for the ca re, custody, and
165	162		control of the child as if no such joint custody de cree had been
166	163		made.
167	164		H. In the event of a dispute between the parents having joint
168	165		custody of a child as to the interpretatio n of a provision of said
169	166		the plan, the court may appoint an arb itrator to resolve said the
170	167		dispute. The arbitrator shall be a disinterested person
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198	194		knowledgeable in domestic relations law and family counseling. The
199	195		determination of the arbi trator shall be final an d binding on the
200	196		parties to the proceedings until furt her order of the court.
201	197		If a parent refuses to consent to arbitration, the co urt may
202	198		terminate the joint custody decree.
203	199		I. 1. In every proceeding in which there is a dispute a s to
204	200		the custody of a minor child, a determination by the court that
205	201		child abuse, domestic violence, stalking, or harassment h as occurred
206	202		raises a rebuttable presumption that sole custody, joint legal or
207	203		physical custody, or any shared parenting plan with the perpetrator
208	204		of child abuse, domestic violence, harassing or stalking behav ior is
209	205		detrimental and not in the best interest of the child, and it is in
210	206		the best interest of the child to reside with the parent who is not
211	207		a perpetrator of child abuse, domestic violence, harassing or
212	208		stalking behavior.
213	209		2. For the purposes of this sub section:
214	210		a. “child abuse” shall have the same meaning as “abuse”
215	211		as defined pursuant to the Oklahoma Children’s Code in
216	212		Section 1-1-105 of Title 10A of the Oklahoma S tatutes,
217	213		b. “domestic violence” means the threat of the infliction
218	214		of physical injury, any act of physical harm or the
219	215		creation of a reasonable fear thereof, or the
220	216		intentional infliction of emotional distress by a
221	217		parent or a present or former member of the househo ld
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249	244		of the child, against the child or another member of
250	245		the household, including coercive control by a parent
251	246		involving physical, sexual, psychological, em otional,
252	247		economic or financial abuse,
253	248		b. “stalking” means the willful course of conduct by a
254	249		parent who repeatedly follows or harasses another
255	250		person as defined in S ection 1173 of Title 21 of the
256	251		Oklahoma Statutes, and
257	252		c. “harassment” means a knowing and w illful course or
258	253		pattern of conduct by a parent directed at another
259	254		parent which seriously alarms or is a nuisance to the
260	255		person, and which serves no legitimate purp ose
261	256		including, but not limited to, harassing or obscene
262	257		telephone calls or conduct that wou ld cause a
263	258		reasonable person to have a fear of death or bodily
264	259		injury, and
265	260		d. “stalking” means the willful course of conduc t by a
266	261		parent who repeatedly follows or harasses anoth er
267	262		person as defined in Section 1173 of Title 21 of the
268	263		Oklahoma Statutes.
269	264		3. If a parent is absent or relocates as a result of an act of
270	265		domestic violence by the other parent, the absence or relocatio n
271	266		shall not be a factor that weighs against the parent in determining
272	267		custody or visitation.
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300	294		4. The court shall consider, as a pri mary factor, the safety
301	295		and well-being of the child who is the victim of child abuse and of
302	296		the parent who is the victim of d omestic violence, harassment, or
303	297		stalking behavior, in addition to other facts regarding the best
304	298		interest of the child.
305	299		5. The court shall consider the history of the parent causing
306	300		physical harm, bodily injury, assault, verbal th reats, stalking, or
307	301		harassing behavior, or the fear of physical harm, bodily i njury, or
308	302		assault to another person , including the minor child, in determinin g
309	303		issues regarding custody and visitation.
310	304		SECTION 2. AMENDATORY 43 O.S. 2021, Section 112, is
311	305		amended to read as follows:
312	306		Section 112. A. A petition or cross-petition for a divorce,
313	307		legal separation, or annulment must shall state whether or not the
314	308		parties have minor children of t he marriage. If there are minor
315	309		children of the marriage, the court:
316	310		1. Shall make provision for guardianship, custody, med ical
317	311		care, support and education of the c hildren;
318	312		2. Unless not in the best interests of t he children, may
319	313		provide for the visitat ion of the noncustodial parent with any of
320	314		the children of the noncustodial parent; and
321	315		3. May modify or change any order wh enever circumstances render
322	316		the change proper either before or after final judgment in the
323	317		action; provided, that the amount of the periodic child support
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351	344		payment shall not be modified retroactively or payment of all or a
352	345		portion of the past due amount wai ved, except by mutual agreement of
353	346		the obligor and obligee, or if the obligee has assigned child
354	347		support rights to the Department o f Human Services or other entity,
355	348		by agreement of the Department or other entity. Unless the parties
356	349		agree to the contrary, a completed child support computation for m
357	350		provided for in Section 120 of this title shall be required to be
358	351		filed with the child s upport order.
359	352		The social security numbers of both parents and the child shall
360	353		be included on the child support order summary form provided for in
361	354		Section 120 of this title, which shall be submitted to the Central
362	355		Case Registry as provided for in Section 11 2A of this title with all
363	356		child support or paternity orders.
364	357		B. In any action in which t here are minor unmarried children in
365	358		awarding or modifying the custody of the child or in appointing a
366	359		general guardian for the child, the court shall be guided by the
367	360		provisions of Section 112.5 of this title and shall consider what
368	361		appears to be in the b est interests of the child.
369	362		C. In awarding or modifying custody or vi sitation of a child,
370	363		if a party to the action alleges that the other party has committed
371	364		an act of child abuse against the child, or committed an act of
372	365		domestic violence against the party m aking the allegation or a
373	366		family or household member of either party, the court shall, before
374	367		considering any other best interest factors, hear and determine upon
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402	394		competent admissible evidence the allegations set forth and enter
403	395		findings regarding any child abuse or domestic violence. The
404	396		evidentiary hearing for such determination shall be held within
405	397		sixty (60) days of the filing of a verified pleading ; provided,
406	398		however, the court may issue any necessary emergency orders to
407	399		protect the child. If a parent makes a good faith allegation based
408	400		on a reasonable belief supported by facts that the child is the
409	401		victim of child abuse or the effects of domestic vi olence, and if
410	402		that parent acts lawfully and in good faith in response to that
411	403		reasonable belief to protect th e child or seek treatment for the
412	404		child, then that parent shall not be deprived of custody,
413	405		visitation, or contact with the child, or restricted in custody,
414	406		visitation, or contact, based solely on that belief or the
415	407		reasonable actions taken based on that bel ief. If the court finds a
416	408		pattern of child abuse or domestic violence by a parent, the court
417	409		shall award sole custody of the child to the non -offending parent or
418	410		party and shall suspend visitation or award only supervised
419	411		visitation to the parent engaged in a pattern of abusive or violent
420	412		behavior. If the court finds that a party has not engaged in a
421	413		pattern of child abuse or domestic violence, the court may not
422	414		refuse to consider additional evidence of child abuse or domestic
423	415		violence presented later in the case. Upon a finding that a parent
424	416		has committed child abuse or domes tic violence, the court may order
425	417		payment by the offending parent of court costs and fees including
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453	444		but not limited to attorney and expert fees that are incurred by the
454	445		non-offending parent to prepare for and participate in the
455	446		evidentiary hearing.
456	447		D. 1. When it is in the best interests of a minor unmarried
457	448		child, the court shall:
458	449		a. assure children of frequent and continuing contact
459	450		with both parents after the parents have separa ted or
460	451		dissolved their marriage, and
461	452		b. encourage parents to share the rights and
462	453		responsibilities of child rearing in or der to effect
463	454		this policy.
464	455		2. There shall be neither a legal preference nor a presumption
465	456		for or against joint legal custody, joint ph ysical custody, or sole
466	457		custody.
467	458		3. When in the best interests of the child, custody shall be
468	459		awarded in a way which ass ures the frequent and continuing c ontact
469	460		of the child with both parents. When awarding custody to either
470	461		parent, the court:
471	462		a. shall consider, among other fac ts, which parent is
472	463		more likely to allow the child or children frequent
473	464		and continuing contact with the noncustodial parent,
474	465		and
475	466		b. shall not prefer a parent as a custodian of the child
476	467		because of the gender of that parent.
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504	494		4. In any action, there shall b e neither a legal preference or
505	495		nor a presumption for or against private or public school o r home-
506	496		schooling in awarding the custody of a child, or in appoi nting a
507	497		general guardian for the child.
508	498		5. Notwithstanding any custody determina tion made pursuant to
509	499		the Oklahoma Children’s Code, when a parent of a child is required
510	500		to be separated from a child due to military service, the court
511	501		shall not enter a fina l order modifying an existing custody order
512	502		until such time as the parent has com pleted the term of duty
513	503		requiring separation. For purposes of this paragraph:
514	504		a. in the case of a parent who i s a member of the Army,
515	505		Navy, Air Force, Mar ine Corps or Coast G uard, the term
516	506		“military service” means a combat deployment,
517	507		contingency operatio n, or natural disaster r equiring
518	508		the use of orders that do not permit any family member
519	509		to accompany the member ,
520	510		b. in the case of a parent who is a member of the
521	511		National Guard, the term “military service” means
522	512		service under a call to active service auth orized by
523	513		the President of the United States or the Secretary of
524	514		Defense for a period of more than thirty (30)
525	515		consecutive days under 32 U.S.C. 502(f) for purposes
526	516		of responding to a national emergency declared by the
527	517		President and supported by federal fun ds. “Military
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555	544		service” shall include any period during which a
556	545		member is absent from duty on account of sickne ss,
557	546		wounds, leave or other lawful cause, and
558	547		c. the court may enter a temporary custody or visitation
559	548		order pursuant to the requirements of the D eployed
560	549		Parents Custody and Visitation Act.
561	550		6. In making an order for custody, the court shall require
562	551		compliance with Section 112.3 of this title.
563	552		D. E. 1. Except for good cause shown, a pattern of failure to
564	553		allow court-ordered visitation may be determin ed to be contrary to
565	554		the best interests of the child and as such may be grounds for
566	555		modification of the child c ustody order.
567	556		2. For any action brought pur suant to the provisi ons of this
568	557		section which the court determines to be contrary to the best
569	558		interests of the child, the p revailing party shall be entitled to
570	559		recover court costs, attorney fees and any other rea sonable costs
571	560		and expenses incurred with the action.
572	561		E. F. Except as otherwise provided by Section 112.1A of this
573	562		title, any child shall be entitle d to support by the parents until
574	563		the child reaches eighteen (18) years of age. If a child is
575	564		regularly enrolled in and attending high school, as set fort h in
576	565		Section 11-103.6 of Title 70 of the Oklahoma Statutes, other means
577	566		of high school education, or an alternative high school education
578	567		program as a full-time student, the child shall be entitled to
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605	593
606	594		support by the parents until the child graduates from h igh school or
607	595		until the age of twenty (20) years, whichever occurs first. Full -
608	596		time attendance shall include regularly scheduled breaks from the
609	597		school year. No hearing or further order is required to extend
610	598		support pursuant to this subsection after the child reaches the ag e
611	599		of eighteen (18) years.
612	600		F. G. In any case in which provision is made for the cust ody or
613	601		support of a minor child or enforcement of such order and before
614	602		hearing the matter or signing any order s, the court shall inquire
615	603		whether public assistance money or me dical support has been provided
616	604		by the Department of Human Services, hereafter re ferred to as the
617	605		Department, for the benefit of each child. If public assistance
618	606		money, medical support, or ch ild support services under the state
619	607		child support plan as provi ded in Section 237 of Title 56 of the
620	608		Oklahoma Statutes have been provided for th e benefit of the child,
621	609		the Department shall be a necessary party for the adjudication of
622	610		the debt due to the S tate of Oklahoma, as defined in Section 238 of
623	611		Title 56 of the Oklahoma Statutes, and for the adjudication of
624	612		paternity, child support, and medic al insurance coverage for the
625	613		minor children in accordance with federal regulations. When an
626	614		action is filed, the petitioner shall give the Department not ice of
627	615		the action according to Section 2004 of Title 12 of the Oklahoma
628	616		Statutes. The Department sha ll not be required to intervene in the
629	617		action to have standing to appear and participate in the action.
630	618
631		-	SENATE FLOOR VERSION - SB1761 SFLR Page 13
632		-	(Bold face denotes Committee Amendments) 1
	619	+	Req. No. 3578 Page 13 1
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657	644		When the Department is a necessary party to the ac tion, any orders
658	645		concerning paternity, child support, medical support, or the debt
659	646		due to the State of Oklahoma shall be approved and signed by the
660	647		Department.
661	648		G. H. In any case in which a child support order or cu stody
662	649		order or both is entered, enforced or modified, the court may make a
663	650		determination of the arrearages of child support.
664	651		SECTION 3. This act shall become effective November 1, 2022.
665		-	~~COMMITTEE REPORT BY: COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY~~
666		-	~~March~~ 1, 2022 ~~- DO PASS AS AMENDED~~
	652	+
	653	+	58-2-3578 TEK 3/1/2022 12:21:16 PM