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53	53	STATE OF OKLAHOMA
54	54
55	55	2nd Session of the 58th Legislature (2022)
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57	57	SENATE BILL 1767 By: Jech
58	58
59	59
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63	63	AS INTRODUCED
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65	65	An Act relating to child custody; amending 43 O .S.
66	66	2021, Section 109, which relates to joint custody;
67	67	requiring court to grant joint custody; providing
68	68	exception; requiring written findin gs to support
69	69	certain determinations; updating statutory language;
70	70	and providing an effective date .
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75	75	BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STAT E OF OKLAHOMA:
76	76	SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 43 O.S. 2021, Section 109, is
77	77	amended to read as follows:
78	78	Section 109. A. In awarding the custody of a mi nor unmarried
79	79	child or in appointing a general guardian for said the child, the
80	80	court shall consider what appears to be in the best interests of the
81	81	physical and mental and moral welfare of the child.
82	82	B. The court, pursuant to the provisions of subsection A of
83	83	this section, may shall grant the care, custody, and control of a
84	84	child to either parent or to the parents jointly unless a parent
85	85	objects to joint custody. Upon a determination that it is not in
86	86	the best interest of the child to grant joint custody , the court
87	87	shall submit written findings to support such a de termination.
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139	139	For the purposes of this section, the terms join t custody and
140	140	joint care, custody, and control mean the sharing by parents in all
141	141	or some of the aspects of physical and legal care, custody, and
142	142	control of their children.
143	143	C. If either or both parents have requested joint c ustody, said
144	144	the parents shall file with the court their plans for the exercise
145	145	of joint care, custody, and contr ol of their child. The parents of
146	146	the child may submit a plan jointly, or either parent or both
147	147	parents may submit separate plans. Any plan s hall include but is
148	148	not limited to provisions detailing the physical living arrangements
149	149	for the child, child sup port obligations, medical and dental care
150	150	for the child, school placement, and visitation rights. A pl an
151	151	shall be accompanied by an affidavit signed by each parent stating
152	152	that said parent agrees to the plan and will abide by its terms.
153	153	The plan and affidavit shall be filed with the petition for a
154	154	divorce or legal separation or after said petition is filed .
155	155	D. The court shall issue a final pla n for the exercise of joint
156	156	care, custody, and control of the child or children, based upon the
157	157	plan submitted by the parents, separate or jointly, with appropriate
158	158	changes deemed by the court to be in the best intere sts of the
159	159	child. The court also may r eject a request for joint custo dy and
160	160	proceed as if the request for joint custody had not been made.
161	161	E. The parents having joint custody of the child may modify the
162	162	terms of the plan for joint care, custody, and cont rol. The
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214	214	modification to the plan shal l be filed with the court and i ncluded
215	215	with the plan. If the court determines the modifications are in the
216	216	best interests of the child, the court shall approve the
217	217	modifications.
218	218	F. The court also may modify the ter ms of the plan for joint
219	219	care, custody, and control upon the request o f one parent. The
220	220	court shall not modify the plan unless the modifications are in the
221	221	best interests of the child , and shall submit written findings that
222	222	support such modification.
223	223	G. 1. The court may terminate a joint cus tody decree upon the
224	224	request of one or both of the parents or whenever the court
225	225	determines said decree is not in the best interests of the child ,
226	226	and shall submit written findi ngs that support termination of the
227	227	joint custody decree.
228	228	2. Upon termination of a joint custody decree, the court shall
229	229	proceed and issue a modified decree for the care, custody, and
230	230	control of the child as if no such joint custody decree had been
231	231	made.
232	232	H. In the event of a dispute between the parents having joint
233	233	custody of a child as to the interpretation of a provision of said
234	234	plan, the court may appoint an arbitrator to resolve said dispu te.
235	235	The arbitrator shall be a disinterested person knowledgeable in
236	236	domestic relations law and family counseling. The determination of
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288	288	the arbitrator shall be final and bi nding on the parties to the
289	289	proceedings until further order of the court.
290	290	If a parent refuses to consent to arbitration, the court may
291	291	terminate the joint custody decree.
292	292	I. 1. In every proceeding in which there is a disput e as to
293	293	the custody of a minor child, a determination by the court that
294	294	domestic violence, stalking, or harassment has occurred raises a
295	295	rebuttable presumption that sole custody, joint legal or physical
296	296	custody, or any shared parenting plan with the perpet rator of
297	297	domestic violence, har assing or stalking behavior is detrimental and
298	298	not in the best interest of the child , and it is in the best
299	299	interest of the child to reside with the parent who is not a
300	300	perpetrator of domestic violence, harassing or stalking behavior.
301	301	2. For the purposes of this subsection:
302	302	a. “domestic violence” means the threat of the infliction
303	303	of physical injury, any act of physical harm or the
304	304	creation of a reasonable fear thereof, or the
305	305	intentional infliction of emotional distress by a
306	306	parent or a present or former member of the household
307	307	of the child, against the child or another member of
308	308	the household, including coercive control by a parent
309	309	involving physical, sexual, psychological, emotional,
310	310	economic or financial abuse,
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362	362	b. “stalking” means the willful course of conduct by a
363	363	parent who repeatedly follows or harasses another
364	364	person as defined in Section 1173 of Title 21 of the
365	365	Oklahoma Statutes, and
366	366	c. “harassment” means a knowing and willful course or
367	367	pattern of conduct by a parent d irected at another
368	368	parent which seriously alarms or is a nuisance to the
369	369	person, and which serves no legitimate pur pose
370	370	including, but not limited to, harassing or obscene
371	371	telephone calls or conduct that would cause a
372	372	reasonable person to have a fear of death or bodily
373	373	injury.
374	374	3. If a parent is absent or relocates as a result of an act of
375	375	domestic violence by the othe r parent, the absence or relocation
376	376	shall not be a factor that weighs against the parent in det ermining
377	377	custody or visitation.
378	378	4. The court shall consider, as a primary fa ctor, the safety
379	379	and well-being of the child and of the parent who is the victim of
380	380	domestic violence or stalking behavior, in addition to other facts
381	381	regarding the best interest of the child.
382	382	5. The court shall consider the history of the parent causing
383	383	physical harm, bodily injury, assault, verbal threats, stalking, or
384	384	harassing behavior, or the fear of physical harm, bodily injury, or
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436	436	assault to another person , including the minor child, in determining
437	437	issues regarding cus tody and visitation.
438	438	SECTION 2. This act shall become effective November 1, 2022.
439	439
440	440	58-2-3048 TEK 1/20/2022 7:28:57 PM

Oklahoma 2022 Regular Session

Oklahoma Senate Bill SB1767 Compare Versions