House Judiciary advances changes to parenting-time enforcement, adds custody-review task force

The House Judiciary Committee on a bipartisan vote amended and recommended passage of Senate Bill 2186, a measure that changes how some parenting-time enforcement disputes are handled and creates a child custody review task force.

Representative Vedder, sponsor of the subcommittee amendments, told the panel the amendment removes the matter from the criminal code and makes enforcement a civil remedy, while giving judges additional remedies if a parent denies the other parent court-ordered parenting time. "If you're so in that situation where the one parent doesn't allow the other parent to have the parenting time, they get that time back up to double," Vedder said, adding that the replacement time must be of a similar type (for example, a comparable holiday). He also pointed to explicit sanctions: "The court may sanction a parent who fails to comply with this section. Contempt of court," language Vedder said he asked to place directly in the statute.

The amendment also recommends encouraging—or potentially later requiring—use of a scheduling/app tool to reduce disputes and ambiguity. Vedder said the subcommittee included language suggesting the app be recommended now and that the use of one could allow the Legislature to consider additional measures in the future if most parties adopted it.

Committee members who participated in the discussion described the task force as a way to gather professionals and stakeholders to develop practical fixes for custody enforcement, including streamlined forms and digital tools. "The people that we think can come together to solve the problem are actually listed in there," Representative Schneider said, describing the membership provisions in the bill. Representative Snyder noted the state Supreme Court's self-help center and potential technology tools as resources the task force could use.

Representative Twyke asked whether the task force differs from a study; Vedder and Schneider explained that the task force would be established when the law takes effect, meet at least quarterly, and report to Legislative Management by June 30, 2026. Who appoints members was clarified: Legislative Management will make the appointments.

On procedure, the committee voted first on an amendment to the bill. The amendment carried on a roll call vote of 13 to 0 (one member absent, not voting). Representative Vetter moved the amendment and Representative Wolf seconded. Later the committee voted to give SB 2186 a do-pass recommendation as amended; that motion passed on a roll call vote of 12 to 1 (one member absent, not voting).

The committee discussion also noted practical concerns the subcommittee sought to address, including delays and costs for parties who must return to court to enforce custody decrees and the difficulty for law enforcement to manage custody enforcement as a criminal matter. Several members commended the subcommittee's work as a step toward more usable remedies while acknowledging the measure does not resolve all outlier cases.

The committee chair closed by saying remaining committee business included a small number of bills being held pending action in other chambers and that committee members should watch email and committee dashboards for scheduling updates.

Votes at a glance: - Amendment to Senate Bill 2186 (moved by Representative Vedder; seconded by Representative Wolf): Passed 13–0 (1 absent, not voting). The roll call recorded all present members voting yes. - Do-pass recommendation on Senate Bill 2186 as amended (moved by Representative Vedder; seconded by Kirk Christiansen): Passed 12–1 (1 absent, not voting). Representative McLeod cast the lone recorded no vote.

The committee adjourned with no immediate floor or conference committee appointments announced for SB 2186; the sponsor was designated as the bill carrier for the House.