Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
House debate centers on temporary custody changes during divorce; sponsors propose Utah standard and 'shared parenting' language
Summary
Lawmakers debated first substitute House Bill 6, which would alter temporary custody rules during the pendency of divorce by directing courts to consider substantially equal access and primary caregiver status; floor amendments sought to change 'shall' to 'may' and replace 'equal access' with 'shared parenting.'
SALT LAKE CITY — Lawmakers spent substantial floor time discussing first substitute House Bill 6, a family-law measure addressing disposition of children during the pendency of divorce. Sponsors described the bill as aligning temporary custody practices with a Utah standard, removing provisions from an out-of-state model, and adding consideration of the primary caregiver during the marriage.
The sponsor told the chamber that during the interim they consulted legislative research, the fiscal analyst’s office and Utah County stakeholders, and that the amendment aims to avoid an automatic presumption favoring one parent in temporary hearings. "We put…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
