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Bill to define 'parental alienation' draws passionate testimony from survivors and sharp warnings from advocates
Summary
Rep. Jim Kofal’s bill would define parental alienation in statute, add it to family‑access motions, and direct judges to consider it in custody decisions; advocates for survivors urged passage while domestic‑violence counselors and legal‑aid attorneys warned the law could be weaponized to undermine abuse claims.
Representative Jim Kofal introduced HB 1323 as a bid to give family courts a statutory definition and tools to address what he calls a repetitive pattern of conduct that damages a child's relationship with a parent. "Parental alienation occurs when one parent engages in a pattern of behavior... aimed at alienating a child from the other parent," Kofal said, and he told the committee the bill would direct courts to act within a set timeframe and provide remedies including custody modifications and potential attorney's fees.
Testimony split sharply. Supporters—including advocates, several survivors, and…
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