SB 849

Child Custody – Legal Decision–Making and Parenting Time

Sponsor: Chris West (District 42)Committee: Judicial ProceedingsSubject: Family LawStatus: Hearing 3/10 at 1:00 p.m. (as of Nov 15, 2022)

What this bill does

Official synopsis

Repealing references to the terms 'child custody' and 'visitation' in certain instances and substituting the terms 'legal decision-making' and 'parenting time' in certain instances; authorizing the court, in determining certain legal decision-making authority and parenting time in certain child custody proceedings, to consider certain factors; authorizing the court to award joint legal decision-making to both parents or make other modifications to a custody or visitation order under certain circumstances; etc.

AI analysis is off. Set ANTHROPIC_API_KEY to enable summaries, pros and cons, and questions.

Analysis reads the bill text, the fiscal note, and the witness list. It is generated by Claude and reviewed by nobody, so check the source documents before you rely on it.

Testimony (10)

MGA witness list

FAV 8FavorableFWA 1Favorable with amendmentsUNF 1Unfavorable

Position	Witness	Organization	Testimony
FAV	Parvis, Lindsay	Family & Juvenile Law Section - MSBA	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Lennig, Dorothylobbyist	House of Ruth MD	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Dumais, Judge Kathleen	MD Judiciary	Oral
FAV	Jordan, Lisae Clobbyist	Maryland Coalition Against Sexual Assault (MCASA)	Written (PDF)
FAV	Shapiro, Melanielobbyist	Maryland Network Against Domestic Violence	Written (PDF)
FAV	West, Christopher	Senator Chris West	Written (PDF)
FAV	Ruth, Laure	Women's Law Center of Maryland, Inc.	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Senator West, Senator Westlegislator	Individual	Oral
UNF	Smith, Eric	Winning Strategies: Fatherhood, The Courts & Custody, Incorporated	Written (PDF)
FWA	aichenbaum, jeff	Individual	Written (PDF)