SB 13

Family Law - Custody Evaluators - Qualifications and Training

Sponsor: Mary Beth Carozza (District 38)Committee: Judicial ProceedingsSubject: Family LawStatus: Hearing 1/31 at 1:00 p.m. (as of Nov 9, 2023)

What this bill does

Official synopsis

Requiring that an individual meet certain educational and experiential requirements in order to be appointed or approved by a court as a custody evaluator; requiring that, beginning October 1, 2024, an individual complete 20 hours of initial training in certain areas in order to be appointed or approved by a court as a custody evaluator; requiring that an individual receive 5 hours of ongoing education and training every 2 years in order to continue to be appointed or approved by a court as a custody evaluator; etc.

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Testimony (31)

MGA witness list

FAV 10FavorableFWA 7Favorable with amendmentsUNF 11UnfavorableINFO 3Information only

Position	Witness	Organization	Testimony
FAV	Griffin, Paullobbyist	Child Justice, Inc. (non-profit org)	Oral
FAV	Remington, Claudia	Claudia M Remington	Oral
FAV	Shaw, Jen	Gil Institute	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Jordan, Lisae Clobbyist	Maryland Coalition Against Sexual Assault (MCASA)	Position only
FAV	Lane, Wendy	Maryland State Council on Child Abuse and Neglect (SCCAN)	Written (PDF)
FAV	Carozza, Senator Mary Beth	Individual	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Hoyer, Anne	Individual	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Senator Carozza, Senator Carozzalegislator	Individual	Oral
FAV	Spearman, Kathryn	Individual	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Twigg, Heather	Individual	Written (PDF)
UNF	Parvis, Lindsay	Family & Juvenile Law Section - MSBA	Oral + Written (PDF)
UNF	Tompsett, Thomas	Harris Jones & Malone	Written (PDF)
UNF	Lennig, Dorothylobbyist	House of Ruth MD	Written (PDF)
UNF	Pipkin, Matthewlobbyist	Maryland Judiciary	Written (PDF)
UNF	Shapiro, Melanielobbyist	Maryland Network Against Domestic Violence	Written (PDF)
UNF	Villamar, Maria Nenutzka	Office of the Public Defender	Written (PDF)
UNF	Smith, Eric	Winning Strategies: Fatherhood, The Courts & Custody, Incorporated	Oral
UNF	Ruth, Laure	Women's Law Center of Maryland, Inc.	Written (PDF)
UNF	Dumais, Judge Kathleen	Individual	Oral
UNF	Eyler, Judge Deborah	Individual	Oral
UNF	mcavoy, vince	Individual	Oral
FWA	Ovalles, Claudia	Heroes for Children's Rights	Oral + Written (PDF)
FWA	LaPenta, Rael	MACA- Mother's Against Child Abuse	Oral + Written (PDF)
FWA	Savage, Pat	Maryland Psychological Association	Written (PDF)
FWA	aichenbaum, Yaakov	PAS-Intervention MD Chapter	Oral + Written (PDF)
FWA	Paddy, Michaellobbyist	Public Policy Partners	Written (PDF)
FWA	Endo, Rachel	Individual	Oral
FWA	Krawczyk, Laurie	Individual	Oral + Written (PDF)
INFO	Araquette, Michele	Unstoppable: A Parental Alienation Support Group	Oral
INFO	(MD), State of Maryland	Individual	Written (PDF)
INFO	Krone, Christinelobbyist	Individual	Written (PDF)

Organizations on record

Child Justice, Inc. (non-profit org)FAV 1

Claudia M RemingtonFAV 1

Family & Juvenile Law Section - MSBAUNF 1

Gil InstituteFAV 1

Harris Jones & MaloneUNF 1

Heroes for Children's RightsFWA 1

House of Ruth MDUNF 1

MACA- Mother's Against Child AbuseFWA 1

Maryland Coalition Against Sexual Assault (MCASA)FAV 1

Maryland JudiciaryUNF 1

Maryland Network Against Domestic ViolenceUNF 1

Maryland Psychological AssociationFWA 1

Maryland State Council on Child Abuse and Neglect (SCCAN)FAV 1

Office of the Public DefenderUNF 1

PAS-Intervention MD ChapterFWA 1

Public Policy PartnersFWA 1

Unstoppable: A Parental Alienation Support GroupINFO 1

Winning Strategies: Fatherhood, The Courts & Custody, IncorporatedUNF 1

Women's Law Center of Maryland, Inc.UNF 1

Registered lobbyists who testified

FAVGriffin, PaulChild Justice, Inc. (non-profit org)Registered for: Child Justice, Inc.

FAVJordan, Lisae CMaryland Coalition Against Sexual Assault (MCASA)Registered for: Maryland Coalition Against Sexual Assault

UNFLennig, DorothyHouse of Ruth MDRegistered for: House of Ruth Maryland

UNFPipkin, MatthewMaryland JudiciaryRegistered for: Maryland Multi-Housing Association

UNFShapiro, MelanieMaryland Network Against Domestic ViolenceRegistered for: Maryland Network Against Domestic Violence

FWAPaddy, MichaelPublic Policy PartnersRegistered for: American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network; Campaign to Protect Patient Health d/b/a Value of Care Coalition; Chase Brexton Health System; Diabetes Patient Advocacy Coalition; Gaudenzia, Inc.; Gilead Sciences, Inc.…

INFOKrone, ChristineRegistered for: American Coatings Association; Baltimore Gas and Electric Company; City of Rockville; Coordinating Center for Home and Community Care, The, LLC (dba The Coordinating Center); Greater Washington Society for Clinical Social Work, Inc.; LifeSpan Network…