SB 28

Child Custody – Legal Decision Making and Parenting Time

Sponsor: Chris West (District 42)Committee: Judicial ProceedingsSubject: Family LawStatus: Hearing 1/31 at 1:00 p.m. (as of Nov 9, 2023)

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'; 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.

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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 (24)

MGA witness list

FAV 12FavorableFWA 2Favorable with amendmentsUNF 7UnfavorableINFO 3Information only

Position	Witness	Organization	Testimony
FAV	Moore, Wes	DHS	Position only
FAV	Lennig, Dorothylobbyist	House of Ruth MD	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Smith, Michelle	MSBA FJLSC	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Jordan, Lisae Clobbyist	Maryland Coalition Against Sexual Assault (MCASA)	Written (PDF)
FAV	Pipkin, Matthewlobbyist	Maryland Judiciary	Written (PDF)
FAV	Smoot, Brett	Maryland Legal Aid	Oral + 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	Dumais, Judge Kathleen	Individual	Oral
FAV	Fink, Nelda	Individual	Position only
FAV	Senator West, Senator Westlegislator	Individual	Oral
UNF	Murphy, Robinlobbyist	Disability Rights Maryland	Oral + Written (PDF)
UNF	Williams, Hindley	Maryland Centers for Independent Living	Written (PDF)
UNF	Villamar, Maria Nenutzka	Office of the Public Defender	Written (PDF)
UNF	Smith, Eric	Winning Strategies: Fatherhood, The Courts & Custody, Incorporated	Oral + Written (PDF)
UNF	Phelps, Mary	Individual	Position only
UNF	Sirkel, Robin	Individual	Position only
UNF	mcavoy, vince	Individual	Oral + Written (PDF)
FWA	LaPenta, Rael	MACA- Mother's Against Child Abuse	Oral + Written (PDF)
FWA	aichenbaum, Yaakov	PAS-Intervention MD Chapter	Oral + Written (PDF)
INFO	Human Services, Department	DHS	Written (PDF)
INFO	Araquette, Michele	Unstoppable: A Parental Alienation Support Group	Oral
INFO	Endo, Rachel	Individual	Oral