Bill > AB263

This bill revises laws concerning child custody and support, establishing a policy that minor children should have frequent contact with both parents and that parents share equal rights and responsibilities in raising their children, including an equivalent duty to provide necessary support. It presumes joint legal and physical custody are in a child's best interest if parents agree or if one parent has made efforts to establish a meaningful relationship, though courts can award joint legal custody without joint physical custody. The bill outlines specific circumstances where joint physical custody might not be in a child's best interest, such as a parent's inability to provide adequate care for at least 146 days a year, or if a parent has committed domestic violence against the child, a parent of the child, or someone living with the child, creating a rebuttable presumption against custody for the perpetrator. It also details provisions for determining custody of children born out of wedlock and establishes a clear order of preference for custody awards, prioritizing joint custody with both parents, then a stable home environment, then relatives, and finally other suitable individuals, with the child's best interest as the sole consideration. The bill also addresses relocation of a parent with a child, requiring consent or court permission and outlining factors for the court to consider, and strengthens penalties for parental abduction or concealment, including making it a felony and establishing procedures for enforcing custody orders and protecting children from domestic violence and abduction.