Bill > HB378

This bill modifies Pennsylvania's child custody laws by updating the factors courts must consider when determining the best interests of a child. The key changes include refining language around safety considerations, emphasizing the importance of protecting children from potential harm, and clarifying how cooperation between parents should be evaluated. Specifically, the bill removes previous provisions about maintaining a loving relationship and which parent is more likely to attend to a child's daily needs, and instead focuses more explicitly on safety, cooperation, and the child's well-being. The bill introduces a requirement that courts must provide all parties in a custody case with a copy of the custody factors within 30 days of receiving a complaint or petition. The changes aim to ensure that child safety is paramount, by giving substantial weight to factors related to potential abuse, violent behavior, and the ability of parents to create a safe environment. Additionally, the bill emphasizes that a parent's good faith efforts to protect themselves or their child should not be interpreted as an unwillingness to cooperate, and that a child's negative relationship with a parent should not be automatically assumed to be caused by the other parent. The bill will take effect 60 days after its passage.

Budget and Finance, Justice

https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billinfo/bill_history.cfm?syear=2025&sind=0&body=H&type=B&bn=378