Bill > HB2596

This bill aims to restore parenting time lost by a parent due to unfounded allegations of child abuse or neglect made by the other parent. It defines "alleging parent" as the one making the accusation and "denied parent" as the one who lost parenting time as a result of an allegation that was investigated and found to be "unfounded," meaning it was dismissed by child protective services or law enforcement without a finding of abuse or neglect. A denied parent can file a motion, free of charge, to have their lost parenting time restored, and the court must hear this motion within 20 days. If the allegation is proven unfounded, the court will order the restoration of all lost time and grant additional time equal to the time lost. In cases where the false allegation was made solely to interfere with parenting time, the court can award double the lost time, provided it's in the child's best interest. The bill also allows for a contempt action if the alleging parent fails to comply with the restoration order, potentially leading to penalties including fines and even jail time. Furthermore, it modifies existing laws to establish that an unfounded allegation of child abuse or neglect constitutes a substantial change in circumstances for modifying parenting plans, creating a presumption that restoring or expanding parenting time is in the child's best interest, which can only be overcome by clear and convincing evidence of serious endangerment. The bill also mandates judicial education on recognizing false allegations and applying these new provisions, and requires the department of children, youth, and families to include information about seeking restoration of parenting time in their notifications of unfounded findings.

Justice

https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=2596&Year=2025&Initiative=false