Bill > S741

This bill proposes to amend Chapter 208 of the General Laws to allow parents to use alternative terminology in agreements related to custody and parenting plans, provided they specifically agree to this in writing. The bill introduces new terms such as "sole decision making responsibility" (which corresponds to "sole legal custody"), "shared decision making responsibility" (corresponding to "shared legal custody"), "primary residential responsibility" (corresponding to "sole physical custody"), and "shared residential responsibility" (corresponding to "shared physical custody"). It also defines "parental rights and responsibilities" as encompassing all rights and responsibilities parents have concerning their child, including decision-making and residential responsibilities, which corresponds to the existing term "custody." Additionally, the bill defines a "parenting plan" as a written document outlining each parent's rights and responsibilities, which can include details on decision-making, residential arrangements, information sharing, legal residence for school, parenting schedules, transportation, relocation, child safety, plan review, and dispute resolution methods. The intent is to provide flexibility in how parents describe their arrangements while ensuring these new terms align with existing legal definitions of custody.