This bill amends Minnesota family law to enhance the consideration of domestic abuse and child abuse allegations in child custody, parenting time, and dissolution proceedings. It mandates that courts appoint guardians ad litem who have evidence-based training on these issues and requires judges and magistrates to undergo training before handling relevant cases. The legislation establishes a rebuttable presumption against granting unsupervised parenting time to parents deemed a risk of abuse, emphasizing the child's health and safety as paramount in custody decisions. Courts are also required to consider specific factors, such as the history of abuse and each parent's ability to meet the child's needs, when determining the best interests of the child.

Furthermore, the bill stipulates that if a court finds a parent has committed domestic or child abuse, these allegations must be prioritized in parenting time decisions. It requires courts to make findings based on a preponderance of the evidence regarding such allegations and to impose safety conditions, including supervised parenting time, if custody is awarded to an abusive parent. The legislation clarifies that a parent's inability to pay support cannot be used to deny parenting time and allows law enforcement to assist in enforcing parenting time orders. Overall, the bill aims to improve child safety and protect children from potential harm in cases involving domestic or child abuse.

Statutes affected:
Introduction: 518.165, 518.17, 518.175