This bill amends Minnesota Statutes regarding family law, specifically focusing on custody and parenting time presumptions. It modifies the evaluation criteria for determining the best interests of the child by updating the factors the court must consider, including the child's needs, parental involvement, and the impact of domestic abuse. Notably, the bill removes the presumption against joint physical custody in cases of domestic abuse and establishes a rebuttable presumption that joint custody is not in the child's best interests if such abuse has occurred. Additionally, it emphasizes the importance of both parents' roles in nurturing relationships and prohibits discrimination based on gender in custody decisions.

Furthermore, the bill revises the guidelines for parenting time, increasing the rebuttable presumption of minimum parenting time from 25% to 50%. It also clarifies that a parent's inability to pay support cannot be grounds for denying parenting time and allows for law enforcement assistance in enforcing parenting time orders. The effective date for these changes is set for August 1, 2026, applying to proceedings initiated on or after that date.

Statutes affected:
Introduction: 518.17, 518.175