This bill amends provisions related to domestic relations.
This bill:
- amends definitions for, and the use of, "parent" and "natural parent" throughout the Utah Code to reflect the definition of a parent-child relationship under Title 81, Chapter 5, Uniform Parentage Act;
- creates definitions related to the definition of "parent";
- requires the Office of Recovery Services to review the requirements for calculating a minimal child support award for a child support order and to report to the Judiciary Interim Committee regarding the review;
- clarifies language regarding the parent-child relationship for purposes of intestate succession;
- provides that the district court of each judicial district assign any case or proceeding involving the same child or family to a single judge;
- requires at least one party to a marriage to be physically present in the state at the time of the marriage;
- provides that a marriage solemnized on or after May 6, 2026, is prohibited and void if:the marriage is solemnized remotely through electronic means;both individuals marrying are not residents of the state; andthe individuals marrying are not located in the same location in the state when the marriage is solemnized;
- provides that a man is not presumed to be the father of a child in certain circumstances;
- addresses the authority of a court to deny a motion for genetic testing, or disregard genetic test results, in a parentage proceeding;
- defines terms related to child support;
- modifies the requirements for child care expenses in a child support order, including the requirements for a minimal child care award;
- provides that the base child support award is automatically adjusted for the remaining children in the child support order when parental rights to a child are terminated for the parent who is obligated to pay child support;
- creates a table for the purposes of establishing a minimal child care award for certain child support orders entered or modified on or after January 1, 2027;
- clarifies the list of offenses requiring notification when a parent is residing with an individual, or providing an individual with access to the parent's minor child, who has been convicted of an offense;
- provides that a court may not require a parent in a custody and parent-time proceeding to disclose the parent's address if the parent relocated due to domestic violence or family violence by the other parent;
- addresses the establishment and modification of a parent-time schedule;
- clarifies the list of offenses related to when a court may order supervised parent-time;
- clarifies, for purposes of modifying custody due to a substantial and material change, the list of offenses for when a parent is residing with an individual, or providing an individual with access to the parent's minor child, and the parent knows that the individual has been convicted of an offense;
- addresses a change of custody or parent-time for a minor child who turns five years old;
- addresses make-up parent-time when a parent has been denied parent-time due to an investigation by the Division of Child and Family Services;
- modifies the parent-time requirements upon the relocation of a parent;
- addresses telephone contact and virtual parent-time for a noncustodial parent when a parent relocates;
- requires the time periods for extended parent-time by a parent for summer break or off-track time to be consecutive;
- modifies the parent-time schedules to address consistency issues;
- modifies the parent-time schedules for Mother's Day and Father's Day;
- removes Columbus Day and Veterans Day as holidays in the parent-time schedules;
- clarifies the list of offenses regarding when a court cannot grant custody to an individual who is convicted, pleads guilty, or pleads no contest to an offense; and
- makes technical and conforming corrections.