Senate Bill 263 amends existing statutes regarding the determination of physical placement of children in family court cases. The bill changes the threshold for when a court must enter specific findings of fact regarding physical placement. Under current law, if a parent is granted less than 25 percent of physical placement, the court must provide reasons for this decision. The new bill raises this threshold to 50 percent, meaning that specific findings will only be required if one parent is granted less than half of the physical placement time.

The bill also requires that when legal custody or physical placement is contested, the court must articulate in writing why its decisions are in the best interest of the child. This amendment aims to ensure that the rationale behind placement decisions is clearly documented, particularly when one parent receives significantly less time with the child. The changes will take effect on the first day of the seventh month following publication of the act.

Statutes affected:
Bill Text: 767.225(1)(am), 767.225, 767.41(6)(a), 767.41