The battle over parenting time is one that most parents who aren’t living together dread. Colorado Senate Bill 15-129, which is also known as the 50/50 Parenting Bill, seeks to change the way that courts handle parenting time.
The bill has bi-partisan support in the state Senate and the House. If it passes, the bill would set a standard that adds parental rights to a person’s fundamental rights. A child’s mother and father would be considered equals when it comes to child custody matters.
While that pleases many people, some people have some concerns about how the bill would affect children with an abusive parent. Those opponents have taken action to make their concerns about the changes to parenting time laws known to lawmakers.
One woman says that she is worried the bill would force children to spend time with an abusive parent. Her son penned a letter to lawmakers encouraging them to vote against the bill. The boy says that his father was abusive and that the abuse occurred each time he had to visit his father. That woman and her son aren’t alone in their worry.
The Colorado Coalition Against Domestic Violence has taken a stand against the bill. A spokesperson for the organization says that the bill would make it confusing for courts to understand the standard of what is the best interests of the child.
There are a lot of factors that go into child custody decisions. Understanding those factors can help parents who are going through a child custody battle learn how their case might be affected. From there, the parents can decide how they should proceed with their side of the case.
Source: Fox 31 Denver, “Bill would give parents going through divorce equal time with their kids,” Chris Jose, April. 14, 2015
