Bill Text: NJ A5309 | 2026-2027 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Establishes compensatory time lost to investigation of unsubstantiated child abuse, neglect, or other issue in child custody cases.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 1)
Status: (Introduced) 2026-06-23 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Judiciary Committee [A5309 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2026-A5309-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman ALEX SAUICKIE
District 12 (Burlington, Middlesex, Monmouth and Ocean)
SYNOPSIS
Establishes compensatory time lost to investigation of unsubstantiated child abuse, neglect, or other issue in child custody cases.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning compensatory parenting time and supplementing Title 9 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. Except as provided in subsection b. of this section, the Superior court, Chancery Division, Family Part, shall, upon application by a parent or guardian of a minor child, order additional periods of parenting time to compensate a parent or guardian for the denial of court-ordered parenting time under the circumstances set forth in subsection b. of this section.
b. Unless a party can demonstrate good cause why such an order should not be entered, the court shall, subject to the best interests of the child, order additional periods of parenting time to compensate for any denial of court-ordered parenting time that resulted from an investigation by any investigative agency, including but not limited to, the Division of Child Protection and Permanency, or from the provision of a restraining order, or protective order, or any investigative agency, which did not result in a finding of abuse or neglect.
c. The additional periods of parenting time:
(1) shall be of the same type and duration as the parenting time that was denied;
(2) may include weekday, weekend, holiday, and summer parenting time; and
(3) must occur on or before the second anniversary of the date the court determines that court-ordered parenting time was denied.
d. Subject to the best interests of the child, the parent who was denied parenting time shall be entitled to select the time and dates for the additional parenting time, consistent with subsection b.
e. The provision of P.L. c. C. (C. (pending before the Legislature as this bill) shall not be construed to impose liability in any civil action against an investigative agency or governmental entity or employee thereof.
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill directs the Superior Court, Chancery Division, Family Part to order additional periods of parenting time to compensate a parent for the denial of court-ordered parenting time under certain circumstances.
Under current law, a mandatory investigation resulting from allegations of child abuse or neglect, or other causes, including allegations of domestic violence, can result in disruption to established parenting time schedules. This bill would ensure that, unless such an order would not be in the best interest of the child who is the subject of the order, a court shall, upon application by a parent or guardian of the child, grant additional periods of parenting time to compensate for the lost time. Under the bill, the additional periods of parenting time: (1) must be of the same type and duration as the parenting time that was denied; (2) may include weekday, weekend, holiday, and summer parenting time; and (3) must occur on or before the second anniversary of the date the court determines that court-ordered parenting time was denied. Moreover, subject to the best interests of the child, the parent who was denied parenting time shall be entitled to select the time and dates for the additional parenting time.
The bill provides that the provisions shall not be construed to impose liability in any civil action against an investigative agency or governmental entity or employee thereof.
