Bill Text: NY S05998 | 2021-2022 | General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: Provides that the issue of military deployment shall not be considered as a factor in the awarding of custody in marital actions where a suitable child care plan is presented.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2022-01-05 - REFERRED TO CHILDREN AND FAMILIES [S05998 Detail]
Download: New_York-2021-S05998-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 5998 2021-2022 Regular Sessions IN SENATE March 25, 2021 ___________ Introduced by Sen. RITCHIE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Children and Families AN ACT to amend the domestic relations law, in relation to determi- nations of child custody in matrimonial actions The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Section 70 of the domestic relations law is amended by 2 adding a new subdivision (c) to read as follows: 3 (c) Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, the 4 court shall not consider the deployment of a parent in active service of 5 the armed forces of the United States or of the organized militia of the 6 state of New York as a detrimental factor to the awarding of custody of 7 a child where a suitable child care plan for the period of such deploy- 8 ment has been presented to the court by the petitioning parent. 9 § 2. Paragraph (a) of subdivision 1 of section 240 of the domestic 10 relations law, as amended by chapter 567 of the laws of 2015, is amended 11 and a new subdivision 1-d is added to read as follows: 12 (a) In any action or proceeding brought (1) to annul a marriage or to 13 declare the nullity of a void marriage, or (2) for a separation, or (3) 14 for a divorce, or (4) to obtain, by a writ of habeas corpus or by peti- 15 tion and order to show cause, the custody of or right to visitation with 16 any child of a marriage, the court shall require verification of the 17 status of any child of the marriage with respect to such child's custody 18 and support, including any prior orders, and shall enter orders for 19 custody and support as, in the court's discretion, justice requires, 20 having regard to the circumstances of the case and of the respective 21 parties and to the best interests of the child and subject to the 22 provisions of [subdivision] subdivisions one-c and one-d of this 23 section. Where either party to an action concerning custody of or a 24 right to visitation with a child alleges in a sworn petition or 25 complaint or sworn answer, cross-petition, counterclaim or other sworn EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD02174-01-1S. 5998 2 1 responsive pleading that the other party has committed an act of domes- 2 tic violence against the party making the allegation or a family or 3 household member of either party, as such family or household member is 4 defined in article eight of the family court act, and such allegations 5 are proven by a preponderance of the evidence, the court must consider 6 the effect of such domestic violence upon the best interests of the 7 child, together with such other facts and circumstances as the court 8 deems relevant in making a direction pursuant to this section and state 9 on the record how such findings, facts and circumstances factored into 10 the direction. If a parent makes a good faith allegation based on a 11 reasonable belief supported by facts that the child is the victim of 12 child abuse, child neglect, or the effects of domestic violence, and if 13 that parent acts lawfully and in good faith in response to that reason- 14 able belief to protect the child or seek treatment for the child, then 15 that parent shall not be deprived of custody, visitation or contact with 16 the child, or restricted in custody, visitation or contact, based solely 17 on that belief or the reasonable actions taken based on that belief. If 18 an allegation that a child is abused is supported by a preponderance of 19 the evidence, then the court shall consider such evidence of abuse in 20 determining the visitation arrangement that is in the best interest of 21 the child, and the court shall not place a child in the custody of a 22 parent who presents a substantial risk of harm to that child, and shall 23 state on the record how such findings were factored into the determi- 24 nation. Where a proceeding filed pursuant to article ten or ten-A of the 25 family court act is pending at the same time as a proceeding brought in 26 the supreme court involving the custody of, or right to visitation with, 27 any child of a marriage, the court presiding over the proceeding under 28 article ten or ten-A of the family court act may jointly hear the dispo- 29 sitional hearing on the petition under article ten or the permanency 30 hearing under article ten-A of the family court act and, upon referral 31 from the supreme court, the hearing to resolve the matter of custody or 32 visitation in the proceeding pending in the supreme court; provided 33 however, the court must determine custody or visitation in accordance 34 with the terms of this section. 35 An order directing the payment of child support shall contain the 36 social security numbers of the named parties. In all cases there shall 37 be no prima facie right to the custody of the child in either parent. 38 Such direction shall make provision for child support out of the proper- 39 ty of either or both parents. The court shall make its award for child 40 support pursuant to subdivision one-b of this section. Such direction 41 may provide for reasonable visitation rights to the maternal and/or 42 paternal grandparents of any child of the parties. Such direction as it 43 applies to rights of visitation with a child remanded or placed in the 44 care of a person, official, agency or institution pursuant to article 45 ten of the family court act, or pursuant to an instrument approved under 46 section three hundred fifty-eight-a of the social services law, shall be 47 enforceable pursuant to part eight of article ten of the family court 48 act and sections three hundred fifty-eight-a and three hundred eighty- 49 four-a of the social services law and other applicable provisions of law 50 against any person having care and custody, or temporary care and custo- 51 dy, of the child. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any writ- 52 ten application or motion to the court for the establishment, modifica- 53 tion or enforcement of a child support obligation for persons not in 54 receipt of public assistance and care must contain either a request for 55 child support enforcement services which would authorize the collection 56 of the support obligation by the immediate issuance of an incomeS. 5998 3 1 execution for support enforcement as provided for by this chapter, 2 completed in the manner specified in section one hundred eleven-g of the 3 social services law; or a statement that the applicant has applied for 4 or is in receipt of such services; or a statement that the applicant 5 knows of the availability of such services, has declined them at this 6 time and where support enforcement services pursuant to section one 7 hundred eleven-g of the social services law have been declined that the 8 applicant understands that an income deduction order may be issued 9 pursuant to subdivision (c) of section fifty-two hundred forty-two of 10 the civil practice law and rules without other child support enforcement 11 services and that payment of an administrative fee may be required. The 12 court shall provide a copy of any such request for child support 13 enforcement services to the support collection unit of the appropriate 14 social services district any time it directs payments to be made to such 15 support collection unit. Additionally, the copy of any such request 16 shall be accompanied by the name, address and social security number of 17 the parties; the date and place of the parties' marriage; the name and 18 date of birth of the child or children; and the name and address of the 19 employers and income payors of the party from whom child support is 20 sought or from the party ordered to pay child support to the other 21 party. Such direction may require the payment of a sum or sums of money 22 either directly to the custodial parent or to third persons for goods or 23 services furnished for such child, or for both payments to the custodial 24 parent and to such third persons; provided, however, that unless the 25 party seeking or receiving child support has applied for or is receiving 26 such services, the court shall not direct such payments to be made to 27 the support collection unit, as established in section one hundred 28 eleven-h of the social services law. Every order directing the payment 29 of support shall require that if either parent currently, or at any time 30 in the future, has health insurance benefits available that may be 31 extended or obtained to cover the child, such parent is required to 32 exercise the option of additional coverage in favor of such child and 33 execute and deliver to such person any forms, notices, documents or 34 instruments necessary to assure timely payment of any health insurance 35 claims for such child. 36 1-d. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, the 37 court shall not consider the deployment of a parent in active service of 38 the armed forces of the United States or of the organized militia of the 39 state of New York as a detrimental factor to the awarding of custody of 40 a child to a petitioning parent where a suitable child care plan for the 41 period of such deployment has been presented to the court by such 42 parent. 43 § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
