As Amended by House Commettee
         

          Session of 1998
                   
HOUSE BILL No. 2816
         
By Committee on Judiciary
         
2-4
          10             AN ACT concerning civil procedure; relating to joint shared child custody
11             and parenting time; amending K.S.A. 20-164, 21-3422, 21-3422a, 23-
12             601, 23-602b, 23-701, 38-1302, 38-1309, 38-1310, 38-1597, 60-1612,
13             60-1614, 60-1617 and 75-720 and K.S.A. 1997 Supp. 5-509, 20-3026,
14             23-9,305, 23-1001, 23-1002, 38-1121, 38-1138, 38-1563, 38-1569, 38-
15             1583, 38-1641, 38-1664, 38-16,119, 60-1610, 60-1616, 60-1621, 60-
16             3107 and 74-7334 and repealing the existing sections; also repealing
17             K.S.A. 1997 Supp. 20-302c.
18            
19                 WHEREAS, The legislature finds it is in the best interest of a minor
20             child to maintain, to the greatest extent possible, the ongoing involvement
21             of both parents in the life of the minor child. The legislature further finds
22             that parents should maintain continued communications to make as many
23             joint decisions in performing such parenting functions as are necessary
24             for the care and healthy development of the minor child; and
25                 WHEREAS, In any proceeding between parents under K.S.A. 60-
26             1610 involving a minor child, the best interests of the minor child shall
27             be the standard by which the court adjudicates and establishes the indi-
28             vidual parental responsibilities. The state presumes the critical impor-
29             tance of the parent-child relationship and the child-parent relationship in
30             the welfare and development of the minor child and that the relationship
31             between the minor child and both parents should be fostered unless oth-
32             erwise inconsistent with the best interests of the minor child. The best
33             interests of the minor child are served by a parenting arrangement which
34             best serves a minor child's emotional growth, health, stability and physical
35             care; and
36                 WHEREAS, The legislature further finds that the best interests of the
37             minor child are ordinarily addressed when both parents remain active and
38             involved in parenting. It is the policy of this state to assure the right of
39             children, when it is in their best interests, to frequent and continuing
40             contact with parents who have shown the ability to act in the best interest
41             of the children and to encourage parents to share in the rights and re-
42             sponsibilities of raising their children after divorce or separation.
43             Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Kansas:

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  1                 Section 1. K.S.A. 1997 Supp. 5-509 is hereby amended to read as
  2             follows: 5-509. (a) The following types of cases may be accepted for dis-
  3             pute resolution by an approved program or individual:
  4                 (1) Civil claims and disputes, including, but not limited to, consumer
  5             and commercial complaints, disputes involving allegations of shoplifting,
  6             disputes between neighbors, disputes between business associates, dis-
  7             putes between landlords and tenants, disputes involving matters under
  8             the small claims procedure act, farmer-lender disputes, and disputes
  9             within communities;
10                 (2) disputes concerning child custody and visitation rights parenting
11             time and other areas of domestic relations;
12                 (3) juvenile offenses and disputes involving juveniles;
13                 (4) disputes between victims and offenders, in which the victims vol-
14             untarily agree to participate in mediation;
15                 (5) disputes involving allegations of unlawful discrimination under
16             state or federal laws;
17                 (6) disputes referred by county attorneys or district attorneys;
18                 (7) disputes involving employer and employee relations under K.S.A.
19             72-5413 through 72-5432, and amendments thereto, or K.S.A. 75-4321
20             through 75-4337, and amendments thereto; and
21                 (8) disputes referred by a court, an attorney, a law enforcement of-
22             ficer, a social service agency, a school or any other interested person or
23             agency, including the request of the parties involved.
24                 (b) A case may be referred prior to the commencement of formal
25             judicial proceedings or may be referred as a pending court case. If a court
26             refers a case, information shall be provided to the court as to whether an
27             agreement was reached and, if available, a copy of the signed agreement
28             shall be provided to the court.
29                 (c) Before the dispute resolution process begins, the neutral person
30             conducting the process shall provide the parties with a written statement
31             setting forth the procedures to be followed.
32                 Sec. 2. K.S.A. 20-164 is hereby amended to read as follows: 20-164.
33             (a) The supreme court shall establish by rule an expedited judicial process
34             which shall be used in the establishment, modification and enforcement
35             of orders of support pursuant to the Kansas parentage act; K.S.A. 23-451
36             et seq., 39-718a, 39-755, 60-1610, and amendments thereto, or K.S.A. 39-
37             718b, and amendments thereto; K.S.A. 38-1542, 38-1543 or 38-1563, and
38             amendments thereto; or K.S.A. 23-4,105 through 23-4,118 and amend-
39             ments thereto; or K.S.A. 23-4,125 through 23-4,137, and amendments
40             thereto.
41                 (b) The supreme court shall establish by rule an expedited judicial
42             process for the enforcement of court orders granting a parent visitation
43             rights to parenting time with the parent's child.

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  1                 Sec. 3. K.S.A. 1997 Supp. 20-302b is hereby amended to read as
  2             follows: 20-302b. (a) A district magistrate judge shall have the jurisdiction,
  3             power and duty, in any case in which a violation of the laws of the state
  4             is charged, to conduct the trial of traffic infractions, cigarette or tobacco
  5             infractions or misdemeanor charges and the preliminary examination of
  6             felony charges. In civil cases, a district magistrate judge shall have con-
  7             current jurisdiction, powers and duties with a district judge, except that,
  8             unless otherwise specifically provided in subsection (b), a district magis-
  9             trate judge shall not have jurisdiction or cognizance over the following
10             actions:
11                 (1) Any action, other than an action seeking judgment for an unse-
12             cured debt not sounding in tort and arising out of a contract for the
13             provision of goods, services or money, in which the amount in contro-
14             versy, exclusive of interests and costs, exceeds $10,000, except that in
15             actions of replevin, the affidavit in replevin or the verified petition fixing
16             the value of the property shall govern the jurisdiction; nothing in this
17             paragraph shall be construed as limiting the power of a district magistrate
18             judge to hear any action pursuant to the Kansas probate code or to issue
19             support orders as provided by paragraph (6) of this subsection;
20                 (2) actions against any officers of the state, or any subdivisions
21             thereof, for misconduct in office;
22                 (3) actions for specific performance of contracts for real estate;
23                 (4) actions in which title to real estate is sought to be recovered or
24             in which an interest in real estate, either legal or equitable, is sought to
25             be established, except that nothing in this paragraph shall be construed
26             as limiting the right to bring an action for forcible detainer as provided
27             in the acts contained in article 23 of chapter 61 of the Kansas Statutes
28             Annotated, and any acts amendatory thereof or supplemental thereto; and
29             nothing in this paragraph shall be construed as limiting the power of a
30             district magistrate judge to hear any action pursuant to the Kansas probate
31             code;
32                 (5) actions to foreclose real estate mortgages or to establish and fore-
33             close liens on real estate as provided in the acts contained in article 11 of
34             chapter 60 of the Kansas Statutes Annotated, and any acts amendatory
35             thereof or supplemental thereto;
36                 (6) actions for divorce, separate maintenance or custody of minor
37             children, except that nothing in this paragraph shall be construed as lim-
38             iting the power of a district magistrate judge to: (A) Hear any action
39             pursuant to the Kansas code for care of children or the Kansas juvenile
40             offenders justice code; (B) establish, modify or enforce orders of support,
41             including, but not limited to, orders of support pursuant to the Kansas
42             parentage act, K.S.A. 23-451 et seq., 39-718a, 39-718b, 39-755 or 60-1610
43             or K.S.A. 23-4,105 through 23-4,118, 23-4,125 through 23-4,137, 38-

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  1             1542, 38-1543 or 38-1563, and amendments thereto; or (C) enforce or-
  2             ders granting a parent visitation rights to parenting time with the parent's
  3             child;
  4                 (7) habeas corpus;
  5                 (8) receiverships;
  6                 (9) change of name;
  7                 (10) declaratory judgments;
  8                 (11) mandamus and quo warranto;
  9                 (12) injunctions;
10                 (13) class actions;
11                 (14) rights of majority;
12                 (15) actions pursuant to the protection from abuse act; and
13                 (16) actions pursuant to K.S.A. 59-29a01 et seq. and amendments
14             thereto.
15                 (b) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a), in the absence,
16             disability or disqualification of a district judge, a district magistrate judge
17             may:
18                 (1) Grant a restraining order, as provided in K.S.A. 60-902 and
19             amendments thereto;
20                 (2) appoint a receiver, as provided in K.S.A. 60-1301 and amend-
21             ments thereto;
22                 (3) make any order authorized by K.S.A. 60-1607 and amendments
23             thereto; and
24                 (4) grant any order authorized by the protection from abuse act.
25                 (c) In accordance with the limitations and procedures prescribed by
26             law, and subject to any rules of the supreme court relating thereto, any
27             appeal permitted to be taken from an order or final decision of a district
28             magistrate judge shall be tried and determined de novo by a district judge,
29             except that in civil cases where a record was made of the action or pro-
30             ceeding before the district magistrate judge, the appeal shall be tried and
31             determined on the record by a district judge.
32                 (d) Upon motion of a party, the administrative judge may reassign an
33             action from a district magistrate judge to a district judge.
34                 Sec. 4. K.S.A. 21-3422 is hereby amended to read as follows: 21-
35             3422. (a) Interference with parental custody is leading, taking, carrying
36             away, decoying or enticing away any child under the age of 16 years with
37             the intent to detain or conceal such child from its parent, guardian, or
38             other person having the lawful charge of such child.
39                 (b) It is not a defense to a prosecution under this section that the
40             defendant is a parent entitled to joint shared custody of the child either
41             on the basis of a court order or by virtue of the absence of a court order.
42                 (c) (1) Interference with parental custody is a class A person mis-
43             demeanor if the perpetrator is a parent entitled to joint shared custody

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  1             of the child either on the basis of a court order or by virtue of the absence
  2             of a court order.
  3                 (2) Interference with parental custody is a severity level 10, person
  4             felony in all other cases.
  5                 Sec. 5. K.S.A. 21-3422a is hereby amended to read as follows: 21-
  6             3422a. (a) Aggravated interference with parental custody is:
  7                 (1) Hiring someone to commit the crime of interference with paren-
  8             tal custody, as defined by K.S.A. 21-3422 and amendments thereto; or
  9                 (2) the commission of interference with parental custody, as defined
10             by K.S.A. 21-3422 and amendments thereto, by a person who:
11                 (A) Has previously been convicted of the crime;
12                 (B) commits the crime for hire;
13                 (C) takes the child outside the state without the consent of either the
14             person having custody or the court;
15                 (D) after lawfully taking the child outside the state while exercising
16             visitation parenting time or custody rights, refuses to return the child at
17             the expiration of the rights;
18                 (E) at the expiration of visitation parenting time or custody rights
19             outside the state, refuses to return or impedes the return of the child; or
20                 (F) detains or conceals the child in an unknown place, whether inside
21             or outside the state.
22                 (b) Aggravated interference with parental custody is a severity level
23             7, person felony.
24                 (c) This section shall be a part of and supplemental to the Kansas
25             criminal code.
26                 Sec. 6. K.S.A. 23-601 is hereby amended to read as follows: 23-601.
27             Mediation under this section is the process by which a neutral mediator
28             appointed by the court, or by a hearing officer in a proceeding pursuant
29             to K.S.A. 23-701, and amendments thereto, assists the parties in reaching
30             a mutually acceptable agreement as to issues of child custody and visita-
31             tion parenting time. The role of the mediator is to aid the parties in
32             identifying the issues, reducing misunderstandings, clarifying priorities,
33             exploring areas of compromise and finding points of agreement. An agree-
34             ment reached by the parties is to be based on the decisions of the parties
35             and not the decisions of the mediator.
36                 Sec. 7. K.S.A. 23-602 is hereby amended to read as follows: 23-602.
37             (a) The court may order mediation of any contested issue of child custody
38             or visitation parenting time at any time, upon the motion of a party or on
39             the court's own motion. A hearing officer in a proceeding pursuant to
40             K.S.A. 23-701 may order mediation of a contested issue of child visitation
41             parenting time in such a proceeding.
42                 (b) If the court or hearing officer orders mediation under subsection
43             (a), the court or hearing officer shall appoint a mediator, taking into con-

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  1             sideration the following:
  2                 (1) An agreement by the parties to have a specific mediator appointed
  3             by the court or hearing officer;
  4                 (2) the nature and extent of any relationships the mediator may have
  5             with the parties and any personal, financial or other interests the mediator
  6             may have which could result in bias or a conflict of interest;
  7                 (3) the mediator's knowledge of (A) the Kansas judicial system and
  8             the procedure used in domestic relations cases, (B) other resources in the
  9             community to which parties can be referred for assistance, (C) child de-
10             velopment, (D) clinical issues relating to children, (E) the effects of di-
11             vorce on children and (F) the psychology of families; and
12                 (4) the mediator's training and experience in the process and tech-
13             niques of mediation.
14                 Sec. 8. K.S.A. 23-701 is hereby amended to read as follows: 23-701.
15             (a) The purpose of this section is to enhance the enforcement of child
16             visitation rights parenting time granted by court order by establishing an
17             expedited procedure which is simplified enough to provide justice without
18             necessitating the assistance of legal counsel.
19                 (b) If a parent has been granted visitation rights parenting time pur-
20             suant to K.S.A. 38-1121 or 60-1616, and amendments thereto, and such
21             rights are denied or interfered with by the other parent, the parent having
22             visitation rights parenting time may file with the clerk of the district court
23             a motion for enforcement of such rights. Such motion shall be filed on a
24             form provided by the clerk of the court. Upon the filing of the motion,
25             the administrative judge of the district court shall assign a judge of the
26             district court or the court trustee as a hearing officer to hear the motion.
27             The hearing officer shall immediately:
28                 (1) Issue ex parte an order for mediation in accordance with K.S.A.
29             23-601 et seq., and amendments thereto; or
30                 (2) set a time and place for a hearing on the motion, which shall be
31             not more than 21 days after the filing of the motion.
32                 (c) If mediation ordered pursuant to subsection (b) is completed, the
33             mediator shall submit a summary of the parties' understanding to the
34             hearing officer within five days after it is signed by the parties. Upon
35             receipt of the summary, the hearing officer shall enter an order in ac-
36             cordance with the parties' agreement or set a time and place for a hearing
37             on the matter, which shall be not more than 10 days after the summary
38             is received by the hearing officer.
39                 (d) If mediation ordered pursuant to subsection (b) is terminated
40             pursuant to K.S.A. 23-604 and amendments thereto, the mediator shall
41             report the termination to the hearing officer within five days after the
42             termination. Upon receipt of the report, if the hearing officer is a district
43             judge, such judge shall set the matter for hearing. If the hearing officer

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  1             is a district magistrate judge or a court trustee, the administrative judge
  2             shall assign the matter to a district judge who shall set the matter for
  3             hearing. Any such hearing shall be not more than 10 days after the me-
  4             diator's report of termination is received by the hearing officer.
  5                 (e) Notice of the hearing date set by the hearing officer shall be given
  6             to all interested parties by certified mail, return receipt requested, or as
  7             the court may order.
  8                 (f) If, upon a hearing pursuant to subsection (b), (c) or (d), the hear-
  9             ing officer or judge finds that visitation rights the parenting time of one
10             parent have been unreasonably denied or interfered with by the other
11             parent, the hearing officer or judge may enter an order providing for one
12             or more of the following:
13                 (1) A specific visitation parenting time schedule;
14                 (2) compensating visitation parenting time for the visitation parenting
15             time denied or interfered with, which time shall be of the same type (e.g.,
16             holiday, weekday, weekend, summer) as that denied or interfered with
17             and shall be at the convenience of the parent whose visitation parenting
18             time was denied or interfered with;
19                 (3) the posting of a bond, either cash or with sufficient sureties, con-
20             ditioned upon compliance with the order granting visitation rights par-
21             enting time;
22                 (4) assessment of reasonable attorney fees, mediation costs and costs
23             of the proceedings to enforce visitation rights parenting time against the
24             parent who unreasonably denied or interfered with the other parent's
25             visitation rights parenting time;
26                 (5) attendance of one or both parents at counseling or educational
27             sessions which focus on the impact of visitation parenting time disputes
28             on children;
29                 (6) supervised visitation parenting time; or
30                 (7) any other remedy which the hearing officer or judge considers
31             appropriate, except that, if a hearing officer is a district magistrate judge
32             or court trustee, the hearing officer shall not enter any order which grants,
33             or modifies a previous order granting, child support, child custody or
34             maintenance.
35                 (g) Decisions of district magistrate judges or court trustees appointed
36             pursuant to this section shall be subject to review by a district judge on
37             the motion of any party filed within 10 days after the order was entered.
38                 (h) In no case shall final disposition of a motion filed pursuant to this
39             section take place more than 45 days after the filing of such motion.
40                 Sec. 9. K.S.A. 1997 Supp. 23-9,305 is hereby amended to read as
41             follows: 23-9,305. (a) When a responding tribunal of this state receives a
42             petition or comparable pleading from an initiating tribunal or directly
43             pursuant to subsection (c) of K.S.A. 23-9,301 and amendments thereto

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  1             (proceedings under this act), it shall cause the petition or pleading to be
  2             filed and notify the petitioner only by personal service or registered mail,
  3             return receipt requested where and when it was filed.
  4                 (b) A responding tribunal of this state, to the extent otherwise au-
  5             thorized by law, may do one or more of the following:
  6                 (1) Issue or enforce a support order, modify a child support order or
  7             render a judgment to determine parentage;
  8                 (2) order an obligor to comply with a support order, specifying the
  9             amount and the manner of compliance;
10                 (3) order income withholding;
11                 (4) determine the amount of any arrearages, and specify a method of
12             payment;
13                 (5) enforce orders by civil or criminal contempt, or both;
14                 (6) set aside property for satisfaction of the support order;
15                 (7) place liens and order execution on the obligor's property;
16                 (8) order an obligor to keep the tribunal informed of the obligor's
17             current residential address, telephone number, employer, address of em-
18             ployment and telephone number at the place of employment;
19                 (9) issue a bench warrant for an obligor who has failed after proper
20             notice to appear at a hearing ordered by the tribunal and enter the bench
21             warrant in any local and state computer systems for criminal warrants;
22                 (10) order the obligor to seek appropriate employment by specified
23             methods;
24                 (11) award reasonable attorney fees and other fees and costs; and
25                 (12) grant any other available remedy.
26                 (c) A responding tribunal of this state shall include in a support order
27             issued under this act, or in the documents accompanying the order, the
28             calculations on which the support order is based.
29                 (d) A responding tribunal of this state may not condition the payment
30             of a support order issued under this act upon compliance by a party with
31             provisions for visitation parenting time.
32                 (e) If a responding tribunal of this state issues an order under this
33             act, the tribunal shall send a copy of the order to the petitioner only by
34             personal service or registered mail, return receipt requested and the re-
35             spondent and to the initiating tribunal, if any.
36                 Sec. 10. K.S.A. 1997 Supp. 23-1001 is hereby amended to read as
37             follows: 23-1001. Case management under this act is the process by which
38             a neutral case manager appointed by the court, or by a hearing officer in
39             a proceeding pursuant to K.S.A. 23-701, and amendments thereto, or
40             through agreement by the parties, assists the parties by providing a pro-
41             cedure, other than mediation, which facilitates negotiation of a plan for
42             child custody or visitation parenting time. In the event that the parties
43             are unable to reach an agreement, the case manager shall make recom-

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  1             mendations to the court.
  2                 Sec. 11. K.S.A. 1997 Supp. 23-1002 is hereby amended to read as
  3             follows: 23-1002. (a) The court may order case management, when ap-
  4             propriate, of any contested issue of child custody or visitation parenting
  5             time at any time, upon the motion of a party or on the court's own motion.
  6             A hearing officer in a proceeding pursuant to K.S.A. 23-701, and amend-
  7             ments thereto, may order case management, if appropriate, of a contested
  8             issue of child visitation parenting time in such a proceeding.
  9                 (b) Cases in which case management is appropriate shall include one
10             or more of the following circumstances:
11                 (1) Private or public neutral dispute resolution services have been
12             tried and failed to resolve the disputes;
13                 (2) other neutral services have been determined to be inappropriate
14             for the family;
15                 (3) repetitive conflict occurs within the family, as evidenced by the
16             parties filing at least two motions in a six-month period for enforcement,
17             modification or change of visitation parenting time or custody which are
18             denied by the court; or
19                 (4) a parent exhibits diminished capacity to parent.
20                 (c) If the court or hearing officer orders case management under
21             subsection (a), the court or hearing officer shall appoint a case manager,
22             taking into consideration the following:
23                 (1) An agreement by the parties to have a specific case manager ap-
24             pointed by the court or hearing officer;
25                 (2) the financial circumstances of the parties and the costs assessed
26             by the case manager;
27                 (3) the case manager's knowledge of (A) the Kansas judicial system
28             and the procedure used in domestic relations cases, (B) other resources
29             in the community to which parties can be referred for assistance, (C)
30             child development, (D) clinical issues relating to children, (E) the effects
31             of divorce on children and (F) the psychology of families; and
32                 (4) the case manager's training and experience in the process and
33             techniques of alternative dispute resolution and case management.
34                 (d) To qualify as an appointed case manager, an individual shall:
35                 (1) Be qualified to conduct mediation;
36                 (2) have experience as a mediator;
37                 (3) attend a workshop, approved by the district court in which the
38             case is filed, on case management; and
39                 (4) participate in continuing education regarding management issues.
40                 Sec. 12. K.S.A. 1997 Supp. 38-1121 is hereby amended to read as
41             follows: 38-1121. (a) The judgment or order of the court determining the
42             existence or nonexistence of the parent and child relationship is deter-
43             minative for all purposes, but if any person necessary to determine the

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  1             existence of a father and child relationship for all purposes has not been
  2             joined as a party, a determination of the paternity of the child shall have
  3             only the force and effect of a finding of fact necessary to determine a
  4             duty of support.
  5                 (b) If the judgment or order of the court is at variance with the child's
  6             birth certificate, the court shall order that a new birth certificate be is-
  7             sued, but only if any man named as the father on the birth certificate is
  8             a party to the action.
  9                 (c) Upon adjudging that a party is the parent of a minor child, the
10             court shall make provision for support and education of the child includ-
11             ing the necessary medical expenses incident to the birth of the child. The
12             court may order the support and education expenses to be paid by either
13             or both parents for the minor child. When the child reaches 18 years of
14             age, the support shall terminate unless: (1) The parent or parents agree,
15             by written agreement approved by the court, to pay support beyond that
16             time; (2) the child reaches 18 years of age before completing the child's
17             high school education in which case the support shall not automatically
18             terminate, unless otherwise ordered by the court, until June 30 of the
19             school year during which the child became 18 years of age if the child is
20             still attending high school; or (3) the child is still a bona fide high school
21             student after June 30 of the school year during which the child became
22             18 years of age, in which case the court, on motion, may order support
23             to continue through the school year during which the child becomes 19
24             years of age so long as the child is a bona fide high school student and
25             the parents jointly participated or knowingly acquiesced in the decision
26             which delayed the child's completion of high school. The court, in ex-
27             tending support pursuant to subsection (c)(3), may impose such condi-
28             tions as are appropriate and shall set the child support utilizing the guide-
29             line table category for 16-year through 18-year old children. Provision for
30             payment of support and educational expenses of a child after reaching 18
31             years of age if still attending high school shall apply to any child subject
32             to the jurisdiction of the court, including those whose support was or-
33             dered prior to July 1, 1992. If an agreement approved by the court prior
34             to July 1, 1988, provides for termination of support before the date pro-
35             vided by subsection (c)(2), the court may review and modify such agree-
36             ment, and any order based on such agreement, to extend the date for
37             termination of support to the date provided by subsection (c)(2). If an
38             agreement approved by the court prior to July 1, 1992, provides for ter-
39             mination of support before the date provided by subsection (c)(3), the
40             court may review and modify such agreement, and any order based on
41             such agreement, to extend the date for termination of support to the date
42             provided by subsection (c)(3). For purposes of this section, ``bona fide
43             high school student'' means a student who is enrolled in full accordance

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  1             with the policy of the accredited high school in which the student is
  2             pursuing a high school diploma or a graduate equivalency diploma
  3             (GED). The judgment shall specify the terms of payment and shall re-
  4             quire payment to be made through the clerk of the district court or the
  5             court trustee except for good cause shown. The judgment may require
  6             the party to provide a bond with sureties to secure payment. The court
  7             may at any time during the minority of the child modify or change the
  8             order of support, including any order issued in a title IV-D case, within
  9             three years of the date of the original order or a modification order, as
10             required by the best interest of the child. If more than three years has
11             passed since the date of the original order or modification order, a re-
12             quirement that such order is in the best interest of the child need not be
13             shown. The court may make a modification of support retroactive to a
14             date at least one month after the date that the motion to modify was filed
15             with the court but such retroactivity shall not exceed three months.
16             Any increase in support ordered effective prior to the date the court's
17             judgment is filed shall not become a lien on real property pursuant to
18             K.S.A. 60-2202, and amendments thereto.
19                 (d) If both parents are parties to the action, the court shall enter such
20             orders regarding custody and visitation parenting time as the court con-
21             siders to be in the best interest of the child.
22                 (e) In entering an original order for support of a child under this
23             section, the court may award an additional judgment to reimburse the
24             expenses of support and education of the child from the date of birth to
25             the date the order is entered. If the determination of paternity is based
26             upon a presumption arising under K.S.A. 38-1114 and amendments
27             thereto, the court shall award an additional judgment to reimburse all or
28             part of the expenses of support and education of the child from at least
29             the date the presumption first arose to the date the order is entered,
30             except that no additional judgment need be awarded for amounts accrued
31             under a previous order for the child's support.
32                 (f) In determining the amount to be paid by a parent for support of
33             the child and the period during which the duty of support is owed, a court
34             enforcing the obligation of support shall consider all relevant facts in-
35             cluding, but not limited to, the following:
36                 (1) The needs of the child.
37                 (2) The standards of living and circumstances of the parents.
38                 (3) The relative financial means of the parents.
39                 (4) The earning ability of the parents.
40                 (5) The need and capacity of the child for education.
41                 (6) The age of the child.
42                 (7) The financial resources and the earning ability of the child.
43                 (8) The responsibility of the parents for the support of others.

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  1                 (9) The value of services contributed by the custodial parent.
  2                 (g) The provisions of K.S.A. 23-4,107, and amendments thereto, shall
  3             apply to all orders of support issued under this section.
  4                 (h) An order granting visitation rights parenting time pursuant to this
  5             section may be enforced in accordance with K.S.A. 23-701, and amend-
  6             ments thereto.
  7                 Sec. 13. K.S.A. 1997 Supp. 38-1138 is hereby amended to read as
  8             follows: 38-1138. (a) The state registrar of vital statistics, in conjunction
  9             with the secretary of social and rehabilitation services, shall review and,
10             as needed, revise acknowledgment of paternity forms for use under K.S.A.
11             38-1130 and 65-2409a, and amendments thereto. The acknowledgment
12             of paternity forms shall include or have attached a written description
13             pursuant to subsection (b) of the rights and responsibilities of acknowl-
14             edging paternity.
15                 (b) A written description of the rights and responsibilities of acknowl-
16             edging paternity shall state the following:
17                 (1) An acknowledgment of paternity creates a permanent father and
18             child relationship which can only be ended by court order. A person who
19             wants to revoke the acknowledgment of paternity must file the request
20             with the court before the child is one year old, unless the person was
21             under age 18 when the acknowledgment of paternity was signed. A person
22             under age 18 when the acknowledgment was signed has until one year
23             after his or her 18th birthday to file a request, but if the child is more
24             than one year old then, the judge will first consider the child's best in-
25             terests.
26                 The person will have to show that the acknowledgment was based on
27             fraud, duress (threat) or an important mistake of fact, unless the request
28             is filed within 60 days of signing the acknowledgment or before any court
29             hearing about the child, whichever is earlier;
30                 (2) both the father and the mother are responsible for the care and
31             support of the child. If necessary, this duty may be enforced through legal
32             action such as a child support order, an order to pay birth or other medical
33             expenses of the child or an order to repay government assistance pay-
34             ments for the child's care. A parent's willful failure to support the parent's
35             child is a crime;
36                 (3) both the father and the mother have rights of custody and visi-
37             tation parenting time with the child unless a court order changes their
38             rights. If necessary, custody and visitation rights parenting time may be
39             spelled out in a court order and enforced;
40                 (4) both the father and the mother have the right to consent to med-
41             ical treatment for the child unless a court order changes those rights;
42                 (5) the child may inherit from the father and the father's family or
43             from the mother and the mother's family. The child may receive public

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  1             benefits, including, but not limited to, social security or private benefits,
  2             including, but not limited to, insurance or workers compensation because
  3             of the father-child or mother-child relationship;
  4                 (6) the father or the mother may be entitled to claim the child as a
  5             dependent for tax or other purposes. The father or the mother may inherit
  6             from the child or the child's descendants; and
  7                 (7) each parent has the right to sign or not sign an acknowledgment
  8             of paternity. Each parent has the right to talk with an attorney before
  9             signing an acknowledgment of paternity. Each parent has the right to be
10             represented by an attorney in any legal action involving paternity or their
11             rights or duties as a parent. Usually each person is responsible for hiring
12             the person's own attorney.
13                 (c) Any duty to disclose rights or responsibilities related to signing an
14             acknowledgment of paternity shall have been met by furnishing the writ-
15             ten disclosures of subsection (b). Any duty to disclose orally the rights or
16             responsibilities related to signing an acknowledgment of paternity may be
17             met by means of an audio recording of the disclosures of subsection (b).
18                 (d) An acknowledgment of paternity completed without the written
19             disclosures of subsection (b) is not invalid solely for that reason and may
20             create a presumption of paternity pursuant to K.S.A. 38-1114 and amend-
21             ments thereto. Nothing in K.S.A. 1997 Supp. 38-1136 through 38-1138
22             and amendments thereto shall decrease the validity, force or effect of an
23             acknowledgment of paternity executed in this state prior to the effective
24             date of this act.
25                 (e) Upon request, the state registrar of vital statistics shall provide a
26             certified copy of the acknowledgment of paternity to an office providing
27             IV-D program services.
28                 Sec. 14. K.S.A. 38-1302 is hereby amended to read as follows: 38-
29             1302. As used in the uniform child custody jurisdiction act:
30                 (a) ``Contestant'' means a person, including a parent, who claims a
31             right to custody or visitation rights parenting time with respect to a child.
32                 (b) ``Custody determination'' means a court decision and court orders
33             and instructions providing for the custody of a child, including visitation
34             rights parenting time; it does not include a decision relating to child sup-
35             port or any other monetary obligation of any person.
36                 (c) ``Custody proceeding'' includes proceedings in which a custody
37             determination is one of several issues, such as an action for divorce or
38             separation, and includes proceedings under the Kansas code for care of
39             children.
40                 (d) ``Decree'' or ``custody decree'' means a custody determination
41             contained in a judicial decree or order made in a custody proceeding, and
42             includes an initial decree and a modification decree.
43                 (e) ``Home state'' means the state in which the child immediately

HB 2816--Am.

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  1             preceding the time involved lived with the child's parents, a parent, or a
  2             person acting as parent, for at least six consecutive months, and in the
  3             case of a child less than six months old the state in which the child lived
  4             from birth with any of the persons mentioned. Periods of temporary ab-
  5             sence of any of the named persons are counted as part of the six-month
  6             or other period.
  7                 (f) ``Initial decree'' means the first custody decree concerning a par-
  8             ticular child.
  9                 (g) ``Modification decree'' means a custody decree which modifies or
10             replaces a prior decree, whether made by the court which rendered the
11             prior decree or by another court.
12                 (h) ``Physical custody'' means actual possession and control of a child.
13                 (i) ``Person acting as parent'' means a person, other than a parent,
14             who has physical custody of a child and who has either been awarded
15             custody by a court or claims a right to custody.
16                 (j) ``State'' means any state, territory, or possession of the United
17             States, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia.
18                 Sec. 15. K.S.A. 38-1309 is hereby amended to read as follows: 38-
19             1309. (a) Every party in a custody proceeding in the party's first pleading
20             or in an affidavit attached to that pleading shall give information under
21             oath as to the child's present address, the places where the child has lived
22             within the last five years, and the names and present addresses of the
23             persons with whom the child has lived during that period. In this pleading
24             or affidavit every party shall further declare under oath whether:
25                 (1) The party has participated (as a party, witness, or in any other
26             capacity) in any other litigation concerning the custody of the same child
27             in this or any other state;
28                 (2) the party has information of any custody proceeding concerning
29             the child pending in a court of this or any other state; and
30                 (3) the party knows of any person not a party to the proceedings who
31             has physical custody of the child or claims to have custody or visitation
32             rights parenting time with respect to the child.
33                 (b) If the declaration as to any of the above items is in the affirmative
34             the declarant shall give additional information under oath as required by
35             the court. The court may examine the parties under oath as to details of
36             the information furnished and as to other matters pertinent to the court's
37             jurisdiction and the disposition of the case.
38                 (c) Each party has a continuing duty to inform the court of any cus-
39             tody proceeding concerning the child in this or any other state of which
40             the party obtained information during this proceeding.
41                 (d) Any party who submits information pursuant to this section know-
42             ing the same to be false shall, upon conviction, be deemed guilty of a
43             class C nonperson misdemeanor.

HB 2816--Am.

15

  1                 Sec. 16. K.S.A. 38-1310 is hereby amended to read as follows: 38-
  2             1310. If the court learns from information furnished by the parties pur-
  3             suant to K.S.A. 38-1309 and amendments thereto or from other sources
  4             that a person not a party to the custody proceeding has physical custody
  5             of the child or claims to have custody or visitation rights parenting time
  6             with respect to the child, it shall order that person to be joined as a party
  7             and to be duly notified of the pendency of the proceeding and of such
  8             person's joinder as a party. If the person joined as a party is outside this
  9             state the person shall be served with process or otherwise notified in
10             accordance with K.S.A. 38-1305 and amendments thereto.
11                 Sec. 17. K.S.A. 1997 Supp. 38-1563 is hereby amended to read as
12             follows: 38-1563. (a) After consideration of any evidence offered relating
13             to disposition, the court may retain jurisdiction and place the child in the
14             custody of the child's parent subject to terms and conditions which the
15             court prescribes to assure the proper care and protection of the child,
16             including supervision of the child and the parent by a court services of-
17             ficer, or may order the child and the parent to participate in programs
18             operated by the secretary or another appropriate individual or agency.
19             The terms and conditions may require any special treatment or care which
20             the child needs for the child's physical, mental or emotional health.
21                 (b) The duration of any period of supervision or other terms or con-
22             ditions shall be for an initial period of no more than 18 months. The
23             court, at the expiration of that period, upon a hearing and for good cause
24             shown, may make successive extensions of the supervision or other terms
25             or conditions for up to 12 months at a time.
26                 (c) The court may order the child and the parents of any child who
27             has been adjudged a child in need of care to attend counseling sessions
28             as the court directs. The expense of the counseling may be assessed as
29             an expense in the case. No mental health center shall charge a greater
30             fee for court-ordered counseling than the center would have charged to
31             the person receiving counseling if the person had requested counseling
32             on the person's own initiative.
33                 (d) If the court finds that placing the child in the custody of a parent
34             will not assure protection from physical, mental or emotional abuse or
35             neglect or sexual abuse or will not be in the best interests of the child,
36             the court shall enter an order awarding custody of the child, until the
37             further order of the court, to one of the following:
38                 (1) A relative of the child or a person with whom the child has close
39             emotional ties;
40                 (2) any other suitable person;
41                 (3) a shelter facility; or
42                 (4) the secretary.
43                 In making such a custody order, the court shall give preference, to the

HB 2816--Am.

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  1             extent that the court finds it is in the best interests of the child, first to
  2             granting custody to a relative of the child and second to granting custody
  3             of the child to a person with whom the child has close emotional ties. If
  4             the court has awarded legal custody based on the finding specified by this
  5             subsection, the legal custodian shall not return the child to the home of
  6             that parent without the written consent of the court.
  7                 (e) When the custody of the child is awarded to the secretary:
  8                 (1) The court may recommend to the secretary where the child
  9             should be placed.
10                 (2) The secretary shall notify the court in writing of any placement
11             of the child or, within 10 days of the order awarding the custody of the
12             child to the secretary, any proposed placement of the child, whichever
13             occurs first.
14                 (3) The court may determine if such placement is in the best interests
15             of the child, and if the court determines that such placement is not in the
16             best interests of the child, the court shall notify the secretary who shall
17             then make an alternative placement subject to the procedures established
18             in this paragraph. In determining if such placement is in the best interests
19             of the child, the court, after providing the parties with an opportunity to
20             be heard, shall consider the health and safety needs of the child and the
21             resources available to meet the needs of children in the custody of the
22             secretary.
23                 (f) If custody of a child is awarded under this section to a person
24             other than the child's parent, the court may grant any individual reason-
25             able rights to visit the child upon motion of the individual and a finding
26             that the parenting time or visitation rights would be in the best interests
27             of the child.
28                 (g) If the court issues an order of custody pursuant to this section,
29             the court may enter an order restraining any alleged perpetrator of phys-
30             ical, sexual, mental or emotional abuse of the child from residing in the
31             child's home; visiting, contacting, harassing or intimidating the child; or
32             attempting to visit, contact, harass or intimidate the child.
33                 (h) The court shall not enter an order removing a child from the
34             custody of a parent pursuant to this section unless the court first finds
35             from evidence presented by the petitioner that reasonable efforts have
36             been made to prevent or eliminate the need for removal of the child or
37             that an emergency exists which threatens the safety of the child and re-
38             quires the immediate removal of the child. Such findings shall be included
39             in any order entered by the court.
40                 (i) In addition to or in lieu of any other order authorized by this
41             section, if a child is adjudged to be a child in need of care by reason of a
42             violation of the uniform controlled substances act (K.S.A. 65-4101 et seq.
43             and amendments thereto) or K.S.A. 41-719, 41-804, 41-2719, 65-4152,

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  1             65-4153, 65-4154 or 65-4155, and amendments thereto, the court shall
  2             order the child to submit to and complete an alcohol and drug evaluation
  3             by a community-based alcohol and drug safety action program certified
  4             pursuant to K.S.A. 8-1008 and amendments thereto and to pay a fee not
  5             to exceed the fee established by that statute for such evaluation. If the
  6             court finds that the child and those legally liable for the child's support
  7             are indigent, the fee may be waived. In no event shall the fee be assessed
  8             against the secretary or the department of social and rehabilitation serv-
  9             ices.
10                 (j) In addition to any other order authorized by this section, if child
11             support has been requested and the parent or parents have a duty to
12             support the child, the court may order one or both parents to pay child
13             support and, when custody is awarded to the secretary, the court shall
14             order one or both parents to pay child support. The court shall determine,
15             for each parent separately, whether the parent is already subject to an
16             order to pay support for the child. If the parent is not presently ordered
17             to pay support for any child who is a ward of the court and the court has
18             personal jurisdiction over the parent, the court shall order the parent to
19             pay child support in an amount determined under K.S.A. 38-1595 and
20             amendments thereto. Except for good cause shown, the court shall issue
21             an immediate income withholding order pursuant to K.S.A. 23-4,105 et
22             seq. and amendments thereto for each parent ordered to pay support
23             under this subsection, regardless of whether a payor has been identified
24             for the parent. A parent ordered to pay child support under this subsec-
25             tion shall be notified, at the hearing or otherwise, that the child support
26             order may be registered pursuant to K.S.A. 38-1597 and amendments
27             thereto. The parent shall also be informed that, after registration, the
28             income withholding order may be served on the parent's employer with-
29             out further notice to the parent and the child support order may be en-
30             forced by any method allowed by law. Failure to provide this notice shall
31             not affect the validity of the child support order.
32                 Sec. 18. K.S.A. 1997 Supp. 38-1569 is hereby amended to read as
33             follows: 38-1569. The report made by foster parents and provided by the
34             department of social and rehabilitation services, pursuant to K.S.A. 38-
35             1565, and amendments thereto, shall be in substantially the following
36             form:
37            
REPORT FROM FOSTER PARENTS
38            
CONFIDENTIAL
39       ____________________ ____________________
40      
Child's Name
Current Address
41       ____________________ _______________________
42      
Parent's Name
Foster Parents

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1      
2
_______________________
Primary Social Worker
  3                 Please circle the word which best describes the child's progress
  4             1. Child's adjustment in the home
  5                   excellent         good         satisfactory         needs improvement
  6             2. Child's interaction with foster parents and family members
  7                   excellent         good         satisfactory         needs improvement
  8             3. Child's interaction with others
  9                   excellent         good         satisfactory         needs improvement
10             4. Child's respect for property
11                   excellent         good         satisfactory         needs improvement
12             5. Physical and emotional condition of the child
13                   excellent         good         satisfactory         needs improvement
14             6. Social worker's interaction with the child and foster family
15                   excellent         good         satisfactory         needs improvement
16             7. School status of child:
17      
18
____________________
School
____________________
Grade
19       Grades Good __________ Fair __________ Poor __________
20       Attendance Good __________ Fair __________ Poor __________
21       Behavior Good __________ Fair __________ Poor __________
22             8. If visitation parenting time with parents has occurred, describe the frequency of visits,
23             with whom, supervised or unsupervised, and any significant events which have occurred.
24             ___________________________________________________________________________
25             ___________________________________________________________________________
26             9. Your opinion regarding the overall adjustment, progress and condition of the child:
27             ___________________________________________________________________________
28             ___________________________________________________________________________
29             10. Do you have any special concerns or comments with regard to the child not addressed
30             by this form? Please specify.
31             ___________________________________________________________________________
32             ___________________________________________________________________________
33             ___________________________________________________________________________
34             ___________________________________________________________________________
35             ___________________________________________________________________________
36                 Sec. 19. K.S.A. 1997 Supp. 38-1583 is hereby amended to read as
37             follows: 38-1583. (a) When the child has been adjudicated to be a child
38             in need of care, the court may terminate parental rights when the court
39             finds by clear and convincing evidence that the parent is unfit by reason
40             of conduct or condition which renders the parent unable to care properly
41             for a child and the conduct or condition is unlikely to change in the
42             foreseeable future.
43                 (b) In making a determination hereunder the court shall consider,

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  1             but is not limited to, the following, if applicable:
  2                 (1) Emotional illness, mental illness, mental deficiency or physical
  3             disability of the parent, of such duration or nature as to render the parent
  4             unlikely to care for the ongoing physical, mental and emotional needs of
  5             the child;
  6                 (2) conduct toward a child of a physically, emotionally or sexually
  7             cruel or abusive nature;
  8                 (3) excessive use of intoxicating liquors or narcotic or dangerous
  9             drugs;
10                 (4) physical, mental or emotional neglect of the child;
11                 (5) conviction of a felony and imprisonment;
12                 (6) unexplained injury or death of another child or stepchild of the
13             parent;
14                 (7) reasonable efforts by appropriate public or private child caring
15             agencies have been unable to rehabilitate the family; and
16                 (8) lack of effort on the part of the parent to adjust the parent's cir-
17             cumstances, conduct or conditions to meet the needs of the child.
18                 (c) In addition to the foregoing, when a child is not in the physical
19             custody of a parent, the court, in proceedings concerning the termination
20             of parental rights, shall also consider, but is not limited to the following:
21                 (1) Failure to assure care of the child in the parental home when able
22             to do so;
23                 (2) failure to maintain regular visitation parenting time, contact or
24             communication with the child or with the custodian of the child;
25                 (3) failure to carry out a reasonable plan approved by the court di-
26             rected toward the integration of the child into the parental home; and
27                 (4) failure to pay a reasonable portion of the cost of substitute physical
28             care and maintenance based on ability to pay.
29                 In making the above determination, the court may disregard incidental
30             visitations, contacts, communications or contributions.
31                 (d) The rights of the parents may be terminated as provided in this
32             section if the court finds that the parents have abandoned the child or
33             the child was left under such circumstances that the identity of the par-
34             ents is unknown and cannot be ascertained, despite diligent searching,
35             and the parents have not come forward to claim the child within three
36             months after the child is found.
37                 (e) The existence of any one of the above standing alone may, but
38             does not necessarily, establish grounds for termination of parental rights.
39             The determination shall be based on an evaluation of all factors which
40             are applicable. In considering any of the above factors for terminating the
41             rights of a parent, the court shall give primary consideration to the phys-
42             ical, mental or emotional condition and needs of the child. If presented
43             to the court and subject to the provisions of K.S.A. 60-419, and amend-

HB 2816--Am.

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  1             ments thereto, the court shall consider as evidence testimony from a
  2             person licensed to practice medicine and surgery, a licensed psychologist
  3             or a licensed social worker expressing an opinion relating to the physical,
  4             mental or emotional condition and needs of the child. The court shall
  5             consider any such testimony only if the licensed professional providing
  6             such testimony is subject to cross-examination.
  7                 (f) A termination of parental rights under the Kansas code for care
  8             of children shall not terminate the right of the child to inherit from or
  9             through the parent. Upon such termination, all the rights of birth parents
10             to such child, including their right to inherit from or through such child,
11             shall cease.
12                 Sec. 20. K.S.A. 38-1597 is hereby amended to read as follows: 38-
13             1597. (a) A party entitled to receive child support under an order issued
14             pursuant to the Kansas code for care of children may file with the clerk
15             of the district court in the county in which the judgment was rendered
16             the original child support order and the original income withholding or-
17             der, if any. If the original child support or income withholding order is
18             unavailable for any reason, a certified or authenticated copy of the order
19             may be substituted. The clerk of the district court shall number the child
20             support order as a case filed under chapter 60 of the Kansas Statutes
21             Annotated and enter the numbering of the case on the appearance docket
22             of the case. Registration of a child support order under this section shall
23             be without cost or docket fee.
24                 (b) If the number assigned to a case under the Kansas code for care
25             of children appears in the caption of a document filed pursuant to this
26             section, the clerk of the district court may obliterate that number and
27             replace it with the new case number assigned pursuant to this section.
28                 (c) The filing of the child support order shall constitute registration
29             under this section. Upon registration of the child support order, all mat-
30             ters related to that order, including but not limited to modification of the
31             order, shall proceed under the new case number. Registration of a child
32             support order under this section does not confer jurisdiction in the reg-
33             istration case for custody or visitation parenting time issues.
34                 (d) The party registering a child support order shall serve a copy of
35             the registered child support order and income withholding order, if any,
36             upon the interested parties by first-class mail. The party registering the
37             child support order shall file, in the privileged official file for each child
38             affected, either a copy of the registered order showing the new case num-
39             ber or a statement that includes the caption, new case number and date
40             of registration of the child support order.
41                 (e) If the secretary of social and rehabilitation services is entitled to
42             receive payment under an order which may be registered under this sec-
43             tion, the county or district attorney shall take the actions permitted or

HB 2816--Am.

21

  1             required in subsections (a) and (d) on behalf of the secretary, unless
  2             otherwise requested by the secretary.
  3                 (f) A child support order registered pursuant to this section shall have
  4             the same force and effect as an original child support order entered under
  5             chapter 60 of the Kansas Statutes Annotated including, but not limited
  6             to:
  7                 (1) The registered order shall become a lien on the real estate of the
  8             judgment debtor in the county from the date of registration;
  9                 (2) execution or other action to enforce the registered order may be
10             had from the date of registration;
11                 (3) the registered order may itself be registered pursuant to any law,
12             including but not limited to the revised uniform reciprocal enforcement
13             of support act (1968);
14                 (4) if any installment of support due under the registered order be-
15             comes a dormant judgment, it may be revived pursuant to K.S.A. 60-2404
16             and amendments thereto; and
17                 (5) the court shall have continuing jurisdiction over the parties and
18             subject matter and, except as otherwise provided in subsection (g), may
19             modify any prior support order when a material change in circumstances
20             is shown irrespective of the present domicile of the child or parents. The
21             court may make a modification of child support retroactive to a date at
22             least one month after the date that the motion to modify was filed with
23             the court.
24                 (g) If a motion to modify the child support order is filed within three
25             months after the date of registration pursuant to this section; if no motion
26             to modify the order has previously been heard and if the moving party
27             shows that the support order was based upon one or more of the pre-
28             sumptions provided in K.S.A. 38-1595 and amendments thereto or upon
29             a stipulation pursuant to subsection (c) of K.S.A. 38-1595 and amend-
30             ments thereto, the court shall apply the Kansas child support guidelines
31             adopted pursuant to K.S.A. 20-165 and amendments thereto without re-
32             quiring any party to show that a material change of circumstances has
33             occurred, without regard to any previous presumption or stipulation used
34             to determine the amount of the child support order, and irrespective of
35             the present domicile of the child or parents. Nothing in this subsection
36             shall prevent or limit enforcement of the support order during the three
37             months after the date of registration.
38                 Sec. 21. K.S.A. 1997 Supp. 38-1641 is hereby amended to read as
39             follows: 38-1641. (a) Any parent, guardian, or person with whom a juve-
40             nile resides who is served with a summons as provided in K.S.A. 38-1626,
41             and amendments thereto, shall appear with the juvenile at all juvenile
42             proceedings concerning the juvenile, unless excused by the court having
43             jurisdiction of the matter.

HB 2816--Am.

22

  1                 (b) Any person required by this act to be present at all juvenile pro-
  2             ceedings who fails to comply, without good cause, with the provisions of
  3             subsection (a) may be proceeded against for indirect contempt of court
  4             pursuant to the provisions of K.S.A. 20-1204a et seq., and amendments
  5             thereto.
  6                 (c) As used in this section: (1) ``Good cause'' for failing to appear
  7             includes, but is not limited to, a situation where a parent or guardian:
  8                 (A) Does not have physical custody of the juvenile and resides outside
  9             of Kansas;
10                 (B) has physical custody of the juvenile, but resides outside of Kansas
11             and appearing in court will result in undue hardship to such parent or
12             guardian; or
13                 (C) resides in Kansas, but is outside of the state at the time of the
14             juvenile proceeding for reasons other than avoiding appearance before
15             the court and appearing in court will result in undue hardship to such
16             parent or guardian.
17                 (2) ``Parent'' means and includes a natural parent who has sole or
18             joint shared custody, regardless of whether the parent is designated as
19             the primary residential custodian, or an adoptive parent. Parent does not
20             include a person whose parental rights have been terminated pursuant to
21             law.
22                 (d) If the parent or guardian of any juvenile cannot be found or fails
23             to appear, the court may proceed with the case without the presence of
24             such parent or guardian.
25                 (e) This section shall be part of and supplemental to the Kansas ju-
26             venile justice code.
27                 Sec. 22. K.S.A. 1997 Supp. 38-1664 is hereby amended to read as
28             follows: 38-1664. (a) Prior to placing a juvenile offender in the custody
29             of the commissioner and recommending out-of-home placement, the
30             court shall consider and determine that, where consistent with the need
31             for protection of the community:
32                 (1) Reasonable efforts have been made to prevent or eliminate the
33             need for out-of-home placement or reasonable efforts are not possible
34             due to an emergency threatening the safety of the juvenile offender or
35             the community; and
36                 (2) out-of-home placement is in the best interests of the juvenile of-
37             fender.
38                 (b) When a juvenile offender has been placed in the custody of the
39             commissioner, the commissioner shall notify the court in writing of the
40             initial placement of the juvenile offender as soon as the placement has
41             been accomplished. The court shall have no power to direct a specific
42             placement by the commissioner, but may make recommendations to the
43             commissioner. The commissioner may place the juvenile offender in an

HB 2816--Am.

23

  1             institution operated by the commissioner, a youth residential facility or a
  2             community mental health center. If the court has recommended an
  3             out-of-home placement, the commissioner may not return the juvenile
  4             offender to the home from which removed without first notifying the
  5             court of the plan.
  6                 (c) During the time a juvenile offender remains in the custody of the
  7             commissioner, the commissioner shall report to the court at least each six
  8             months as to the current living arrangement and social and mental de-
  9             velopment of the juvenile offender. If the juvenile offender is placed
10             outside the juvenile offender's home, a hearing shall be held not more
11             than 18 months after the juvenile offender is placed outside the juvenile
12             offender's home and every 12 months thereafter. If the juvenile offender
13             is placed in foster care, the foster parent or parents shall submit to the
14             court, at least every six months, a report in regard to the juvenile of-
15             fender's adjustment, progress and condition. The juvenile justice author-
16             ity shall notify the foster parent or parents of the foster parents' or parent's
17             duty to submit such report, on a form provided by the juvenile justice
18             authority, at least two weeks prior to the date when the report is due, and
19             the name of the judge and the address of the court to which the report
20             is to be submitted. Such report shall be confidential and shall only be
21             reviewed by the court and the child's attorney.
22                 (d) The report made by foster parents and provided by the commis-
23             sioner of juvenile justice, pursuant to this section, shall be in substantially
24             the following form:
25            
REPORT FROM FOSTER PARENTS
26            
CONFIDENTIAL
27       _________________________ _________________________
28      
Child's Name
Current Address
29       _________________________ _________________________
30      
Parent's Name
Foster Parents
31      
32
_________________________
Primary Social Worker
33                 Please circle the word which best describes the child's progress
34             1. Child's adjustment in the home
35                   excellent         good         satisfactory         needs improvement
36             2. Child's interaction with foster parents and family members
37                   excellent         good         satisfactory         needs improvement
38             3. Child's interaction with others
39                   excellent         good         satisfactory         needs improvement
40             4. Child's respect for property
41                   excellent         good         satisfactory         needs improvement
42             5. Physical and emotional condition of the child
43                   excellent         good         satisfactory         needs improvement

HB 2816--Am.

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  1             6. Social worker's interaction with the child and foster family
  2                   excellent         good         satisfactory         needs improvement
  3             7. School status of child:
4      
5
_________________________
School
_________________________
Grade
6       Grades Good __________ Fair __________ Poor __________
7       Attendance Good __________ Fair __________ Poor __________
8       Behavior Good __________ Fair __________ Poor __________
  9             8. If visitation parenting time with parents has occurred, describe the frequency of visits,
10             with whom, supervised or unsupervised, and any significant events which have occurred.
11             ___________________________________________________________________________
12             ___________________________________________________________________________
13             9. Your opinion regarding the overall adjustment, progress and condition of the child:
14             ___________________________________________________________________________
15             ___________________________________________________________________________
16             10. Do you have any special concerns or comments with regard to the child not addressed
17             by this form? Please specify.
18             ___________________________________________________________________________
19             ___________________________________________________________________________
20             ___________________________________________________________________________
21             ___________________________________________________________________________
22             ___________________________________________________________________________
23                 Sec. 23. K.S.A. 1997 Supp. 38-16,119 is hereby amended to read as
24             follows: 38-16,119. (a) A party entitled to receive child support under an
25             order issued pursuant to the Kansas juvenile justice code may file with
26             the clerk of the district court in the county in which the judgment was
27             rendered the original child support order and the original income with-
28             holding order, if any. If the original child support or income withholding
29             order is unavailable for any reason, a certified or authenticated copy of
30             the order may be substituted. The clerk of the district court shall number
31             the child support order as a case filed under chapter 60 of the Kansas
32             Statutes Annotated and enter the numbering of the case on the appear-
33             ance docket of the case. Registration of a child support order under this
34             section shall be without cost or docket fee.
35                 (b) If the number assigned to a case under the Kansas juvenile justice
36             code appears in the caption of a document filed pursuant to this section,
37             the clerk of the district court may obliterate that number and replace it
38             with the new case number assigned pursuant to this section.
39                 (c) The filing of the child support order shall constitute registration
40             under this section. Upon registration of the child support order, all mat-
41             ters related to that order, including but not limited to modification of the
42             order, shall proceed under the new case number. Registration of a child
43             support order under this section does not confer jurisdiction in the reg-

HB 2816--Am.

25

  1             istration case for custody or visitation parenting time issues.
  2                 (d) The party registering a child support order shall serve a copy of
  3             the registered child support order and income withholding order, if any,
  4             upon the interested parties by first-class mail. The party registering the
  5             child support order shall file, in the official file for each child affected,
  6             either a copy of the registered order showing the new case number or a
  7             statement that includes the caption, new case number and date of reg-
  8             istration of the child support order.
  9                 (e) If the commissioner of juvenile justice is entitled to receive pay-
10             ment under an order which may be registered under this section, the
11             county or district attorney shall take the actions permitted or required in
12             subsections (a) and (d) on behalf of the commissioner, unless otherwise
13             requested by the commissioner.
14                 (f) A child support order registered pursuant to this section shall have
15             the same force and effect as an original child support order entered under
16             chapter 60 of the Kansas Statutes Annotated including, but not limited
17             to:
18                 (1) The registered order shall become a lien on the real estate of the
19             judgment debtor in the county from the date of registration;
20                 (2) execution or other action to enforce the registered order may be
21             had from the date of registration;
22                 (3) the registered order may itself be registered pursuant to any law,
23             including but not limited to the revised uniform reciprocal enforcement
24             of support act (1968);
25                 (4) if any installment of support due under the registered order be-
26             comes a dormant judgment, it may be revived pursuant to K.S.A. 60-2404
27             and amendments thereto; and
28                 (5) the court shall have continuing jurisdiction over the parties and
29             subject matter and, except as otherwise provided in subsection (g), may
30             modify any prior support order when a material change in circumstances
31             is shown irrespective of the present domicile of the child or parents. The
32             court may make a modification of child support retroactive to a date at
33             least one month after the date that the motion to modify was filed with
34             the court.
35                 (g) If a motion to modify the child support order is filed within three
36             months after the date of registration pursuant to this section; if no motion
37             to modify the order has previously been heard and if the moving party
38             shows that the support order was based upon one or more of the pre-
39             sumptions provided in K.S.A. 38-16,117, and amendments thereto, or
40             upon a stipulation pursuant to subsection (c) of K.S.A. 38-16,117, and
41             amendments thereto, the court shall apply the Kansas child support
42             guidelines adopted pursuant to K.S.A. 20-165 and amendments thereto
43             without requiring any party to show that a material change of circum-

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26

  1             stances has occurred, without regard to any previous presumption or stip-
  2             ulation used to determine the amount of the child support order, and
  3             irrespective of the present domicile of the child or parents. Nothing in
  4             this subsection shall prevent or limit enforcement of the support order
  5             during the three months after the date of registration.
  6                 Sec. 24. K.S.A. 1997 Supp. 60-1610 is hereby amended to read as
  7             follows: 60-1610. A decree in an action under this article may include
  8             orders on the following matters:
  9                 (a) Minor children. (1) Child support and education. The court shall
10             make provisions for the support and education of the minor children. The
11             court may modify or change any prior order, including any order issued
12             in a title IV-D case, within three years of the date of the original order
13             or a modification order, when a material change in circumstances is
14             shown, irrespective of the present domicile of the child or the parents. If
15             more than three years has passed since the date of the original order or
16             modification order, a material change in circumstance need not be shown.
17             The court may make a modification of child support retroactive to a date
18             at least one month after the date that the motion to modify was filed with
19             the court but such retroactivity shall not exceed three months. Any
20             increase in support ordered effective prior to the date the court's judg-
21             ment is filed shall not become a lien on real property pursuant to K.S.A.
22             60-2202 and amendments thereto. Regardless of the type of custodial
23             arrangement ordered by the court, the court may order the child support
24             and education expenses to be paid by either or both parents for any child
25             less than 18 years of age, at which age the support shall terminate unless:
26             (A) The parent or parents agree, by written agreement approved by the
27             court, to pay support beyond the time the child reaches 18 years of age;
28             (B) the child reaches 18 years of age before completing the child's high
29             school education in which case the support shall not terminate automat-
30             ically, unless otherwise ordered by the court, until June 30 of the school
31             year during which the child became 18 years of age if the child is still
32             attending high school; or (C) the child is still a bona fide high school
33             student after June 30 of the school year during which the child became
34             18 years of age, in which case the court, on motion, may order support
35             to continue through the school year during which the child becomes 19
36             years of age so long as the child is a bona fide high school student and
37             the parents jointly participated or knowingly acquiesced in the decision
38             which delayed the child's completion of high school. The court, in ex-
39             tending support pursuant to subsection (a)(1)(C), may impose such con-
40             ditions as are appropriate and shall set the child support utilizing the
41             guideline table category for 16-year through 18-year old children. Pro-
42             vision for payment of support and educational expenses of a child after
43             reaching 18 years of age if still attending high school shall apply to any

HB 2816--Am.

27

  1             child subject to the jurisdiction of the court, including those whose sup-
  2             port was ordered prior to July 1, 1992. If an agreement approved by the
  3             court prior to July 1, 1988, provides for termination of support before the
  4             date provided by subsection (a)(1)(B), the court may review and modify
  5             such agreement, and any order based on such agreement, to extend the
  6             date for termination of support to the date provided by subsection
  7             (a)(1)(B). If an agreement approved by the court prior to July 1, 1992,
  8             provides for termination of support before the date provided by subsec-
  9             tion (a)(1)(C), the court may review and modify such agreement, and any
10             order based on such agreement, to extend the date for termination of
11             support to the date provided by subsection (a)(1)(C). For purposes of this
12             section, ``bona fide high school student'' means a student who is enrolled
13             in full accordance with the policy of the accredited high school in which
14             the student is pursuing a high school diploma or a graduate equivalency
15             diploma (GED). In determining the amount to be paid for child support,
16             the court shall consider all relevant factors, without regard to marital
17             misconduct, including the financial resources and needs of both parents,
18             the financial resources and needs of the child and the physical and emo-
19             tional condition of the child. Until a child reaches 18 years of age, the
20             court may set apart any portion of property of either the husband or wife,
21             or both, that seems necessary and proper for the support of the child.
22             Every order requiring payment of child support under this section shall
23             require that the support be paid through the clerk of the district court or
24             the court trustee except for good cause shown.
25                 (2) Child custody and residency. (A) Changes in custody. Subject to
26             the provisions of the uniform child custody jurisdiction act (K.S.A. 38-
27             1301 et seq., and amendments thereto), the court may change or modify
28             any prior order of custody when a material change of circumstances is
29             shown.
30                 (B) Examination of parties. The court may order physical or mental
31             examinations of the parties if requested pursuant to K.S.A. 60-235 and
32             amendments thereto.
33                 (3) Child custody or residency criteria. The court shall determine
34             custody or residency of a child in accordance with the best interests of
35             the child.
36                 (A) If the parties have a written agreement concerning the custody
37             or residency of their minor child, it is presumed that the agreement is in
38             the best interests of the child. This presumption may be overcome and
39             the court may make a different order if the court makes specific findings
40             of fact stating why the agreement is not in the best interests of the child.
41                 (B) In determining the issue of custody or residency of a child, the
42             court shall consider all relevant factors, including but not limited to:
43                 (i) The length of time that the child has been under the actual care

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28

  1             and control of any person other than a parent and the circumstances
  2             relating thereto;
  3                 (ii) the desires of the child's parents as to custody or residency;
  4                 (iii) the desires of the child as to the child's custody or residency;
  5                 (iv) the interaction and interrelationship of the child with parents,
  6             siblings and any other person who may significantly affect the child's best
  7             interests;
  8                 (v) the child's adjustment to the child's home, school and community;
  9                 (vi) the willingness and ability of each parent to respect and appre-
10             ciate the bond between the child and the other parent and to allow for a
11             continuing relationship between the child and the other parent; and
12                 (vii) evidence of spousal abuse.
13                 Neither parent shall be considered to have a vested interest in the
14             custody or residency of any child as against the other parent, regardless
15             of the age of the child, and there shall be no presumption that it is in the
16             best interests of any infant or young child to give custody or residency to
17             the mother.
18                 (4) Types of custodial arrangements. Subject to the provisions of this
19             article, the court may make any order relating to custodial arrangements
20             which is in the best interests of the child. The order shall include, but
21             not be limited to, one of the following, in the order of preference:
22                 (A) Joint shared custody. (i) The court may place the custody of a
23             child with both parties on a shared or joint-custody joint shared custody
24             basis. In that event, the parties shall have equal rights to make decisions
25             in the best interests of the child under their custody. Both parents will
26             then be joint shared custodians. When a child is placed in the joint shared
27             custody of the child's parents, the court may further determine that the
28             residency of the child shall be divided either in an equal or near equal
29             manner with regard to time of residency or on the basis of a primary
30             residency arrangement for the child. The court, in its discretion, may shall
31             require the parents to submit a plan for implementation of a joint shared
32             custody order upon finding that both parents are suitable parents or the
33             parents, acting individually or in concert, may submit a custody imple-
34             mentation plan to the court prior to issuance of a custody decree. If the
35             parents cannot agree, the court shall presume and effect an order such
36             that each parent shares time with their children on an equal or near equal
37             basis. If circumstances cannot accommodate an equal or near equal shar-
38             ing of time, the court shall order a parenting schedule appropriate to the
39             circumstances, and in support of the spirit of continuing dual parent in-
40             volvement. If the court does not order joint shared custody, it shall include
41             in the record the specific findings of fact upon which the order for custody
42             other than joint shared custody is based.
43              (ii) If the parents have joint shared custody of a child pursuant

HB 2816--Am.

29

  1             to an agreement or a court order and one parent is moving from
  2             the geographical area, the parents shall agree to a new residency
  3             arrangement. If the parents cannot agree, the court shall presume
  4             that the child will remain with the parent who is not moving. This
  5             presumption may be rebutted based on the best interest of the
  6             child. As used in this paragraph, ``geographical area'' means an
  7             area which is 35 miles from the town or city which the parents
  8             currently reside.
  9                 (B) Sole custody. The court may place the custody of a child with one
10             parent, and the other parent shall be the noncustodial parent. The cus-
11             todial parent shall have the right to make decisions in the best interests
12             of the child, subject to the visitation rights parenting time of the noncus-
13             todial parent.
14                 (C) Divided custody. In an exceptional case, the court may divide the
15             custody of two or more children between the parties.
16                 (D) Nonparental custody. If during the proceedings the court deter-
17             mines that there is probable cause to believe that: (i) The child is a child
18             in need of care as defined by subsections (a)(1), (2) or (3) of K.S.A. 38-
19             1502 and amendments thereto; (ii) neither parent is fit to have custody;
20             or (iii) the child is currently residing with such child's grandparent, grand-
21             parents, aunt or uncle and such relative has had actual physical custody
22             of such child for a significant length of time, the court may award tem-
23             porary custody of the child to such relative, another person or agency if
24             the court finds the award of custody to such relative, another person or
25             agency is in the best interests of the child. In making such a custody
26             order, the court shall give preference, to the extent that the court finds
27             it is in the best interests of the child, first to awarding such custody to a
28             relative of the child by blood, marriage or adoption and second to award-
29             ing such custody to another person with whom the child has close emo-
30             tional ties. The court may make temporary orders for care, support, ed-
31             ucation, parenting time and visitation that it considers appropriate.
32             Temporary custody orders are to be entered in lieu of temporary orders
33             provided for in K.S.A. 38-1542 and 38-1543, and amendments thereto,
34             and shall remain in effect until there is a final determination under the
35             Kansas code for care of children. An award of temporary custody under
36             this paragraph shall not terminate parental rights nor give the court the
37             authority to consent to the adoption of the child. When the court enters
38             orders awarding temporary custody of the child to an agency or a person
39             other than the parent but not a relative as described in subpart (iii), the
40             court shall refer a transcript of the proceedings to the county or district
41             attorney. The county or district attorney shall file a petition as provided
42             in K.S.A. 38-1531 and amendments thereto and may request termination
43             of parental rights pursuant to K.S.A. 38-1581 and amendments thereto.

HB 2816--Am.

30

  1             The costs of the proceedings shall be paid from the general fund of the
  2             county. When a final determination is made that the child is not a child
  3             in need of care, the county or district attorney shall notify the court in
  4             writing and the court, after a hearing, shall enter appropriate custody
  5             orders pursuant to this section. If the same judge presides over both
  6             proceedings, the notice is not required. Any disposition pursuant to the
  7             Kansas code for care of children shall be binding and shall supersede any
  8             order under this section. When the court enters orders awarding tem-
  9             porary custody of the child to a relative as described in subpart (iii), the
10             court shall annually review the temporary custody to evaluate whether
11             such custody is still in the best interests of the child. If the court finds
12             such custody is in the best interests of the child, such custody shall con-
13             tinue. If the court finds such custody is not in the best interests of the
14             child, the court shall determine the custody pursuant to this section.
15                 (b) Financial matters. (1) Division of property. The decree shall di-
16             vide the real and personal property of the parties, including any retire-
17             ment and pension plans, whether owned by either spouse prior to mar-
18             riage, acquired by either spouse in the spouse's own right after marriage
19             or acquired by the spouses' joint efforts, by: (A) a division of the property
20             in kind; (B) awarding the property or part of the property to one of the
21             spouses and requiring the other to pay a just and proper sum; or (C)
22             ordering a sale of the property, under conditions prescribed by the court,
23             and dividing the proceeds of the sale. Upon request, the trial court shall
24             set a valuation date to be used for all assets at trial, which may be the
25             date of separation, filing or trial as the facts and circumstances of the case
26             may dictate. The trial court may consider evidence regarding changes in
27             value of various assets before and after the valuation date in making the
28             division of property. In dividing defined-contribution types of retirement
29             and pension plans, the court shall allocate profits and losses on the non-
30             participant's portion until date of distribution to that nonparticipant. In
31             making the division of property the court shall consider the age of the
32             parties; the duration of the marriage; the property owned by the parties;
33             their present and future earning capacities; the time, source and manner
34             of acquisition of property; family ties and obligations; the allowance of
35             maintenance or lack thereof; dissipation of assets; the tax consequences
36             of the property division upon the respective economic circumstances of
37             the parties; and such other factors as the court considers necessary to
38             make a just and reasonable division of property. The decree shall provide
39             for any changes in beneficiary designation on: (A) Any insurance or an-
40             nuity policy that is owned by the parties, or in the case of group life
41             insurance policies, under which either of the parties is a covered person;
42             (B) any trust instrument under which one party is the grantor or holds a
43             power of appointment over part or all of the trust assets, that may be

HB 2816--Am.

31

  1             exercised in favor of either party; or (C) any transfer on death or payable
  2             on death account under which one or both of the parties are owners or
  3             beneficiaries. Nothing in this section shall relieve the parties of the ob-
  4             ligation to effectuate any change in beneficiary designation by the filing
  5             of such change with the insurer or issuer in accordance with the terms
  6             of such policy.
  7                 (2) Maintenance. The decree may award to either party an allowance
  8             for future support denominated as maintenance, in an amount the court
  9             finds to be fair, just and equitable under all of the circumstances. The
10             decree may make the future payments modifiable or terminable under
11             circumstances prescribed in the decree. The court may make a modifi-
12             cation of maintenance retroactive to a date at least one month after the
13             date that the motion to modify was filed with the court. In any event, the
14             court may not award maintenance for a period of time in excess of 121
15             months. If the original court decree reserves the power of the court to
16             hear subsequent motions for reinstatement of maintenance and such a
17             motion is filed prior to the expiration of the stated period of time for
18             maintenance payments, the court shall have jurisdiction to hear a motion
19             by the recipient of the maintenance to reinstate the maintenance pay-
20             ments. Upon motion and hearing, the court may reinstate the payments
21             in whole or in part for a period of time, conditioned upon any modifying
22             or terminating circumstances prescribed by the court, but the reinstate-
23             ment shall be limited to a period of time not exceeding 121 months. The
24             recipient may file subsequent motions for reinstatement of maintenance
25             prior to the expiration of subsequent periods of time for maintenance
26             payments to be made, but no single period of reinstatement ordered by
27             the court may exceed 121 months. Maintenance may be in a lump sum,
28             in periodic payments, on a percentage of earnings or on any other basis.
29             At any time, on a hearing with reasonable notice to the party affected,
30             the court may modify the amounts or other conditions for the payment
31             of any portion of the maintenance originally awarded that has not already
32             become due, but no modification shall be made without the consent of
33             the party liable for the maintenance, if it has the effect of increasing or
34             accelerating the liability for the unpaid maintenance beyond what was
35             prescribed in the original decree. Every order requiring payment of main-
36             tenance under this section shall require that the maintenance be paid
37             through the clerk of the district court or the court trustee except for good
38             cause shown.
39                 (3) Separation agreement. If the parties have entered into a separa-
40             tion agreement which the court finds to be valid, just and equitable, the
41             agreement shall be incorporated in the decree. The provisions of the
42             agreement on all matters settled by it shall be confirmed in the decree
43             except that any provisions for the custody, support or education of the

HB 2816--Am.

32

  1             minor children shall be subject to the control of the court in accordance
  2             with all other provisions of this article. Matters settled by an agreement
  3             incorporated in the decree, other than matters pertaining to the custody,
  4             support or education of the minor children, shall not be subject to sub-
  5             sequent modification by the court except: (A) As prescribed by the agree-
  6             ment or (B) as subsequently consented to by the parties.
  7                 (4) Costs and fees. Costs and attorney fees may be awarded to either
  8             party as justice and equity require. The court may order that the amount
  9             be paid directly to the attorney, who may enforce the order in the attor-
10             ney's name in the same case.
11                 (c) Miscellaneous matters. (1) Restoration of name. Upon the request
12             of a spouse, the court shall order the restoration of that spouse's maiden
13             or former name.
14                 (2) Effective date as to remarriage. Any marriage contracted by a
15             party, within or outside this state, with any other person before a judg-
16             ment of divorce becomes final shall be voidable until the decree of divorce
17             becomes final. An agreement which waives the right of appeal from the
18             granting of the divorce and which is incorporated into the decree or
19             signed by the parties and filed in the case shall be effective to shorten
20             the period of time during which the remarriage is voidable.
21                 Sec. 25. K.S.A. 60-1612 is hereby amended to read as follows: 60-
22             1612. (a) If a party fails to comply with a provision of a decree, temporary
23             order or injunction issued under K.S.A. 60-1601 et seq., the obligation of
24             the other party to make payments for support or maintenance or to permit
25             visitation parenting time is not suspended, but the other party may re-
26             quest by motion that the court grant an appropriate order.
27                 (b) Motions to modify visitation parenting time or custody in pro-
28             ceedings where support obligations are enforced under part D of title IV
29             of the federal social security act (42 USC § 651 et seq.), as amended, shall
30             be considered proceedings in connection with the administration of the
31             title IV-D program for the sole purpose of disclosing information nec-
32             essary to obtain service of process on the parent with physical custody of
33             the child.
34                 Sec. 26. K.S.A. 60-1614 is hereby amended to read as follows: 60-
35             1614. The court may interview the minor children in chambers to assist
36             the court in determining custody and visitation parenting time. The court
37             may permit counsel to be present at the interviews. Upon request of any
38             party, the court shall cause a record of the interview to be made as part
39             of the record in the case.
40                 Sec. 27. K.S.A. 1997 Supp. 60-1616 is hereby amended to read as
41             follows: 60-1616. (a) Parents. A parent not granted custody or residency
42             of the child is entitled to reasonable visitation rights parenting time unless
43             the court finds, after a hearing, that visitation parenting time would en-

HB 2816--Am.

33

  1             danger seriously the child's physical, mental, moral or emotional health.
  2                 (b) Grandparents and stepparents. Grandparents and stepparents
  3             may be granted visitation rights.
  4                 (c) Modification. The court may modify an order granting or denying
  5             parenting time or visitation rights whenever modification would serve the
  6             best interests of the child.
  7                 (d) Enforcement of rights. An order granting visitation rights parent-
  8             ing time to a parent pursuant to this section may be enforced in accord-
  9             ance with K.S.A. 23-701, and amendments thereto.
10                 (e) Repeated denial of rights, effect. Repeated unreasonable denial of
11             or interference with visitation rights parenting time granted to a parent
12             pursuant to this section may be considered a material change of circum-
13             stances which justifies modification of a prior order of child custody.
14                 (f) Repeated child support misuse, effect. Repeated child support mis-
15             use may be considered a material change of circumstances which justifies
16             modification of a prior order of child custody.
17                 (g) Court ordered exchange or visitation parenting time at a child
18             exchange and visitation parenting time center. (1) The court may order
19             exchange or visitation parenting time to take place at a child exchange
20             and visitation parenting time center, as established in K.S.A. 75-720 and
21             amendments thereto.
22                 (2) A parent may petition the court to modify an order granting vis-
23             itation rights parenting time rights to require that the exchange or transfer
24             of children for visitation parenting time or visitation parenting time take
25             place at a child exchange and visitation parenting time center, as estab-
26             lished in K.S.A. 75-720 and amendments thereto. The court may modify
27             an order granting visitation rights parenting time whenever modification
28             would serve the best interests of the child.
29                 Sec. 28. K.S.A. 60-1617 is hereby amended to read as follows: 60-
30             1617. (a) Family counseling. Upon motion by any party or on the court's
31             own motion, the court may order at any time prior to or subsequent to
32             the alteration of the parties' marital status that the parties and any of their
33             children be interviewed by a psychiatrist, licensed psychologist or other
34             trained professional in family counseling, approved by the court, for the
35             purpose of determining whether it is in the best interests of any of the
36             parties' children that the parties and any of their children have counseling
37             with regard to matters of custody and visitation parenting time. The court
38             shall receive the written opinion of the professional, and the court shall
39             make the opinion available to counsel upon request. Counsel may ex-
40             amine as a witness any professional consulted by the court under this
41             section. If the opinion of the professional is that counseling is in the best
42             interests of any of the children, the court may order the parties and any
43             of the children to obtain counseling. Neither party shall be required to

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  1             obtain counseling pursuant to this section if the party objects thereto
  2             because the counseling conflicts with sincerely held religious tenets and
  3             practices to which any party is an adherent.
  4                 (b) Costs. The costs of the counseling shall be taxed to either party
  5             as equity and justice require.
  6                 Sec. 29. K.S.A. 1997 Supp. 60-1621 is hereby amended to read as
  7             follows: 60-1621. (a) No postdivorce motion petitioning for a change in
  8             child custody, a modification of child support or a change in visitation
  9             parenting time shall be filed or docketed in the district court without
10             payment of a docket fee in the amount of $20 to the clerk of the district
11             court.
12                 (b) A poverty affidavit may be filed in lieu of a docket fee as estab-
13             lished in K.S.A. 60-2001, and amendments thereto.
14                 (c) The docket fee shall be the only costs assessed in each case for
15             services of the clerk of the district court and the sheriff. The docket fee
16             shall be disbursed in accordance with subsection (f) of K.S.A. 20-362, and
17             amendments thereto.
18                 Sec. 30. K.S.A. 1997 Supp. 60-3107 is hereby amended to read as
19             follows: 60-3107. (a) The court shall be empowered to approve any con-
20             sent agreement to bring about a cessation of abuse of the plaintiff or
21             minor children or grant any of the following orders:
22                 (1) Restraining the parties from abusing, molesting or interfering
23             with the privacy or rights of each other or of any minor children of the
24             parties. Such order shall contain a statement that if such order is violated,
25             such violation may constitute assault as provided in K.S.A. 21-3408, and
26             amendments thereto, battery as provided in K.S.A. 21-3412, and amend-
27             ments thereto, and violation of a protective order as provided in K.S.A.
28             1997 Supp. 21-3843, and amendments thereto.
29                 (2) Granting possession of the residence or household to a party to
30             the exclusion of the other party, and further restraining the party not
31             granted possession from entering or remaining upon or in such residence
32             or household, subject to the limitation of subsection (c). Such order shall
33             contain a statement that if such order is violated, such violation shall
34             constitute criminal trespass as provided in subsection (c) of K.S.A. 21-
35             3721, and amendments thereto, and violation of a protective order as
36             provided in K.S.A. 1997 Supp. 21-3843, and amendments thereto.
37                 (3) Requiring a party to provide suitable, alternate housing for such
38             party's spouse and any minor children of the parties.
39                 (4) Awarding temporary custody and establishing temporary visitation
40             rights parenting time with regard to minor children.
41                 (5) Ordering a law enforcement officer to evict a party from the res-
42             idence or household.
43                 (6) Ordering support payments by a party for the support of a party's

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  1             minor child or a party's spouse. Such support orders shall remain in effect
  2             until modified or dismissed by the court or until expiration and shall be
  3             for a fixed period of time not to exceed one year. On the motion of the
  4             plaintiff, the court may extend the effect of such order for 12 months.
  5                 (7) Awarding costs and attorney fees to either party.
  6                 (8) Making provision for the possession of personal property of the
  7             parties and ordering a law enforcement officer to assist in securing pos-
  8             session of that property, if necessary.
  9                 (9) Requiring the person against whom the order is issued to seek
10             counseling to aid in the cessation of abuse.
11                 (b) If, within the period that an order of support issued pursuant to
12             subsection (a)(6) is in existence, a party files a petition for divorce, sep-
13             arate maintenance or annulment and an application for temporary sup-
14             port pursuant to K.S.A. 60-1601 et seq., and amendments thereto, the
15             order of support shall continue in effect until an order is issued on the
16             application for temporary support or until such earlier time as ordered
17             by the court on motion of either party at any time for good cause shown.
18             If a party has previously commenced an action for divorce, separate main-
19             tenance or annulment prior to commencement of an action under the
20             protection from abuse act, the court may enter, pursuant to the protection
21             from abuse act, an order inconsistent with the order previously entered
22             in the divorce, separate maintenance or annulment proceeding. If an in-
23             consistent order is entered pursuant to the protection from abuse act, the
24             order previously entered in the other proceeding shall be vacated upon
25             motion in the proceeding pursuant to the protection from abuse act.
26                 (c) If the parties to an action under the protection from abuse act are
27             not married to each other and one party owns the residence or household,
28             the court shall not have the authority to grant possession of the residence
29             or household under subsection (a)(2) to the exclusion of the party who
30             owns it.
31                 (d) Subject to the provisions of subsections (b) and (c), a protective
32             order or approved consent agreement shall remain in effect until modified
33             or dismissed by the court and shall be for a fixed period of time not to
34             exceed one year, except that, on motion of the plaintiff, such period may
35             be extended for one additional year.
36                 (e) The court may amend its order or agreement at any time upon
37             motion filed by either party.
38                 (f) No order or agreement under the protection from abuse act shall
39             in any manner affect title to any real property.
40                 (g) If a person enters or remains on premises or property violating
41             an order issued pursuant to subsection (a)(2), such violation shall consti-
42             tute criminal trespass as provided in subsection (c) of K.S.A. 21-3721, and
43             amendments thereto, and violation of a protective order as provided in

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  1             K.S.A. 1997 Supp. 21-3843, and amendments thereto. If a person abuses,
  2             molests or interferes with the privacy or rights of another violating an
  3             order issued pursuant to subsection (a)(1), such violation may constitute
  4             assault as provided in K.S.A. 21-3408, and amendments thereto, battery
  5             as provided in K.S.A. 21-3412, and amendments thereto, and violation of
  6             a protective order as provided in K.S.A. 1997 Supp. 21-3843, and amend-
  7             ments thereto.
  8                 Sec. 31. K.S.A. 1997 Supp. 74-7334 is hereby amended to read as
  9             follows: 74-7334. (a) There is hereby created in the state treasury the
10             crime victims assistance fund. All moneys credited to the fund pursuant
11             to K.S.A. 12-4117, 19-101e, 19-4707 and 20-367, and amendments
12             thereto, shall be used solely for the purpose of making grants for on-going
13             operating expenses of programs, including court-appointed special ad-
14             vocate programs, providing: (1) Temporary emergency shelter for victims
15             of child abuse and neglect; (2) counseling and assistance to those victims;
16             or (3) educational services directed at reducing the incidence of child
17             abuse and neglect and diminishing its impact on the victim. The remain-
18             der of moneys credited to the fund shall be used for the purpose of
19             supporting the operation of state agency programs which provide services
20             to the victims of crime and making grants to existing programs or to
21             establish and maintain new programs providing services to the victims of
22             crime.
23                 (b) All expenditures from the crime victims assistance fund shall be
24             made in accordance with appropriations acts upon warrants of the direc-
25             tor of accounts and reports issued pursuant to vouchers approved by the
26             attorney general or by a person or persons designated by the attorney
27             general.
28                 (c) The attorney general may apply for, receive and accept moneys
29             from any source for the purposes for which moneys in the crime victims
30             assistance fund may be expended. Upon receipt of any such moneys, the
31             attorney general shall remit the entire amount at least monthly to the
32             state treasurer, who shall deposit it in the state treasury and credit it to
33             the crime victims assistance fund.
34                 (d) Grants made to programs with funds derived from K.S.A. 12-
35             4117, 19-101e, 19-4707 and 20-367 and amendments thereto shall be
36             based on the numbers of persons served by the program and shall be
37             made only to programs aimed at preventing child abuse and neglect or
38             providing residential services or facilities to victims of child abuse or ne-
39             glect. In order for programs to qualify for funding under this section, they
40             must:
41                 (1) Meet the requirements of section 501(c) of the internal revenue
42             code of 1986;
43                 (2) be registered and in good standing as a nonprofit corporation;

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  1                 (3) meet normally accepted standards for nonprofit organizations;
  2                 (4) have trustees who represent the racial, ethnic and socioeconomic
  3             diversity of the county or counties served;
  4                 (5) have received 50% or more of their funds from sources other than
  5             funds distributed through the fund, which other sources may be public
  6             or private and may include contributions of goods or services, including
  7             materials, commodities, transportation, office space or other types of fa-
  8             cilities or personal services;
  9                 (6) demonstrate ability to successfully administer programs;
10                 (7) make available an independent certified audit of the previous
11             year's financial records;
12                 (8) have obtained appropriate licensing or certification, or both;
13                 (9) serve a significant number of residents of the county or counties
14             served;
15                 (10) not unnecessarily duplicate services already adequately provided
16             to county residents; and
17                 (11) agree to comply with reporting requirements of the attorney
18             general.
19                 The attorney general may adopt rules and regulations establishing ad-
20             ditional standards for eligibility and accountability for grants made pur-
21             suant to this section.
22                 (e) All moneys credited to the fund pursuant to K.S.A. 23-108a and
23             amendments thereto, shall be set aside to use as matching funds for meet-
24             ing any federal requirement for the purpose of establishing child
25             exchange and visitation parenting time centers as provided in K.S.A. 75-
26             720 and amendments thereto. If no federal funds are made available to
27             the state for the purpose of establishing such child exchange and visitation
28             parenting time centers, then such moneys may be used as otherwise pro-
29             vided in this section. Only those moneys credited to the fund pursuant
30             to K.S.A. 23-108a, and amendments thereto, may be used for such match-
31             ing funds. No state general fund moneys shall be used for such matching
32             funds.
33                 Sec. 32. K.S.A. 75-720 is hereby amended to read as follows: 75-720.
34             (a) Subject to the provisions of appropriation acts, the attorney general
35             shall provide for child exchange and visitation parenting time centers
36             throughout the state for victims of domestic or family violence and their
37             children to allow court-ordered child exchange or visitation parenting
38             time in a manner that protects the safety of all family members. The
39             attorney general shall coordinate and cooperate with local governmental
40             agencies in providing the child exchange and visitation parenting time
41             centers.
42                 (b) A child exchange and visitation parenting time center shall pro-
43             vide:

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  1                 (1) A secure setting and specialized procedures for supervised visi-
  2             tation parenting time and the exchange or transfer of children for visita-
  3             tion parenting time; and
  4                 (2) supervision by a person trained in security and the avoidance of
  5             domestic and family violence.
  6                 (c) A child exchange and visitation parenting time center is for chil-
  7             dren who have been removed from such children's parents and placed
  8             outside the home as a result of abuse or neglect or other risk of harm to
  9             such children and for children whose parents are separated or divorced
10             and the children are at risk because:
11                 (1) There is documented sexual, physical or emotional abuse as de-
12             termined by the court;
13                 (2) there is suspected or elevated risk of sexual, physical or emotional
14             abuse, or there have been threats of parental abduction of the child;
15                 (3) due to domestic violence, there is an ongoing risk of harm to a
16             parent or child;
17                 (4) a parent is impaired because of substance abuse or mental illness;
18                 (5) there are allegations that a child is at risk for any of the reasons
19             stated in paragraphs (1) through (4) pending an investigation; or
20                 (6) other circumstances, as determined by the court, point to the
21             existence of such a risk.
22                 (d) The attorney general may apply for, receive and accept moneys
23             from any source for the purposes of establishing child exchange and vis-
24             itation parenting time centers for victims of domestic violence.
25                 (e) There is hereby created in the state treasury the child exchange
26             and visitation parenting time centers fund. All moneys credited to the
27             fund shall be used solely for the purpose of establishing and maintaining
28             child exchange and visitation parenting time centers for victims of do-
29             mestic violence. All expenditures from the child exchange and visitation
30             parenting time center fund shall be made in accordance with appropria-
31             tion acts upon warrants of the director of accounts and reports issued
32             pursuant to vouchers approved by the attorney general or by the attorney
33             general's designee.
34                 Sec. 33.  K.S.A. 20-164, 21-3422, 21-3422a, 23-601, 23-602, 23-701,
35             38-1302, 38-1309, 38-1310, 38-1597, 60-1612, 60-1614, 60-1617 and
36             75-720 and K.S.A. 1997 Supp. 5-509, 20-302b, 20-302c, 23-9,305, 23-
37             1001, 23-1002, 38-1121, 38-1138, 38-1563, 38-1569, 38-1583, 38-1641,
38             38-1664, 38-16,119, 60-1610, 60-1616, 60-1621, 60-3107 and 74-7334 are
39             hereby repealed.
40                 Sec. 34. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its
41             publication in the statute book.
42            
43