04/09/2010 09:00 AM Senate FINANCE

CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 334(RLS)                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     "An Act  establishing child custody,  modification, and                                                                    
     visitation  standards   for  a  military   parent;  and                                                                    
     amending  Rules  77  and  99,  Alaska  Rules  of  Civil                                                                    
     Procedure."                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
9:41:45 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CASEY   SHROEDER,   STAFF,   REPRESENTATIVE   BILL   THOMAS,                                                                    
discussed the  legislation, which is nearly  identical to SB
  heard  earlier  this  session  by  the  Senate  Finance                                                                    
Committee.  The legislation  provides  guidelines to  courts                                                                    
having a difficult time balancing  child custody disputes at                                                                    
the  time  of  military  deployment.  She  stated  the  bill                                                                    
required  that  a court  not  consider  deployment in  cases                                                                    
concerning   child  custody.   The  bill   allows  expedited                                                                    
hearings for the service member.  The service member is also                                                                    
allowed delegation  of visitation rights to  a family member                                                                    
with  a close  connection  to the  child. Temporary  custody                                                                    
orders  are provided  for allowing  the deploying  parent to                                                                    
allow  temporary  custody to  the  other  parent. The  order                                                                    
would  expire  within  ten  days  following  return  of  the                                                                    
deployed  parent.  The  bill allows  a  deployed  parent  to                                                                    
testify in a court proceeding  through the internet or video                                                                    
teleconferencing.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
9:45:04 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Senator  Huggins MOVED  to report  HB 334  out of  Committee                                                                    
with individual recommendations  and the accompanying fiscal                                                                    
note. There being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
HB  334 was  REPORTED  out  of Committee  with  a "do  pass"                                                                    
recommendation and with one  previously published zero note:                                                                    
FN1 (CRT).                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
MARK SAN  SOUCI, DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE  (via teleconference)                                                                    
echoed the  testimony of Casey  Schroeder. He  informed that                                                                    
11  other states  are  considering  similar legislation  and                                                                    
Vermont  and Indiana  have signed  bills this  session. This                                                                    
legislation, if  passed, would  be considered  best practice                                                                    
legislation nationwide.