Family law is ever changing as new laws are proposed or passed that impact how these challenging cases are decided. This article will provide an update on legislative changes that impact family law.
Piqui’s Law, educating judges to reduce risk of children from dangerous parents.
- Piqui was the nickname of a child who was murdered by his father in 2017 soon after his father had won partial custody rights.
- The Law requiresjudges to go through training to better assess family custody cases where the child could be at risk if allowed to be with a dangerous parent.
- The law also prohibits family court judges from ordering what’s called “family reunification treatments” such as camps, particularly when it involves reconnecting a child with a parent suspected of being abusive.
- For more information, see: https://abc7.com/piquis-law-gavin-newsom-bill-signed-aramazd-piqui-andressian-jr/13911339/
AB 665, equalizing mental health care for youth.
- The purpose of this law was to make mental health care equally available to low income youth.
- The existing California law allowed youth ages 12 and older to consent to outpatient mental health counseling, but previously teens using Medi-Cal had to meet a higher acuity than peers who had private insurance coverage.
- This law corrects that problem to eliminate the inequity between those covered by Medi-Cal and those with private insurance.
- For more information, see: https://healthlaw.org/news/governor-signs-ab-665-into-law-increasing-mental-health-care-access-for-low-income-youth/
AB 1148, the Stable Parents Stable Children Act extending grace period from incarceration to child support payments due.
- This law amends Family Code 4007.5(b), which previously required child support obligations to resume on the first day of the month after an incarcerated person is released.
- Now the incarcerated person has ten months to begin paying.
- For more information, see: https://a18.asmdc.org/news/20231013-ab-1148-stable-parents-stable-children-act-signed-law
SB 343, Child Support Federal Rule Compliance.
- Changed the way child support is calculated.
- Increases the ceiling for low-income adjustments and allows courts to consider parent’s earning capacity.
- For more information, see https://calawyers.org/family-law/2023-family-law-legislative-update/
Contact an Experienced Family Law Attorney
If you need an experienced family law attorney, we are here TO HELP YOU. At the Law Office of David Knecht, we have extensive experience in family law and can help you understand and litigate your California divorce. We are ready to listen and help you achieve your goals. Contact us today at 707-451-4502.
