Official Summary Text
SB1329 - 572R - Senate Fact Sheet
Assigned to
JUDE������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ FOR
COMMITTEE
ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Seventh
Legislature, Second Regular Session
FACT SHEET FOR
S.B. 1329
family
court; professional personnel; liability
Purpose
Enables a parent to bring a civil action against court-appointed
professional personnel if the professional has deviated from prescribed ethics
and standards.
Background
Statute requires the court to determine legal decision-making and
parenting time in accordance with the best interests of the child. In a
contested legal decision-making or parenting time case, the court must make
specific findings on the record about all relevant factors and the reasons for
which the decision is in the best interests of the child (
A.R.S. Title 25, Chapter 4
).
The court may interview the child to determine the child's wishes relating to
custodianship and parenting time. In so doing, the court may seek advice from
professional personnel, who may be employed by the court on a regular basis (
A.R.S.
� 25-405
). In contested legal decision-making and parenting time
proceedings, the court may order an investigation and report concerning such
arrangements for the child (
A.R.S.
� 25-406
).
The specific ethics and standards that court-appointed professional
personnel must follow depend on the regulatory board with which the individuals
are licensed. Court-appointed psychologists, for example, are regulated by the
Arizona Board of Psychologist Examiners (Board), which incorporates the Ethics
Code for Behavior Analysts published by the Behavior Analyst Certification
Board (
A.A.C.
R4-26-406
). Additionally, the Board may investigate evidence that appears
to show that a psychologist is psychologically incompetent, guilty of
unprofessional conduct or mentally or physically unable to safely engage in the
practice of psychology. Claims of unprofessional conduct brought against a
court-appointed psychologist must be independently reviewed by three Board
members, each of whom must provide the Board's executive director with an
independent recommendation on whether to open an investigation (
A.R.S.
� 32-2081
).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact
to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.
Provisions
1.
Allows
a parent to bring a civil action against any professional personnel appointed
by the court in any matter involving legal decision-making or parenting time if
the professional personnel deviates from ethics and standards prescribed by the
professional's licensing agency and licensing requirements.
2.
Requires
a parent to commence the action within four years after the cause of action
accrues.
3.
Becomes
effective on the general effective date.
Prepared by Senate Research
February 2, 2026
ZD/ci
Current Bill Text
Read the full stored bill text
SB1329 - 572R - S Ver
Senate Engrossed
family court;
professional personnel; liability
State of Arizona
Senate
Fifty-seventh Legislature
Second Regular Session
2026
SENATE BILL 1329
AN
ACT
amending title 25, chapter 4, article 1, arizona
revised statutes, by adding section 25-419; relating to legal decision-making
and parenting time.
(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)
Be it
enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:
Section 1. Title 25, chapter 4, article 1,
Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 25-419, to read:
START_STATUTE
25-419.
Professional personnel; liability
A parent may bring a civil action against any
professional personnel who is appointed by the court in any matter involving
legal decision-making or parenting time for a deviation from the
professional personnel's ethics and standards that are prescribed by the
professional personnel's licensing agency and licensing requirements.� A parent
shall commence an action pursuant to this section within four years after the
cause of action accrues.
END_STATUTE