Plain English Breakdown
The plain English breakdown is still being put together. The official documents below are already here.
HF2937 • 2026
Use of parenting consultants in family court cases regulated.
Use of parenting consultants in family court cases regulated.
Passed Legislature
This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.
Bill History
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2026-03-12
House
Author added Hudson
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2025-04-01
House
Introduction and first reading, referred to Judiciary Finance and Civil Law
Official Summary Text
Use of parenting consultants in family court cases regulated.
Current Bill Text
Read the full stored bill text
A bill for an act relating to civil law; regulating the use of parenting consultants in family court cases; amending Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 518.1751, subdivision 4, by adding a subdivision. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 518.1751, subdivision 4, is amended to read: Subd. 4. Other agreements. new text begin (a) A person selected by the parties to serve as a parenting consultant must meet the qualifications in subdivision 2c for a parenting time expeditor or the qualifications of a marriage and family therapist in section 148B.33, subdivision 1. For the purposes of this section, a "parenting consultant" is a neutral third party hired by the parties to resolve parenting time disputes and other parenting conflicts. new text end new text begin (b) The role of a parenting consultant is to assist and guide the parties in resolving issues that arise due to implementing a custody and parenting time court order. A parenting consultant may not modify a custody order or change the percentage of the parenting time awarded to either party. new text end new text begin (c) Any party may discharge a parenting consultant by providing written notice to the consultant. The party must also file the notice with the court and serve all parties with the notice. The court may discharge a parenting consultant when the court finds that the consultant is not serving the best interest of the child. new text end new text begin (d) new text end This section does not preclude the parties from voluntarily agreeing to submit their parenting time dispute to a neutral third party or from otherwise resolving parenting time disputes on a voluntary basis. Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 518.1751, is amended by adding a subdivision to read: new text begin Subd. 8. new text end new text begin Decisions of parenting consultants. new text end new text begin The decisions of a parenting consultant must not be binding on the parties to an action under this chapter. The court must not be bound by the decisions of a parenting time consultant. The court must treat evidence of a parenting consultant's determination as inadmissible in proceedings commenced under this chapter. Any evidence, evaluations, or recommendations made by a parenting consultant must not be admissible in court. new text end