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HB0083 • 2022
Protection of parental rights-application.
AN ACT relating to parental rights; specifying applicability of parent rights protections; and providing for an effective date.
Children
Inactive
Wyoming marks this bill as inactive, which usually means it is no longer moving in the current session.
- Sponsor
- Representative Stith
- Last action
- 2022-03-11
- Official status
- inactive
- Effective date
- 3/1/2022
Plain English Breakdown
The bill did not pass the Senate committee and is inactive as of March 11, 2022.
Protection of Parental Rights-Application
The bill aims to specify when parental rights protections apply in judicial decisions regarding parentage, neglect, termination of parental rights, child custody, or visitation under Wyoming law.
What This Bill Does
- Adds a new subsection (c) to W.S. 14-2-206 to clarify the applicability of the section.
- Creates a new section 20-5-501 that explains how this act should be applied and interpreted.
Who It Names or Affects
- Parents involved in legal disputes over their children's welfare and care.
- Courts making decisions about parentage, neglect, termination of parental rights, child custody, or visitation.
Terms To Know
- Parental Rights
- Legal protections for parents to make decisions regarding their children's upbringing and welfare.
- Judicial Determination
- A decision made by a court in legal proceedings.
Limits and Unknowns
- The bill did not pass the Senate committee, so it is inactive.
- It does not specify how to balance parental rights with the best interests of the child standard.
- The bill's effectiveness was set for July 1, 2022, but since it did not become law, this date is no longer relevant.
Amendments
These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.
Plain English: The amendment adds a sentence to ensure that parental rights protections do not override what is best for the child, according to Wyoming state law.
- Adds language stating that nothing in the section about parental rights can change or replace the 'best interests of the child' standard.
- The amendment does not specify how this new sentence will be applied in practice, leaving some uncertainty about its impact on existing laws and future cases.
HB0083HW001
Committee of the Whole • Representative Zwonitzer
Adopted
Plain English: The amendment adds a new section to the bill that requires courts to consider uniformity with other states' laws when interpreting parental rights protections and specifies where these protections apply in judicial decisions.
- Adds a new section (20-5-501) stating that courts should aim for legal consistency among states when applying parental rights protections.
- Specifies that the parental rights protections under Wyoming Statute 14-2-206 will be applicable in judicial decisions involving parentage, neglect, termination of parental rights, child custody, and visitation.
- The amendment text does not provide details on how uniformity with other states' laws should be achieved or measured.
- It is unclear what specific changes this will make to existing judicial practices without further context.
HB0083HS001
Standing Committee • House Judiciary Committee
Adopted
Plain English: The amendment modifies the bill to specify that parent rights protections apply in certain judicial situations and removes references to non-judicial contexts.
- Adds 'also' after 'shall' on page 1 line 13, indicating additional applicability of parental rights protections.
- Removes 'or' after 'judicial' on page 1 line 13.
- Eliminates the term 'non-judicial' from page 1 line 14.
- Changes 'and custody' to 'or custody' on page 2 line 1.
- The exact implications of these changes in practical terms are not fully explained by the amendment text alone.
Bill History
-
2022-03-11
Senate
S:Died in Committee Returned Bill Pursuant to SR 5-4
-
2022-03-08
Senate
S No report prior to CoW Cutoff
-
2022-03-04
Senate
S01 - Judiciary:Do Pass Failed 2-3-0-0-0
-
2022-03-02
Senate
S Introduced and Referred to S01 - Judiciary
-
2022-03-02
Senate
S Received for Introduction
-
2022-03-01
House
H 3rd Reading:Passed 38-21-1-0-0
-
2022-02-28
House
H 2nd Reading:Passed
-
2022-02-25
House
H 2nd Reading:Laid Back
-
2022-02-24
House
H COW:Passed
-
2022-02-18
House
H Placed on General File
-
2022-02-18
House
H01 - Judiciary:Recommend Amend and Do Pass 7-2-0-0-0
-
2022-02-16
House
H Introduced and Referred to H01 - Judiciary 59-0-1-0-0
-
2022-02-11
House
H Received for Introduction
-
2022-02-08
LSO
Bill Number Assigned
Current Bill Text
Read the full stored bill text
22LSO-0265
2022
STATE OF WYOMING
22LSO-0265
ENGROSSED
3.0
HOUSE BILL NO. HB0083
Protection of parental rights-application.
Sponsored by: Representative(s) Stith, Baker, Jennings and Laursen and Senator(s) Hutchings and Kolb
A BILL
for
AN ACT relating to parental rights; specifying applicability of parent rights protections; and providing for an effective date.
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:
Section 1.
W.S. 14
‑
2
‑
206 by creating a new subsection (c) and 20-5-501 are amended to read:
14
‑
2
‑
206.
Protection of parental rights and applicability.
(c)
This section shall also apply in any judicial determination or adjudication regarding parental rights involving parentage, neglect, termination of parental
rights, child custody or visitation under this title or under title 20 of the Wyoming statutes.
20-5-501.
Application and construction; protection of parental rights.
(a)
In applying and construing this act, consideration shall be given to the need to promote uniformity of the law with respect to its subject matter among states that enact it.
(b)
The parental rights protections under W.S.
14
‑
2
‑
206 shall apply in any judicial determination or adjudication regarding parental rights involving parentage, neglect, termination of parental rights, child custody or visitation under this title of the Wyoming statutes.
Section 2
.
This act is effective July 1, 2022
.
(END)
1
HB0083