Visitation rights.

Existing law governs the determination of child custody and visitation in contested proceedings. Existing law requires the court, for purposes of deciding custody or visitation, to determine the best interests of the child based on certain factors, including the health, safety, and welfare of the child, and the nature and amount of contact with both parents, except as specified. Existing law also requires the court to determine, under designated circumstances, whether to require that visitation to be supervised, suspended, limited, or denied. Under existing law, if the court finds that a party is staying in a domestic violence shelter or other confidential location, the court is required to design a visitation order to prevent disclosure of the location of the shelter or other confidential location. This bill, among other things, would require the court, in determining whether to require the above-described limitations on visitation, to consider virtual visitation, as defined. The bill would require a court, if it finds that a party is staying at one of the above-described locations due to domestic violence or fear of domestic violence from the other parent, to order in-person visitation only if the court finds that in-person visitation is in the best interest of the child and taking into consideration, among other things, the potential for disclosure of the confidential location. Existing law requires the Judicial Council to develop standards for supervised visitation providers in accordance with specified guidelines. When developing standards, existing law requires the Judicial Council to consider, among other things, the provider's qualifications, experience, and education. Under existing law, the term "provider" includes any individual who functions as a visitation monitor, as well as supervised visitation centers. This bill would authorize superior court locations to serve as supervised visitation and exchange locations, and would also authorize the court to designate employees and contractors to provide supervised visitation and exchange services or assistance with those services. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 3011 of the Family Code proposed by AB 957 to be operative only if this bill and AB 957 are enacted and this bill is enacted last.