HB 378 Pennsylvania House · 2025-2026 Regular Session

An Act amending Title 23 (Domestic Relations) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in child custody, further providing for factors to consider when awarding custody.

HB 378 amends Pennsylvania's child custody laws by adding new factors judges must consider when determining custody arrangements. The bill explicitly requires courts to weigh specific elements, such as the child's adjustment to home, school, and community, alongside existing considerations. This change directly affects judges presiding over custody cases and parents involved in those proceedings. The law became effective immediately upon the governor's approval on June 30, 2025 (Act No. 11 of 2025).
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2025
Committee Review
Jun 2025
House Passage
May 2025
Senate Passage
Jun 2025
Signed into Law
Jun 2025
Introduced Jan 28, 2025 Signed Jun 30, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Printer's No. PN0334 Printer's No. PN1599 · 3 edits
MINOR
This bill updates the list of factors judges must consider when deciding child custody cases. It expands the definition of abuse to include protection orders and clarifies that a child's negative relationship with a parent is not automatically blamed on the other parent. Additionally, it requires courts to provide parents with a list of these custody factors within 30 days of filing a custody case.
Scope change
The bill expands the scope of the custody analysis by broadening the definition of abuse to include individuals in a party's household and protection orders, and it adds a procedural requirement for courts to distribute custody factor lists to parties early in the process.
REQUIREMENT

The definition of abuse in custody cases now explicitly includes past or current protection from abuse or sexual violence protection orders where a finding of abuse was made.

The bill clarifies that a child's deficient or negative relationship with one party cannot be presumed to be caused by the other party.

Courts must provide all parties with a copy of the custody factors section within 30 days of receiving a custody complaint, petition for modification, or intervention petition.

Floor votes · Senate Jun 26, 2025 · House May 5, 2025

How they voted

500
Passed
Total votes 50
Jun 26, 2025
D Democratic23
23 Yea
100% Yea
R Republican27
27 Yea
100% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
20
Key actions
7
Committee
6
Jun 30, 2025
Signed into law
Approved by the Governor
upper
Jun 26, 2025
Upper · Passed
Third consideration and final passage
upper
Jun 23, 2025
Upper · Passed
Reported as committed
upper
May 16, 2025
Committee
Referred to Judiciary
upper
May 6, 2025
Lower · Passed
Third consideration and final passage
lower
May 6, 2025
Lower · Passed
Re-reported as committed
lower
May 5, 2025
House · Passed
House Vote: pass (203-0)
house
May 5, 2025
Committee
Re-committed to Appropriations
lower
Feb 4, 2025
Lower · Passed
Reported as committed
lower
Jan 28, 2025
Committee
Referred to Judiciary
lower
1 primary · 19 co-sponsors

Sponsors