An act relating to parental rights and responsibilities

H 369 establishes a legal presumption that shared parental rights and responsibilities (meaning both parents share decision-making and physical care) are in the best interests of a child after separation or divorce. Courts must assume shared parenting is appropriate unless evidence shows it would cause direct physical harm or significant emotional harm to the child or a parent. The bill updates the factors courts consider in custody cases, including parents' ability to communicate and cooperate, the child's relationship with each parent, and the child's adjustment to their current environment. It also requires child support orders to reflect the true cost of raising a child and approximate the standard of living the child would have enjoyed had the family remained intact. The law takes effect on July 1, 2025.