House File 636 - Reprinted HOUSE FILE 636 BY COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY (SUCCESSOR TO HF 438) (As Amended and Passed by the House March 16, 2023 ) A BILL FOR An Act relating to consideration of the educational setting of 1 a minor child in a child custody proceeding. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 HF 636 (2) 90 pf/rh/md
H.F. 636 Section 1. Section 598.1, Code 2023, is amended by adding 1 the following new subsection: 2 NEW SUBSECTION . 2A. “Educational setting” means a public 3 school, an accredited nonpublic school, competent private 4 instruction or independent private instruction in accordance 5 with the provisions of chapter 299A, or any other method of 6 educational instruction that satisfies the compulsory education 7 requirements of chapter 299. 8 Sec. 2. Section 598.10, subsection 1, Code 2023, is amended 9 by adding the following new paragraph: 10 NEW PARAGRAPH . c. If the parents are in disagreement over a 11 minor child’s educational setting, the court shall consider the 12 educational setting of the minor child in making a temporary 13 order for custody. There is a rebuttable presumption that 14 it is in the best interest of the minor child to remain in 15 the educational setting in which the minor child was enrolled 16 during the immediately preceding school year. The presumption 17 is rebuttable only by a preponderance of the evidence that such 18 educational setting is not in the best interest of the child. 19 Sec. 3. Section 598.41, Code 2023, is amended by adding the 20 following new subsections: 21 NEW SUBSECTION . 4A. If joint legal custody is awarded 22 to both parents, but the parents are in disagreement over a 23 minor child’s educational setting, the court shall consider, 24 and include a provision in the custody order regarding, the 25 educational setting of the minor child. There is a rebuttable 26 presumption that it is in the best interest of the minor child 27 to remain in the educational setting in which the minor child 28 was enrolled during the immediately preceding school year. 29 The presumption is rebuttable only by a preponderance of the 30 evidence that such educational setting is not in the best 31 interest of the child. 32 NEW SUBSECTION . 10. All orders relating to custody of a 33 child shall specify the rights and responsibilities of each 34 parent relative to the minor child’s educational setting. 35 -1- HF 636 (2) 90 pf/rh/md 1/ 2
H.F. 636 The order shall, at a minimum, specify a parent’s rights 1 and responsibilities regarding physical access to the child 2 during the school day; access to records involving the health, 3 education, and welfare of the child; decision-making authority 4 including instances when parental consent or authorization is 5 required; and the removal of the child from the premises of the 6 educational setting during school hours. However, the order 7 shall not require that a parent have physical access to a child 8 during the school day or be allowed to remove the child from 9 the premises of the educational setting during school hours 10 if the child is being provided competent private instruction 11 or independent private instruction in accordance with chapter 12 299A. Any parent with legal custody of the child shall provide 13 a copy of the order to the educational setting and to the 14 school district of the child to whom the order applies. 15 -2- HF 636 (2) 90 pf/rh/md 2/ 2