HF4760

Purpose

The bill creates a Parenting Time Enforcement Task Force to study how parenting time (time a parent spends with their child) and custody interference are enforced under Minnesota law. The goal is to develop recommendations to improve how court-ordered parenting time is enforced while keeping children safe.

Main Provisions

• Establishment: A new Parenting Time Enforcement Task Force is created to review how parenting time denial and custody interference are handled under Minnesota Statutes chapters 518 and 609, and to propose improvements to enforcement that protect child safety.
• Membership: The task force includes a mix of lawmakers, judges, legal professionals, law enforcement, child welfare specialists, and parents with lived experience. Specific members include:
  • Two members of the House (one appointed by the speaker, one by the minority leader)
  • Two members of the Senate (one by the majority leader, one by the minority leader)
  • The Chief Justice or designee with family court experience
  • One district court judge with family court experience
  • One county attorney
  • One sheriff or municipal law enforcement representative
  • One representative of the Department of Human Services with child protection expertise
  • One representative of the Board of Public Defense with family or criminal law experience
  • Two attorneys who represent parents in custody or parenting time cases (one custodial, one noncustodial)
  • One guardian ad litem or child advocacy representative
  • One mental health professional with expertise in child and family dynamics
  • Two parents with lived experience in parenting time denial or custody interference disputes (appointed by legislative members)
• Appointments: Must be made by August 1, 2026. Members serve without pay but may be reimbursed for expenses.
• Duties: The task force will:
  • Evaluate how effective current remedies are for parenting time denial and custody interference (under sections 518.175 and 609.26).
  • Examine how often parenting time violations occur and how strong current enforcement is.
  • Review civil and criminal enforcement tools, including contempt proceedings and custodial interference statutes.
  • Assess how parenting time disputes affect child safety and family wellbeing, including domestic violence considerations.
  • Identify barriers to timely and effective enforcement.
  • Review best practices from other states about parenting time enforcement and custody interference remedies.
  • Develop recommendations for legislative or judicial action to improve enforcement while protecting children's best interests and safety.
• Administration: The Legislative Coordinating Commission provides administrative and meeting support. The task force operates under state open-meeting and public-business statutes (chapters 13 and 13D). The task force will elect a chair and a vice-chair from among its legislative members.
• Reporting: By January 15, 2027, the task force must submit a report to the chairs and ranking minority members of the relevant legislative committees with findings, recommendations, and any proposed legislation.
• Expiration: The task force expires on June 30, 2027.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Creates a temporary, multidisciplinary body (the Parenting Time Enforcement Task Force) to study and recommend improvements to how parenting time and custody interference are enforced.
• Does not immediately change current enforcement statutes; instead it analyzes current remedies (civil and criminal tools, contempt, custodial interference) and proposes potential legislative or judicial actions.
• Adds a formal process for gathering diverse perspectives (lawmakers, judges, prosecutors, law enforcement, child protection, guardians ad litem, mental health professionals, and parents with experience in related disputes) to inform future policy.

Timeline and Funding

• Appointments due by August 1, 2026.
• Report due by January 15, 2027.
• Task force expires June 30, 2027.
• Funding: An appropriation from the general fund in fiscal year 2026 to the Legislative Coordinating Commission to support the Task Force.

Administration and Oversight

• Support and governance provided by the Legislative Coordinating Commission.
• The task force and its activities comply with Minnesota’s public governance statutes (chapters 13 and 13D).
• Chair and vice-chair to be elected from among the legislative members.

Relevant Terms - Parenting time - Custody interference - Minnesota Statutes chapters 518 and 609 - 518.175 - 609.26 - Contempt proceedings - Custodial interference - Guardian ad litem - Child advocacy - Domestic violence - Child safety - Best interests of the child - Enforcement remedies - Civil and criminal enforcement tools - Legislative Coordinating Commission - General fund - Appropriation - Report - Expiration - LCC support - Appointments - Jan. 15, 2027 - Aug. 1, 2026