Minnesota Session Laws - 2012, Regular Session

CHAPTER 153--S.F.No. 2297

An act

relating to crime victims; establishing Jacob's law; requiring notification by law enforcement to social services if a child is neglected or abused outside the home; amending parental rights under custody orders to include police reports on minor children;

amending Minnesota Statutes 2010, sections 518.17, subdivision 3; 626.556, subdivision 10a.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 518.17, subdivision 3, is amended to read:

Subd. 3.

Custody order.

(a) Upon adjudging the nullity of a marriage, or in a dissolution or separation proceeding, or in a child custody proceeding, the court shall make such further order as it deems just and proper concerning:

(1) the legal custody of the minor children of the parties which shall be sole or joint;

(2) their physical custody and residence; and

(3) their support. In determining custody, the court shall consider the best interests of each child and shall not prefer one parent over the other solely on the basis of the sex of the parent.

(b) The court shall grant the following rights to each of the parties, unless specific findings are made under section 518.68, subdivision 1. Each party has the new text begin following rights: new text end

new text begin (1) new text end right of access to, and to receive copies of, school, medical, dental, religious training, new text begin police reports, new text end and other important records and information about the minor children deleted text begin . Each party has the deleted text end new text begin ; new text end

new text begin (2) new text end right of access to information regarding health or dental insurance available to the minor children deleted text begin . Each party shall keep the other party deleted text end new text begin ; new text end

new text begin (3) new text end new text begin right to be new text end informed new text begin by the other party new text end as to the name and address of the school of attendance of the minor children deleted text begin . Each party has the deleted text end new text begin ; new text end

new text begin (4) new text end right to be informed by school officials about the children's welfare, educational progress and status, and to attend school and parent-teacher conferences. The school is not required to hold a separate conference for each party deleted text begin . In case of an accident or serious illness of a minor child, each party shall notify deleted text end new text begin ; new text end

new text begin (5) right to be notified by new text end the other party of deleted text begin the deleted text end new text begin an new text end accident or new text begin serious new text end illness new text begin of a minor child new text end , deleted text begin and deleted text end new text begin including new text end the name of the health care provider and the place of treatment deleted text begin . Each party has the deleted text end new text begin ; new text end

new text begin (6) right to be notified by the other party if the minor child is the victim of an alleged crime, including the name of the investigating law enforcement officer or agency. There is no duty to notify if the party to be notified is the alleged perpetrator; and new text end

new text begin (7) new text end right to reasonable access and telephone contact with the minor children.

new text begin (c) new text end The court may waive any of the rights under this section if it finds it is necessary to protect the welfare of a party or child.

new text begin (d) If a court order or law prohibits contact by a party, notification required under paragraph (b), clauses (1), (2), (3), (5), and (6), shall not be by direct communication of the parties. Third-party communication shall be limited to the specific purposes delineated in this subdivision. Nothing in this subdivision shall modify, suspend, revoke, or terminate a court order or law that prohibits contact by a party. new text end

new text begin (e) If one of the parties is a program participant under chapter 5B, the other party shall send all information and notifications required under paragraph (b), clauses (1), (2), (3), (5), and (6), to the participant's designated address. The program participant is exempted from the requirements of paragraph (b). new text end

new text begin (f) Failure to notify or inform a party of rights under paragraph (b) does not form a basis for modification under section 518.18, paragraph (d), clause (iv), unless other grounds are alleged which would support a modification. new text end

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 626.556, subdivision 10a, is amended to read:

Subd. 10a.

Law enforcement agency responsibility for investigation; welfare agency reliance on law enforcement fact-finding; welfare agency offer of services.

(a) If the report alleges neglect, physical abuse, or sexual abuse by a person who is not a parent, guardian, sibling, person responsible for the child's care functioning within the family unit, or a person who lives in the child's household and who has a significant relationship to the child, in a setting other than a facility as defined in subdivision 2, the local welfare agency shall immediately notify the appropriate law enforcement agency, which shall conduct an investigation of the alleged abuse or neglect if a violation of a criminal statute is alleged.

(b) The local agency may rely on the fact-finding efforts of the law enforcement investigation conducted under this subdivision to make a determination whether or not threatened injury or other maltreatment has occurred under subdivision 2 if an alleged offender has minor children or lives with minors.

(c) new text begin If a child is the victim of an alleged crime under paragraph (a), the law enforcement agency shall immediately notify new text end the local welfare agency new text begin , which new text end shall offer appropriate social services for the purpose of safeguarding and enhancing the welfare of the abused or neglected minor.

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective July 1, 2012. new text end

Presented to the governor April 2, 2012

Signed by the governor April 4, 2012, 11:21 a.m.