1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to family law; clarifying procedures for 
  1.3             certain counseling; amending Minnesota Statutes 2000, 
  1.4             section 518.17, by adding a subdivision. 
  1.5   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.6      Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 518.17, is 
  1.7   amended by adding a subdivision to read: 
  1.8      Subd. 3a.  [COUNSELING.] (a) After giving notice to the 
  1.9   other parent at the time of making the counseling appointment, a 
  1.10  parent who has been granted parenting time with a child may take 
  1.11  the child to family or psychological counseling with a 
  1.12  professional counselor licensed in Minnesota for help with 
  1.13  issues that relate to the child and that parent.  The counseling 
  1.14  may not deal with issues that relate to the parenting skills of 
  1.15  the other parent or the relationship of the child with the other 
  1.16  parent unless the other parent has consented. 
  1.17     (b) If the parties are granted joint legal custody of a 
  1.18  child, the primary custodian may take the child to family or 
  1.19  psychological counseling by a professional counselor licensed in 
  1.20  Minnesota without prior permission from the other party if the 
  1.21  primary custodian has notified the other party of the counseling 
  1.22  at the time of making the counseling appointment.  The party who 
  1.23  is not the primary custodian may take the child to family or 
  1.24  psychological counseling only with the permission of the primary 
  1.25  custodian.  
  2.1      (c) The parties must use mediation to resolve any dispute 
  2.2   concerning counseling.