NATIONAL PARENTS ORGANIZATION | PRESS RELEASE
July 14, 2018
KENTUCKY GOVERNOR MATT BEVIN SPEAKS OUT ON ‘COMMON SENSE’ NEW SHARED PARENTING LAW
Frankfort, Kentucky — National Parents Organization of Kentucky is pleased to partner with Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin to release Bevin’s statement on the state’s new shared parenting law.
In a written statement, Bevin said of the new law: “HB 528 promotes shared parenting as a starting point following divorce cases. The aim is to reduce unnecessary custody battles while also factoring in clearly defined exceptions. This common sense legislation is another example of how Kentucky is leading the way in the protection and care of our young people.”
Bevin signed the new law April 26, and the law took effect July 14.
The new law is from HB528, a bill stating equal parenting time is best for children. The law change is historic locally and nationally, as with the change, Kentucky leads the nation in protecting children’s best interests when parents divorce or separate.
“What an exciting time for the children of Kentucky! We know from an abundance of research as well as our own experiences that children desperately want and need both parents, and our state laws will finally align with this reality. We can now say with confidence that Kentucky is a family friendly state. Thank you, Governor Bevin, for supporting the best interests of children,” said Matt Hancock of National Parents Organization of Kentucky.
While a handful of states have laws supporting shared parenting and about 25 states have considered similar reform in the past year, Kentucky’s new law goes the furthest by establishing a “presumption, rebuttable by a preponderance of evidence, that joint custody and equally shared parenting time is in the best interest of the child.” This means only fit parents will receive shared parenting. For instance, parents with a domestic violence finding will not qualify for equal parenting time.
Jason Petrie and Kevin Bratcher were the primary sponsors with nine additional cosponsors. The legislation passed 81-2 in the Kentucky House, and it passed 38-0 in the Kentucky Senate.
While Kentucky now leads the nation in shared parenting, just a few years ago it was one of the worst states in this area. In 2014, Kentucky received a D- on National Parents Organization’s Shared Parenting Report Card, which graded each state on its shared parenting laws. A year ago, Kentucky took the first step toward shared parenting by passing a law that created a presumption of shared parenting in temporary custody orders.
“Looking back, it’s been a hard, long road to climb. But it’s all worth it because it’s best for kids,” said National Parents Organization of Kentucky’s Jason Griffith.
ABOUT NATIONAL PARENTS ORGANIZATION
National Parents Organization, a charitable and educational 501 (c)(3) organization, seeks better lives for children through family law reform that establishes equal rights and responsibilities for fathers and mothers after divorce or separation. The organization is focused on promoting shared parenting and preserving a child’s strong bonds with both parents, which is critically important to their emotional, mental, and physical health. National Parents Organization released the Shared Parenting Report Card, the first study to rank the states on child custody laws, and in 2017, National Parents Organization hosted the International Conference on Shared Parenting, bringing in research scholars from 18 countries to share their results on shared parenting. Visit the National Parents Organization website at www.nationalparentsorganization.org