HB 565 -- Child Visitation Rights

Sponsor:  Brown (50)

This bill requires the parties in a dissolution of marriage
proceeding to submit in their proposed parenting plan a specific
written schedule for electronic communication with any children.
Each parent, unless otherwise denied by court order, must allow
and encourage the other parent to have reasonable and uncensored
communications electronically between a noncustodial parent and a
child and between a child and the custodial parent when the child
is staying with the noncustodial parent.  Electronic
communication is designed to supplement and not replace in-person
visitation.  "Electronic communication" is specified as parenting
time facilitated by telephone, e-mail, instant messaging, video
conferencing, and any other wired or wireless technologies over
the Internet or other communication media.

If the parties cannot agree on whether electronic communication
equipment is reasonably available, the court will make the
decision based on the best interest of the child, each parent's
ability to handle any additional expenses for the electronic
communication, and any other factors the court considers
relevant.

The amount of time electronic communication is used will not be a
factor in the calculation of child support, and the court cannot
consider the availability of electronic communication as a factor
in support of relocating a child out of the state by the
custodial parent.

Missouri House of Representatives
94th General Assembly, 1st Regular Session
Last Updated July 25, 2007 at 11:19 am