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ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES57th Legislature, 2nd Regular Session |
House: JUD DP 8-0-1-0 |
HB 2615: parenting time; supervision; professional supervisor
Sponsor: Representative Blackman, LD 7
House Engrossed
Overview
Establishes the conditions under which the court must order a professional supervisor in any parenting time proceeding and outlines the qualifications and training requirements for any professional or non-professional supervisor who may be appointed by the court.
History
A parent who is not granted sole or joint legal decision-making is entitled to reasonable parenting time to ensure the child has substantial, frequent, meaningful and continuing contact with that parent, unless the court finds after a hearing that parenting time would endanger the child’s physical, mental, moral or emotional health. A parenting time hearing may be requested by a parent or by a nonparent who files a petition for third-party rights. (A.R.S. §§ 25-403.01; 25-402).
At a parenting time hearing, the court, if it is deemed to be in the child's best interest, may order that a family or household member, or an agency specified by the court, must supervise parenting time. Statute also outlines specific circumstances where supervised parenting time is mandated, such as if the parent is a registered sex-offender or has been convicted of first degree murder (A.R.S. §§ 25-403.03; 25-403.05).
Statute defines parenting time as the schedule of time during which each parent has access to a child at specified times (A.R.S. § 25-401).
Provisions
1. Requires an evidentiary hearing in which the court determines supervised parenting time is required before the court can order supervised parenting time with a professional or non-professional supervisor and outlines how the evidentiary hearing will be conducted. (Sec. 1)
2. Mandates that a temporary supervised parenting order can only be for a period of 6 months and must be reviewed and renewed by the court every 6 months until a final order is issued. (Sec. 1)
3. Requires the court, in any parenting time proceeding, to order supervised parenting time with a professional supervisor if:
a. the matter is deemed to be a high-risk case; or
b. either party is subject to an order of protection or injunction against harassment at the time of the proceeding or anytime in the 10 years prior to the proceeding. (Sec. 1)
4. Allows the court, in any parenting time proceeding, to order supervised parenting time with a non-professional supervisor if both of the aforementioned conditions are not met. (Sec. 1)
5. Mandates that any professional supervisor eligible to conduct court-ordered supervised parenting time must have extensive and specialized training and certifications in all the following:
a. professions that have direct involvement with teenagers;
b. adverse childhood experiences;
c. domestic violence dynamics;
d. recognition of child abuse;
e. trauma informed training in post-traumatic stress disorder;
f. crisis intervention and safety planning; and
g. training and certification for supervised parenting time by a national organization. (Sec. 1)
6. Mandates that any professional supervisor eligible to conduct court-ordered supervised parenting time must also: 1) have a current background check with the Department of Child Safety central registry or the Adult Protective Services registry; 2) have a valid fingerprint clearance card; 3) have active professional liability insurance; 4) have completed a minimum of 24 hours of continuing education in the preceding two years; and 5) be required to undergo 24-hours of continuing education every subsequent 2 years. (Sec. 1)
7. Mandates that the aforementioned training and certifications required for a professional supervisor to be eligible to conduct court-ordered supervised parenting time must be verifiable and must also be able to be submitted to the court upon request. (Sec. 1)
8. Outlines the duties of a professional supervisor, specific restrictions and requirements on their conduct when interacting with the child or parents under the supervised parenting order and when a professional supervisor must file reports, and directs that the reports are under the penalty of perjury (Sec. 1)
9. Mandates that any non-professional supervisor who is appointed by the court must:
a. follow the training and standards of a national organization that establishes standards of practice for supervised parenting time;
b. complete training in trauma, domestic violence, de-escalation techniques and professional documentation standards; and
c. read and agree in writing to practice the standards for non-professional supervisors that are established by the Supreme Court. (Sec. 1)
10. Adds professional and non-professional supervisors to the list of mandatory reporters and outlines how and when they must submit a report. (Sec. 1)
11. Allows a parent the right to refuse to use a supervisor if the supervisor does not meet the qualifications outlined in statute, if the supervisor refuses to provide proof of the qualifications when requested by the court or if there is a conflict of interest involving the supervisor. (Sec. 1)
12. Outlines specific circumstances which bar an individual from serving as a professional or non-professional supervisor. (Sec. 1)
13. Defines pertinent terms. (Sec. 1)
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17. Initials NM/NP HB 2615
18. 3/5/2026 Page 0 House Engrossed
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