HB 303: Family Court Amendments - Utah

Substitute #3 → Enrolled · 6 edits · Mar 23, 2026

MODERATE

This bill updates Utah's family law to better address coercive control, domestic violence, and mental health treatment in custody cases. It adds 'coercive control' as a specific factor courts must consider when deciding custody and parenting time, ensuring that patterns of behavior like isolation and financial control are recognized as harmful. The bill also establishes a new process for ordering mental health treatment, requiring parents to agree on a therapist or submit lists of three options if they cannot agree, while prioritizing the child's safety and insurance coverage. Additionally, it creates a new part defining strict qualifications for custody evaluators and outlines procedures for their appointment and removal.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope of family court proceedings by explicitly including 'coercive control' alongside physical abuse as a factor in custody decisions and by creating a new statutory framework for court-ordered mental health evaluations.

DEFINITION

Added a specific definition for 'coercive control' to include patterns of behavior such as isolation, financial control, and excessive monitoring.

REQUIREMENT

Mandated that courts consider evidence of coercive control when making child custody or parent-time decisions.

Established a new process for selecting mental health professionals for court-ordered treatment, requiring parents to agree or submit lists of three recommended professionals.

Created a new section defining strict qualifications for custody evaluators, including specific training hours and licensure requirements.

Added requirements for custody evaluators to consult with specialists if they lack training on specific issues like substance abuse or domestic violence.

TIMELINE

Changed the effective date for the bill from May 6, 2026, to March 10, 2026, for the newly enacted sections.

Introduced → Substitute #1 · 9 edits

MAJOR

This bill updates Utah's family law to better address domestic violence and abuse by adding 'coercive control' as a specific factor courts must consider in custody and parenting time decisions. It also establishes a formal, regulated process for ordering child custody evaluations, requiring evaluators to meet specific licensing and training standards. Additionally, the bill clarifies rules for ordering mental health treatment and strengthens protections against discrimination based on medical cannabis use or gender identity.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope of family law proceedings to explicitly include 'coercive control' as a relevant factor in custody determinations and creates a new statutory framework for custody evaluations.

DEFINITION

Added a specific definition for 'coercive control,' defining it as a pattern of behavior that unreasonably interferes with an individual's ability to make independent decisions, including isolating a person, controlling finances, or threatening harm.

Updated the definition of 'coercive control' to include specific tactics such as threatening self-harm and threatening harm to household animals.

Added a new definition for 'household animal' to ensure animals are protected under domestic violence and coercive control provisions.

REQUIREMENT

Modified custody and parenting time factors to require courts to consider evidence of coercive control and psychological maltreatment alongside traditional factors like abuse and financial responsibility.

Created a new section establishing strict qualifications for custody evaluators, requiring specific licenses (such as clinical social worker or psychologist) and at least 18 hours of specialized training on child development and family dynamics.

Modified the process for selecting mental health professionals for court-ordered treatment to include a requirement that parents verify the professional has no conflict of interest with either party.

Modified the rules regarding medical cannabis use, explicitly prohibiting courts from discriminating against parents for lawful medical cannabis possession or use in custody decisions.

Modified the rules on gender identity, prohibiting courts from discriminating against parents based on their agreement or disagreement with a child's gender identity or expression.

ENFORCEMENT

Established a formal roster system maintained by the Administrative Office of the Courts to list qualified custody evaluators and their fees, ensuring transparency and standardization in the selection process.

Substitute #2 → Substitute #3 · 5 edits

MODERATE

This bill updates Utah's family law by formally defining 'coercive control' and 'psychological maltreatment' as factors courts must consider in custody and parenting time decisions. It establishes a new process for ordering mental health treatment in custody cases, requiring parents to agree on a therapist or submit lists of three candidates if they cannot agree. Additionally, it creates a new section for court-appointed custody evaluations with specific qualifications for evaluators and rules to ensure their impartiality.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope of family court proceedings by adding specific behavioral patterns (coercive control) as relevant factors in custody determinations and introducing a structured mechanism for mental health evaluations and custody assessments.

DEFINITION

Added specific definitions for 'coercive control' and 'psychological maltreatment' to guide courts in evaluating parental behavior.

Reorganized and clarified the list of defined terms within the family law chapter to ensure consistency across the code.

REQUIREMENT

Created a new process for ordering mental health treatment in custody cases, including a requirement for parents to agree on a professional or submit lists of three candidates if they disagree.

Established a new part for custody evaluations, defining the qualifications for evaluators and setting rules for their appointment, removal, and communication with parties.

Updated custody factors to explicitly include evidence of coercive control and psychological maltreatment when determining the best interests of a child.

Substitute #1 → Substitute #2 · 6 edits

MODERATE

This bill updates Utah's family law statutes to better address domestic abuse, coercive control, and child custody evaluations. It adds specific definitions for 'coercive control' and 'psychological maltreatment,' expands the factors courts must consider when deciding custody, and establishes a new legal process for ordering and conducting child custody evaluations by qualified professionals.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope of family law proceedings by introducing new mandatory considerations for courts regarding abuse patterns and by creating a new statutory framework for custody evaluations.

DEFINITION

Added specific definitions for 'coercive control' (a pattern of behavior interfering with independent decisions) and 'psychological maltreatment' (behavior that thwarts a child's psychological needs).

Modified the definition of 'coercive control' to include specific examples like isolating a victim, controlling finances, and threatening self-harm to manipulate behavior.

REQUIREMENT

Modified custody and parent-time factors to require courts to consider evidence of coercive control and psychological maltreatment when determining the best interests of a child.

Added a new section creating a formal process for ordering child custody evaluations, including strict qualifications for evaluators and rules to ensure their impartiality.

Added requirements that courts cannot discriminate against parents based on their lawful use of medical cannabis or their support for a child's gender identity.

ENFORCEMENT

Modified rules regarding mental health treatment orders in custody cases to prioritize child safety and specify how parents and courts select treatment providers.

Family Court Amendments

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