Sec. 1. 19-A MRSA §1653, sub-§6, ķA, as enacted by PL 1995, c. 694, Pt. B, §2 and affected by Pt. E, §2, is amended to read:

A. A court may award primary residence of a minor child or parent-child contact with a minor child to a parent who has committed domestic abuse only if the court finds by clear and convincing evidence that contact between the parent and child is in the best interest of the child and the court determines that adequate provision for the safety of the child and the parent who is a victim of domestic abuse can be made.

SUMMARY

This bill increases the standard the court must apply in determining whether contact or residing with a parent that has committed domestic abuse is in the child's best interest. This bill requires that the court find by clear and convincing evidence that residing with that parent or having contact with that parent is in the child's best interest.