CHAPTER 415
H.P. 839 - L.D. 1144
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 19 MRSA §214, sub-§6, ¶B, as amended by PL 1995, c. 172, §1, is further amended to read:
B. A statement that each parent must have access to records and information pertaining to a minor child, including but not limited to, medical, dental and school records and other information on school activities, whether or not the child resides with the parent, unless that access is found not to be in the best interest of the child or that access is found to be sought for the purpose of causing detriment to the other parent. If that access is not ordered, the court shall state in the order its reasons for denying that access; and
Sec. 2. 19 MRSA §752, sub-§6, ¶B, as amended by PL 1995, c. 172, §5, is further amended to read:
B. A statement that each parent must have access to records and information pertaining to a minor child, including but not limited to, medical, dental and school records and other information on school activities, whether or not the child resides with the parent, unless that access is found not to be in the best interest of the child or that access is found to be sought for the purpose of causing detriment to the other parent. If that access is not ordered, the court shall state in the order its reasons for denying that access; and
Sec. 3. 19-A MRSA §1653, sub-§2, ¶D, as amended by PL 1997, c. 187, §2 and affected by §5, is further amended to read:
D. The order of the court awarding parental rights and responsibilities must include the following:
(1) Allocated parental rights and responsibilities, shared parental rights and responsibilities or sole parental rights and responsibilities, according to the best interest of the child as provided in subsection 3. An award of shared parental rights and responsibilities may include either an allocation of the child's primary residential care to one parent and rights of parent-child contact to the other parent, or a sharing of the child's primary residential care by both parents;
(2) Conditions of parent-child contact in cases involving domestic abuse as provided in subsection 6;
(3) A provision for child support as provided in subsection 8 or a statement of the reasons for not ordering child support;
(4) A statement that each parent must have access to records and information pertaining to a minor child, including, but not limited to, medical, dental and school records and other information on school activities, whether or not the child resides with the parent, unless that access is found not to be in the best interest of the child or that access is found to be sought for the purpose of causing detriment to the other parent. If that access is not ordered, the court shall state in the order its reasons for denying that access;
(5) A statement that violation of the order may result in a finding of contempt and imposition of sanctions as provided in subsection 7; and
(6) A statement of the definition of shared parental rights and responsibilities contained in section 1501, subsection 5, if the order of the court awards shared parental rights and responsibilities.
An order modifying a previous order is not required to include provisions of the previous order that are not modified.
Sec. 4. 20-A MRSA §6001-A is enacted to read:
§6001-A. Parental access to information on school activities
1. Parental notification. Upon written request by a parent, a school administrative unit may provide written notification of all school activities and programs for which parental participation, involvement, notification or awareness is in the best interest of the student. A noncustodial parent may have access to information on school activities and programs upon written request and with the mutual agreement of the custodial parent and the school administrative unit.
2. Exemption. This section does not apply to a parent denied parental rights and responsibilities in a court order.
Sec. 5. Effective date. That section of this Act that amends the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 19-A, section 1653, subsection 2, paragraph D takes effect October 1, 1997.
Effective September 19, 1997, unless otherwise indicated, unless otherwise indicated.
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