5.__Electronic means; testimony and evidence.__Upon motion of a service member who is a party in a civil case, the court shall allow the service member to present testimony and evidence by electronic means when the military duties of the service member have a material effect on the service member's ability to appear in person at a regularly scheduled hearing, unless good cause is shown.__For purposes of this subsection, "electronic means" includes, but is not limited to, telephone, video teleconference and the Internet.

6.__Expedited hearing.__Upon motion of a service member who is a party in a civil case, the court shall hold an expedited hearing when the military duties of the service member have a material effect on the service member's ability to appear in person at a regularly scheduled hearing, unless good cause is shown.

7.__Transfer of custody and visitation.__Upon motion of a service member, or upon the court's own motion, in a case involving custody or visitation, the court shall allow the visitation rights of the service member to be exercised by a relative of the service member who has a significant connection with the child or children when the military duties of the service member have a material effect on the ability of the service member to exercise those rights, unless good cause is shown.

SUMMARY

The bill provides that courts may not consider a military member's departure from the family residence or absence from the child or children as an adverse factor in determining parental rights and responsibilities if the military member's absence is due to military mobilization.

The bill strengthens existing state civil relief protections for mobilized military members by allowing them to testify electronically, by requiring that their cases be held expeditiously and by allowing a service member to transfer the custody and visitation rights of the member's child to one of the member's relatives if the military member is mobilized.

The bill grants state recognition to wills, health care directives and powers of attorney federal laws pertaining to the military irrespective of specific state requirements.