COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE
FOR
H. B. 4530
(By Delegates Trump, Staton, Ashley,
Buchanan, Webb and Fleischauer)
(Originating in the Committee on Finance)
[March 6, 1998]
A BILL to amend article two, chapter forty-eight of the code of
West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as
amended, by adding thereto a new section, designated
section ten-b, relating generally to the establishment by
the supreme court of appeals of programs of parent education
classes for parents of minor children when the parents are
involved in actions for divorce, paternity, custody or
separate maintenance.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That article two, chapter forty-eight of the code of West
Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended, be
amended by adding thereto a new section, designated section ten- b, to read as follows:
ARTICLE 2. DIVORCE, ANNULMENT AND SEPARATE MAINTENANCE.
§48-2-10b. Parent education classes.
(a) The supreme court of appeals may, by administrative rule
or order, direct the circuit courts throughout the state, or
specific circuit courts the supreme court of appeals selects for pilot projects, to establish programs of parent education.
(b) The programs established under this section shall be
designed for parents who have filed an action for divorce,
paternity, support or separate maintenance. The purpose of the
programs shall be to instruct and educate parents about the
effects of divorce and custody disputes on their children. The
programs shall be designed to teach parents ways to help their
children and minimize their trauma.
(c) The rule or order may require attendance at the classes
for every party to an action for divorce, paternity, custody or
separate maintenance when there are minor children born of the
parties. The rule or order may establish sanctions for failure
to attend parent education class in accordance with the rule or
order.
(d) The rule or order may require that each person attending
the class pay a fee for the class. The fee set and charged for
attending the class may not exceed twenty-five dollars.
(e) The administrative office of the supreme court shall
submit a report on the effectiveness of the pilot projects no
later than two years from the initiation of the program.
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