Legislative Testimony

Ronald W. Nelson frequently testifies to Committees of the Kansas Legislature on important Family Law issues and legislation, and works with state and local organizations to improve existing laws and to enact new laws to address important emerging issues and to correct problems not adequately addressed in current law.

2018

Presented oral and written testimony to the 2018 House Judiciary Committee in support of amendments to the Kansas Protection from Abuse Act, with suggestions for improvement

 

Presented oral and written testimony to the 2018 House Judiciary Committee in support of amendments to the Kansas Adoption and Relinquishment Act

 

Presented oral and written testimony to the 2018 Senate Judiciary Committee in opposition to proposals to drastically change provisions about parenting time

 

2017

Presented oral and written testimony to the 2017 Kansas House Judiciary Committee opposing HB2101, proposing the abolition of common law marriage in Kansas.

Opposition testimony on HB2101

2016

Presented oral and written testimony to the 2016 Kansas House Judiciary Committee on SB393, which would amend the factors judges must consider when deciding child legal custody (decision-making), residency, and parenting time issues. Testimony presented on behalf of the Kansas Bar Association, Family Law Section.

Neutral testimony on SB 393

2015

 

Presented oral and written testimony to the 2015 Kansas House Federal and State Affairs Committee supporting SB105, which would enact the 2008 amendments to the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act implementing the Hague Convention on the International Recovery of Child Support and Other Forms of Family Maintenance (Concluded 23 November 2007). Testimony was presented on behalf of the Kansas Judicial Council Family Law Advisory Committee.

Testimony supporting SB 105

Presented written testimony to the 2015 Kansas House Judiciary Committee in opposition to SB157, which would add a limitation in the Revised Kansas Code for Care of Children providing that the Code does not permit any person to compel a parent to medicate a child if the parent is acting in accordance with medical advice from a physician — regardless whether the parent was fit or not:

Testimony opposing SB 157

Presented written testimony to the 2015 Kansas House Judiciary Committee in opposition to SB159, which would enact the “SAFE Families Act” allowing ‘a parent’ to give to any other person a “power of attorney for care and custody of a child” — regardless whether the parent was fit or not whether the person given the power was fit or not:

Testimony opposing SB 159

Presented oral and written testimony to the 2015 Kansas House Judiciary Committee in opposition to HB2147, which sought to amend the Kansas Protection from Abuse and Protection from Stalking acts, renaming the Protection from Stalking Act the “Protection from Stalking or Sexual Assault Act.”

Testimony opposing HB 2147

Presented oral and written testimony to the 2015 Kansas House Judiciary Committee supporting a bill to amend Kansas Domestic Case Management statutes HB2039.

Testimony supporting HB 2039

Presented oral and written testimony to the 2015 Kansas Senate Judiciary Committee supporting SB105, which would enact the 2008 amendments to the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act implementing the Hague Convention on the International Recovery of Child Support and Other Forms of Family Maintenance (Concluded 23 November 2007). Testimony was presented on behalf of the Kansas Judicial Council Family Law Advisory Committee.

Testimony supporting SB 105

Presented oral and written testimony to the 2015 Kansas House Judiciary Committee supporting HB2114 on bill to provide notice to third-parties when their personal and business records are subpoenaed in a civil action to which they are not a party.

Testimony supporting HB 2114

2014

 

Testified to the 2014 Kansas House Committee on the Judiciary at an Informational Hearing on Domestic Relations Case Management, including HB2558, SB389, and HB2664

Informational Testimony on Domestic Relations Case Management

Testified to the 2014 Kansas House Committee on Children and Seniors Opposing HB2558, which proposes to prohibit the use of domestic case management (parenting coordination) and to invalidate any existing case management orders. Testimony also focuses on supporting amendments to the Kansas Domestic Case Management statutes as suggested in SB389 and HB2664 (Domestic Case Management: procedure, orders, and requirements).

Testimony opposing HB2558

Testified to the 2014 Kansas House Judiciary Committee and to the Kansas Senate Judiciary Committee on HB2568, which further “cleans-up” the Revised Kansas Family Law in Chapter 23 of the Kansas Statutes Annotated by deleting duplicate provisions, removes non-uniform provisions from the Kansas Uniform Parentage Act, and clarifies what must be filed with a motion to modify a support order and when a resulting order becomes effective. Testimony presented on behalf of the Kansas Judicial Council Family Law Advisory Committee.

House Judiciary Committee Testimony supporting HB2568

Senate Judiciary Committee Testimony supporting HB2568

Explanation of 2014 Amendments to Kansas Family Law Code

Provided written testimony to the 2014 Kansas House Judiciary Committee opposing HB2450, which would replace the term “best interests of the child” with “least detrimental alternative for the child” throughout the Kansas Revised Family Law Code and HB2462, which would make radical and detrimental changes to the Kansas Family Law Code, including changes to limit spousal support to no more than 12 total months, mandate equal parenting time, require than any change from an equal parenting schedule be proven “beyond a reasonable doubt, allow a child to choose with which parent the child would live; allow modification of child support regardless of any change in circumstances; and allow changes to child support retroactive to any past date.

Testimony opposing 2014 HB 2450 and HB 2462

2013

 

No testimony presented.

2012

 

Testified to the 2012 Kansas House Judiciary Committee on HB2741, which “cleans-up” the recodification of Kansas Family Law in Chapter 23 of the Kansas Statutes Annotated (on behalf of the Kansas Judicial Council).

Testimony supporting 2012 HB 2741

Testified to the 2012 Kansas House Judiciary Committee on SB262, opposing a requirement that grandparents “must receive consideration” when a child is “removed from the custody of a parent” under the Revised Code for Care of Children.

Testimony opposing 2012 SB 262

Anticipate testifying to the 2012 Kansas House Corrections and Juvenile Justice Committee on HB2736, which proposes new requirements for petitions for protection from stalking when the defendant in that case is under 14 years of age.

Testified to the 2012 Kansas House Judiciary Committee on HB2252, proposing to allow persons who are divorced outside Kansas to obtain a name-change in Kansas  (on behalf of the Kansas Judicial Council)

Testimony opposing 2012 HB 2252

2011

Testified to the 2011 Kansas Legislature, Senate and House Judiciary Committee, on the Recodification of Kansas Domestic Relations Code (on behalf of the Kansas Judicial Council):

Recodification of Kansas Family Law

(See Recodification materials from seminar given by Ronald W. Nelson in September 2011)

Testified to the 2011 Kansas Legislature, House Judiciary Committee, opposing the enactment of Covenant Marriage laws in Kansas and the creation of ‘classes of marriage’:

Testified against Covenant Marriage

2010

 

Testified to the 2010 Kansas Legislature, Senate and House Judiciary Committees, on Recodification of the Kansas Domestic Relations Code (on behalf of the Kansas Judicial Council):

Recodification of Kansas Family Law

2009

 

Testified to the 2009 Kansas Legislature, House Judiciary Committee, about DNA Testing and Parentage, and against a proposal to allow persons previously determined as a child’s parent to be able to have that decision reversed years after the event.

2008

 

Testified to the 2008 Kansas Legislature, Senate Judiciary Committee, on Military Deployment and Child Custody, suggesting changes to a proposed bill to protect children involved in child custody matters involving military deployment:

Military Child Custody

2007

 

Testified to the 2007 Kansas Legislature, Joint Interim Judiciary Committee, on Military Child Custody Issues:

Military Child Custody

Testified to the 2007 Kansas Legislature, House and Senate Judiciary Committees, on child abduction prevention and in favor of enacting the Uniform Child Abduction Prevention Act (UCAPA):

Uniform Child Abduction Prevention Act

Interference with Child Custody

2006

 

Testified to the 2006 Kansas Legislature, House Judiciary Committee, on amendments to Kansas domestic relations statutes.

Amendments to Kansas Domestic Relations Statutes – 2006 HB 2571

Testified to the 2006 Kansas Legislature, Senate Judiciary Committee, on amendments to child custody statutes:

Amendments to Child Custody Statutes – 2006 HB2540

2005

 

Testified to the 2005 Kansas Legislature, Interim Joint Special Judiciary Committee, on amendments to child custody statutes

Amendments to Child Custody Statutes – 2005 SB61

2004

 

Testified to the 2004 Kansas Legislature, House Judiciary Committee, on domestic violence and the need for interstate enforcement of domestic violence protection orders, including favoring enacting the Uniform Enforcement of Foreign Domestic Violence Protection Orders (UIEDVPOA)

Testimony in favor of Adopting the Uniform Interstate Enforcement of Domestic Violence Protective Orders Act (UEIDVPOA)

2003

 

No testimony presented.

2002

 

Testified to the 2002 Kansas Legislature, Senate Judiciary Committee, on Protection from Abuse and Stalking

Assisted Drafting Protection from Stalking Act and changes to Protection from Abuse Act for 2002 Legislature

2001

 

Testified to the 2001 Kansas Legislature, Senate Judiciary Committee, on Protection from Abuse

Proposed Adoption of Protection from Stalking (SB474)

Proposed Changes to the Kansas Protection from Abuse statutes (HB2077)

2000

 

Testified to the 2000 Kansas Legislature, Senate Judiciary Committee, on enactment of the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act

Proposed Adoption of the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act (UCCJEA)

Testified to the 2000 Kansas Legislature, House Judiciary Committee, on Domestic Relations Legislation.

Assisted Drafting Changes to House Substitute to Senate Bill 150 on child custody, residency, and parenting time and the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act (UCCJEA)

1999

 

Testified to the 1999-2000 Kansas Legislature Interim Judiciary Committee, on enactment of the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act

Testimony on Proposals to Amend Kansas Child Custody Laws 

Testified to the 1999 Kansas Legislature, House Judiciary Committee, about interstate child custody jurisdiction and in favor of enacting the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act (UCCJEA)

Testified to the 1999 Kansas Legislature, House Judiciary Committee, on Domestic Relations Legislation

Amendments to Kansas Child Custody Laws – 1999 HB2002

1998

 

Testified to the 1998 Kansas Legislature, House Judiciary Committee, on various Domestic Relations Legislation