Harrisburg, Pa. — It was standing-room-only during a hearing on Tuesday to examine House Bill 1499, legislation sponsored by Rep. Jamie Flick (R-Lycoming/Union) to reform Pennsylvania’s child custody laws and ensure children can maintain meaningful relationships with both loving, fit parents.

The hearing brought together lawmakers, family-law experts, judges, and parents whose personal experiences underscored the emotional, financial, and psychological toll of the current system. Testifiers emphasized the need for evidence-based custody standards that start from a presumption of shared parenting — an approach adopted by several other states.

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Members who serve on the Policy Committee, from left to right, include Rep. Clint Owlett (R-Tioga/Bradford), Rep. Jonathan Fritz (R-Susquehanna/Wayne), Rep. Jill Cooper (R-Westmoreland), Rep. Jamie Flick (R-Lycoming/Union) and Rep. David Rowe (R- R-Snyder/Union/Mifflin/Juniata), Policy Committee chairman.
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Testifiers from the Policy Committee hearing, from left to right, include Hon. Mica Wood Pence, 43rd Circuit judge, Barren and Metcalfe counties in Kentucky; Greg Fellerman, founding partner, Fellerman and Ciarimboli Law; Teresa Sneed, founder, president and chief executive officer, National Family Justice; Hon. Tony Payton, former member, Pennsylvania House of Representatives.
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Rep. Jamie Flick (R-Lycoming/Union) speaks during the press conference on the steps of the Main Capitol Rotunda.
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Robert Garza, the vice president of National Family Justice, speaks during the press conference on the steps of the Main Capitol Rotunda. 
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Mark Ludwig, executive director of the National Council for Equal Shared Parenting, speaks during the press conference on the steps of the Main Capitol Rotunda.

Originally published on northcentralpa.com, part of the BLOX Digital Content Exchange.