1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to family law; requiring mediation to develop parenting plans; requiring 
1.3 	training;amending Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 480.30, by adding a 
1.4 	subdivision; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 518.
1.5 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 480.30, is amended by adding a 
1.7 	subdivision to read:
1.8 		Subd. 4.Parenting plans. The Supreme Court's judicial education program must 
1.9 	include ongoing parenting plan training for district court judges.

1.10 	Sec. 2. [518.161] MEDIATION.
1.11 	(a) When jurisdiction is established over the parties in a dissolution of marriage 
1.12 	proceeding in which child custody matters will be determined, the court shall immediately 
1.13 	issue an order for the parties to attend two hours of mediation to develop a parenting 
1.14 	plan, unless:
1.15 	(1) neither party can afford mediation;
1.16 	(2) the court finds that a parent has committed domestic abuse against a parent or a 
1.17 	child who is a party to, or subject of, the matter before the court; or
1.18 	(3) the court finds that section 518.179 applies.
1.19 	(b) The court must order the parties to participate in mediation before the court may 
1.20 	order the parties to participate in early neutral evaluation.