Alaska State Legislature
News From The House Majority

Jerry Ritter, House Majority Press Secretary
State Capitol
Juneau, AK 99801
ph: (907) 465-3804
web site: http://www.akrepublicans.org
Actuality line: 1-800-478-6540

Closing Interstate Loopholes in Child Custody Laws

Bunde Measure Takes Aim at Kidnapping by Non-Custodial Parents

For Immediate Release: January 20, 1998 Contact: Rep. Con Bunde at (907) 465-4843.

(JUNEAU) – Representative Con Bunde (R-Anchorage) today (Tuesday) filed House Bill 335, a technical amendment which would bring Alaska into compliance with revisions to the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act. The act determines the provisions under which state courts will have jurisdiction over a child custody determination when another state might be involved.

"This bill reduces the incentive for kidnapping by non-custodial parents," Bunde said. "In essence, it says a non-custodial parent cannot take a child from Alaska to another state and have a court in that other state grant custody in opposition to the Alaska courts.

"By having these uniform codes we will hopefully be able to prevent parents from taking children from one state to another, hoping to reverse court decisions. It will be a uniform custody arrangement for all fifty states," Bunde said.

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