State Rep. Jamie Flick, R-South Williamsport, recently announced legislation that streamlines child custody factors from 16 to 12 passed the House on Tuesday by a 202-1 vote.

According to a news release, Flick, a longtime advocate of 50-50 custody, proposed an amendment to require family courts to provide anyone named in a custody petition with a written copy of the new factors when decisions are made. It passed unanimously.

“Child custody factors are circumstances the courts are supposed to consider surrounding a child’s welfare, from adequate supervision to safe living conditions, access to health care, emotional support, stability and more,” the news release said. “Flick drew on his own experiences when drafting the amendment.”

“When both parties understand the criteria used by our courts, misunderstandings can be avoided and settlements aligned with the child’s best interests can be reached in a more fair and accurate way,” said Flick, according to the news release.

During his court proceedings, he said factors were never described or communicated to him by judges or lawyers involved with his case.

Another of Flick’s amendments, which would have created a presumption of 50-50 custody provided both parents are fit, generated bipartisan support but failed on a 99-103 vote.

“My work continues to get this presumption enacted into law, and I look forward to working with my colleagues on this critical issue,” he said, according to the news release.

“In the past I have referred to family court as an organized crime unit due to the amount of revenue the court and lawyers generate from family strife,” Flick said. “In other states where this legislation has been enacted, there is less fighting between parties, less time spent arguing in family court. … Without shared parenting, children are twice as likely to abuse drugs or alcohol, twice as likely to drop out of school, four times more likely to struggle with emotional or behavioral problems, and seven times more likely to become teen parents. Passing the underlying legislation shows how serious we are about putting our children first.”