State Rep. Jamie Flick, R-South Williamsport, recently announced the state House will conduct a hearing on his legislation for custody standards.

“This issue remains deeply personal for me as I have drawn from my own experiences in family court, fighting for years for equal custody of my children in an unjust system,” Flick said in a social media post. “Statistics clearly show that 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.”

Flick notes any states have already passed similar legislation.

“I’m so happy we’re finally getting the chance to bring this issue to the table and have it fully heard,” Flick said. “House Bill 1499 has 28 cosponsors, supported by both Democrats and Republicans. It truly represents the next step forward in fair custody and shared parenting for families in Pennsylvania.”

According to the social media post Monday, the hearing is scheduled for 9 to 10:30 a.m. at the state Capitol building, 418 Main Capitol Building, Harrisburg.

“The momentum has been building,” Flick said in the social media post. “This past June, Gov. Josh Shapiro signed House Bill 378 into law. This bill reduces the factors a judge considers during child custody cases from 19 to 12. My amendment, which was unanimously passed by the House, requires the court to give everyone a copy of the new factors within 30 days of modifications being made so that every party, including parents who often represent themselves because hiring lawyers is so expensive, has fair access to information.”