May. 08, 2025
HARRISBURG – Rep. Jamie Flick (R-Lycoming/Union) announced legislation that streamlines child custody factors from 16 to 12 passed the House on Tuesday by a 202-1 vote. 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.
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 reached in a more fair and accurate way,” said Flick. 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.
Despite being an involved and committed father, judges in Lycoming County granted Flick only every-other-weekend custody of his children—in a matter of minutes, without explanation. Though he had served as a Court Appointed Special Advocate and was entrusted with guardianship of two children from Brooklyn, NY, through the Fresh Air Fund, he was denied equal custody of his own children.
“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.”
He turned the traumas from that deeply personal occurrence into positives through relentless advocation for transparency and accountability – two factors proven beneficial to upholding the best interest of children.
“Despite the negative outcome from this battle, I made it my mission to fight for fair custody laws,” said Flick. “Having both parents present in a child’s life, if they are fit, proves beneficial. 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.”
To view Flick’s remarks,
click here.
House Bill 378 heads to the Senate for consideration.
Representative Jamie Flick
83th Legislative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Nate Temple
717-260-6396
ntemple@pahousegop.com
repflick.com