The Proposal

a proposed California family law reform initiative created to protect children, preserve parental relationships, and address legal gaps that arise during high-conflict divorce and after the loss of a parent.

This page presents the legislative proposal that was submitted and in active advocacy to lawmakers. The following explains the reforms Shane's Bill seeks to bring to California family court.

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Core Principles of Shane's Bill

Shane's Bill addresses critical gaps in California family law to better protect children, preserve parental relationships, and ensure fairness when tragedy intersects with family court proceedings.

Protect Children From Conflict

Shane's Bill prioritizes the well-being of children during high-conflict divorce and custody disputes. The proposal encourages legal safeguards that reduce the exposure of children to prolonged litigation and parental conflict, helping ensure their emotional stability and healthy development.

Preserve Parental Relationships

Children benefit from meangingful relationships with both parents whenever it is safe and appropriate. Shane's Bill supports fair access to children and encourages balanced consideration of parental rights so that one parent cannot easily sever a child's connections with the other.

Address Post-Mortem
Legal Gaps

Current family law in California leaves significant uncertainty when a parent dies during or after divorce proceedings. Shane's Bill proposes reforms that ensure decisions affecting the deceased parent's legal rights and family relationships are handled fairly and transferred appropriately to true next of kin.

Why Shane's Bill is Needed

Across California, families navigating divorce and custody disputes often face highly adversarial legal environments. When tragedy occurs and a parent dies during or after these proceedings, existing family law and mortuary control statutes leave significant gaps that can create confusion, prolonged legal conflict, and painful delays in final arrangements.

In many cases, the legal authority to control a deceased person's remains may fall to the same spouse who was seeking to end the marriage or was actively involved in contentious litigation. This can lead to further disputes between the surviving spouse and the deceased parent's family, delaying funeral arrangements and preventing loved ones from carrying out final wishes in a timely and respectful manner.

This situations not only affect the legal rights and dignity of the deceased parent, but the also deeply impact the emotional well-being of the family left behind. Parents, siblings, and children deserve the ability to lay their loved on to rest with dignity and find the closure necessary to begin the grieving process. Shane's Bill seeks to address these gaps by ensuring that family law better reflects fairness, compassion, and clarity when tragedy intersects with ongoing legal disputes.

Key Provisions of Shane's Bill

Protecting Children During High-Conflict Divorce

Shane's Bill encourages safeguards that reduce the likelihood of children becoming entangled in prolonged legal disputes between parents - 2 adults. The proposal promotes practices that prioritize children's emotional well-being and stability during family court proceedings. All to protect children during high-conflict divorces.