Harrisburg, Pa. — State Rep. Jamie Flick, who represents Lycoming and Union counties, will host a hearing and press conference at the State Capitol on Tuesday, Nov. 18.
The hearing will take place from 9-10:30 a.m, followed by a press conference on the steps of the Main Capitol Rotunda at 1:30 p.m.
The hearing and conference will focus on House Bill 1499, authored by Rep. Flick, which would refine custody determination definitions and factors while defaulting to giving equal access to both parents provided that they are willing and fit to care for a child.
“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. “Every day I hear from fathers, mothers, and grandparents from across the country who share their own experiences about the need for reform.”
The support for House Bill 1499 has been steadily growing. The bill has accrued 29 co-sponsors with broad bipartisan support. Several states including Kentucky, Arkansas, West Virginia, Florida, and Missouri have passed similar legislation. As many as 20 others are close to passing similar laws.
“This is a bill aimed at protecting children,” Flick said. “Without shared parenting, children are more likely to struggle in school, face emotional challenges, and fall into cycles that hurt their future.”
The consideration of HB 1499 is the latest in several steps that Pa. has taken towards child custody reform. In June, Gov. Shapiro signed House Bill 378 into law as Act 11 of 2024, reducing the factors that a judge considers during custody cases from 19 to 12. Rep. Flick wrote an amendment to the bill, requiring the court to give everyone a copy of the new factors within 30 days of changes being made so that every party, including parents who frequently represent themselves due to the cost of legal representation, has complete access to vital information. The amendment passed unanimously.
Flick was also a co-sponsor of House Bill 414, now Act 40 of 2025, known as the Uniform Deployed Parents Custody and Visitation Act, which prohibits permanent custody changes during a parent’s military deployment. Gov. Shapiro signed the legislation into law at the end of October, which fixes a major flaw in the child custody system that allowed parents to use deployment as a reason to alter existing custody arrangements.
“Nov. 18 is the date we will take the biggest step forward to advance my child custody reform,” Flick said. “We will have supporters from all over the country attending both events. It will be a meaningful day to highlight the need for fairness in custody cases and to show lawmakers the broad support for giving children equal access to both parents.”
Anyone who wishes to attend the hearing or press conference should register in advance by either calling Rep. Flick’s Williamsport office at 570-321-1270, or by visiting his website, www.RepFlick.com, and clicking on the “Events” tab. The website also contains forms where guests can submit feedback about the topic.