Connecticut Has Changed Its Travel Restrictions For Minors Travelling Pursuant to a Custody Order!

Just recently, Connecticut modified its travel restrictions for children travelling between households from an “affected state” such as Massachusetts to Connecticut pursuant to a custody order.   Previously, Connecticut did not exempt minors travelling to Connecticut from having to quarantine in Connecticut for 10 days or test negative for Covid within 72 hours of entering Connecticut.  These restrictions made weekend interstate parenting time nearly impossible.  Under the new law, minors travelling pursuant to a custody order are now exempt from the travel restrictions so long as there is regularly scheduled parenting time:

“ARE MINOR CHILDREN TRAVELLING TO CONNECTICUT FROM AN AFFECTED STATE OR AN AFFECTED COUNTRY DUE TO CUSTODY OR VISITATION OBLIGATIONS REQUIRED TO SELF-QUARANTINE? If any Affected Traveler is a minor child who is the subject of a Court-ordered visitation schedule that requires such child to travel between parents for purposes of visitation when one parent resides in Connecticut and the other parent resides in an Affected State or Country, such child, upon return to Connecticut, shall be exempt from the self-quarantine requirement, provided such visitation schedule occurs on a frequently recurring basis and such child is asymptomatic for COVID-19 at the time of travel. If symptomatic at the time of travel, such child should delay travel and consult with a medical professional. Such child shall also be exempt from submitting a Travel Health Form in accordance with this Travel Advisory. If such child’s visitation schedule is infrequent (ninety days or longer between visitations), he/she shall self-quarantine and file a Travel Health Form unless otherwise exempted.”

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR MY INTERSTATE CUSTODY ORDER?  In that Connecticut no longer requires a 10-day quarantine or negative Covid test every time a child comes to Connecticut for parenting time pursuant to a custody order, Connecticut’s Covid restrictions do not form a basis, in and of itself, to modify the parenting schedule.  If a modification of the parenting schedule is otherwise necessary or warranted, my suggestion is to consult with an experienced family law professional to discuss your particular situation.