Ashley Johnson

My name is Ashley Johnson. I am the mother of two children, and I share parenting time equally with their father on a week-on, week-off schedule. From lived experience, I can say clearly: children need both parents in their lives to thrive. When both parents are fit, willing, and able to perform parental duties, equal parenting time is in the best interests of the child. Shared parenting allows children to maintain strong, secure bonds with both sides of their family and provides stability, consistency, and emotional balance. For decades, our system has too often defaulted to assigning primary custody to one parent, even when the other parent is fully capable and deeply involved. In many cases, this results in a child unnecessarily losing meaningful time with a loving parent. That outcome is not child-centered—it is a systemic failure. Research spanning decades shows that the absence of a parent, when that parent is fit and safe, increases a child’s risk of negative outcomes, including behavioral issues, academic struggles, and long-term emotional harm. These findings are not new, and they should not be ignored when shaping family policy. Shared parenting is not about parental rights—it is about children’s needs. HB 1770 supports a balanced, evidence-based approach that prioritizes a child’s relationship with both parents while preserving safeguards for situations where a parent is unfit, unwilling, or unable to parent. If we are serious about protecting children, strengthening families, and building a healthier society, we must align our laws with what children actually need. I respectfully urge you to support HB 1770. Thank you for your time and consideration. Ashley Johnson