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AN ACT concerning domestic relations; relating to divorce; child place-
  ment investigator's report, dissemination; amending K.S.A. 60-1615
  and repealing the existing section.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Kansas:
  Section 1.  K.S.A. 60-1615 is hereby amended to read as follows: 60-
1615. (a) Investigation and report. In contested custody proceedings, the
court may order an investigation and report concerning custodial arrange-
ments for the child. The investigation and report may be made by court
services officers or any consenting person or agency employed by the
court for that purpose. The court may use the department of social and
rehabilitation services to make the investigation and report if no other
source is available for that purpose. The costs for making the investigation
and report may be assessed as court costs in the case as provided in article
20 of chapter 60 of the Kansas Statutes Annotated, and amendments
thereto.
  (b)  Consultation. In preparing the report concerning a child, the in-
vestigator may consult any person who may have information about the
child and the potential custodial arrangements. Upon order of the court,
the investigator may refer the child to professional personnel for diag-
nosis. The investigator may consult with and obtain information from
medical, psychiatric or other expert persons who have served the child in
the past. If the requirements of subsection (c) are fulfilled, the investi-
gator's report may be received in evidence at the hearing.
  (c)  Use of report and investigator's testimony. The court shall make
the investigator's report available prior to the hearing to counsel or to any
party not represented by counsel. Upon motion of either party, the report
may be made available to such party unless the court finds that such
distribution would be harmful to either party, the child or other witnesses.
Any party to the proceeding may call the investigator and any person
whom the investigator has consulted for cross-examination. In consider-
ation of the mental health or best interests of the child, the court may
approve a stipulation that the interview records not be divulged to the
parties.
  Sec. 2.  K.S.A. 60-1615 is hereby repealed.
  Sec. 3.  This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its
publication in the statute book.