Governor Jim Douglas has signed into law the Military Parent Protection Act, which addresses custody of children while a parent is deployed.
The bill allows for temporary custody orders while a parent is deployed and return to a pre-deployment arrangement when they return from duty. The measure was recently passed by the Legislature.
The Vermont National Guard says that under the new law, deployment alone will not be considered a change in circumstances to warrant a permanent change in custody.
The measure was signed into law Wednesday in a ceremony at Camp Johnson in Colchester. It takes effect immediately.