HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2663        FILED ON: 1/20/2017

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2253

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

James M. Cantwell

_________________

To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act relative to visitation rights of grandparents.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

James M. Cantwell

4th Plymouth

1/20/2017

Thomas J. Calter

12th Plymouth

1/27/2017

Josh S. Cutler

6th Plymouth

2/3/2017

Michael S. Day

31st Middlesex

2/2/2017

Michelle M. DuBois

10th Plymouth

1/31/2017

Barbara A. L'Italien

Second Essex and Middlesex

1/30/2017

James R. Miceli

19th Middlesex

1/28/2017

Mathew Muratore

1st Plymouth

1/23/2017

Patrick M. O'Connor

Plymouth and Norfolk

1/31/2017

Richard J. Ross

Norfolk, Bristol and Middlesex

2/2/2017

Alan Silvia

7th Bristol

1/20/2017

Aaron Vega

5th Hampden

1/26/2017


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2663        FILED ON: 1/20/2017

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2253

By Mr. Cantwell of Marshfield, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2253) of James M. Cantwell and others relative to visitation rights of grandparents.  The Judiciary.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninetieth General Court
(2017-2018)

_______________

 

An Act relative to visitation rights of grandparents.

 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1. Section 39D of Chapter 119 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2014 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the word “court.”, in line 19, the following sentence:-

Where the state has custody of a minor or a court has awarded temporary guardianship of a minor to a non-parent, the court may consider whether the minor has a preexisting relationship with a grandparent in determining if visitation rights would be in the best interest of the child; provided, however, that such preexisting relationship shall not be a necessity for awarding said visitation rights.