HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1794        FILED ON: 1/17/2019

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1396

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Paul J. Donato

_________________

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 to promote the well-being of minor children living with guardians.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Paul J. Donato

35th Middlesex

1/9/2019

Paul A. Schmid, III

8th Bristol

1/22/2019

Mathew J. Muratore

1st Plymouth

1/25/2019

Sean Garballey

23rd Middlesex

1/25/2019

James K. Hawkins

2nd Bristol

2/1/2019


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1794        FILED ON: 1/17/2019

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1396

By Mr. Donato of Medford, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1396) of Paul J. Donato and others relative to proceedings to petitions to remove guardians of minor children.  The Judiciary.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninety-First General Court
(2019-2020)

_______________

 

An Act to promote the well-being of minor children living with guardians.

 

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 5-106 of chapter 190B of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2016 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting the following new subsection:-

(e) For proceedings pursuant to a petition to remove a guardian of a minor child, the guardian shall have and be informed of the right to counsel, and the court shall appoint counsel if the guardian is financially unable to retain counsel, when the guardian makes an initial showing that he or she has been the primary caretaker for the child for at least two years or otherwise for a significant part of the child’s lifetime. This time period may include care taking provided during the guardianship or before the guardian was appointed.