HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1794 FILED ON: 1/17/2019
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1396
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The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Paul J. Donato
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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.
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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
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-First General Court
(2019-2020)
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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.