HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 4914        FILED ON: 3/2/2020

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The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Alyson M. Sullivan

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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 relative to parental visitation and custody for children of rape victims.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 4914        FILED ON: 3/2/2020

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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 relative to parental visitation and custody for children of rape victims.

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

Subsection (a) of section 3 of chapter 209C of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2018 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out the last sentence and inserting in place thereof the following sentence:-

No court shall make an order providing visitation rights to a parent who was convicted of rape, under sections 22 to 23B, inclusive, of chapter 265 or sections 2, 3, 4 or 17 of chapter 272, and is seeking to obtain visitation with the child who was conceived during the commission of that rape, unless a visitation or custody action is filed or initiated by the child conceived of that rape who: (i) has then reached the age of 18 or (ii) is adjudicated as emancipated from the other parent of the child.