SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1651        FILED ON: 1/18/2019

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1010

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Patrick M. O'Connor

_________________

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:

 

Patrick M. O'Connor

Plymouth and Norfolk

 

David Allen Robertson

19th Middlesex

1/24/2019

Kay Khan

11th Middlesex

1/29/2019

Ryan C. Fattman

Worcester and Norfolk

1/30/2019

Rebecca L. Rausch

Norfolk, Bristol and Middlesex

1/30/2019


SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1651        FILED ON: 1/18/2019

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1010

By Mr. O'Connor, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1010) of Patrick M. O'Connor, David Allen Robertson, Kay Khan, Ryan C. Fattman and others for legislation relative to visitation rights of grandparents.  The Judiciary.

 

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 2253 OF 2017-2018.]

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

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

_______________

 

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.