SENATE DOCKET, NO. 884        FILED ON: 2/9/2021

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1120

 

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


SENATE DOCKET, NO. 884        FILED ON: 2/9/2021

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1120

By Mr. O'Connor, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1120) of Patrick M. O'Connor for legislation relative to visitation rights of grandparents.  The Judiciary.

 

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE SENATE, NO. 1010 OF 2019-2020.]

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninety-Second General Court
(2021-2022)

_______________

 

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 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.