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

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

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Patrick M. O'Connor

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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 visitation rights of grandparents.

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PETITION OF:

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

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

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

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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

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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.