Bill > SB1642

This bill amends the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act to expand the criteria for grandparents, great-grandparents, siblings, and step-parents seeking visitation rights with a child. The bill adds a new consideration for courts when determining visitation: whether the loss of the relationship between the non-parent and the child is likely to cause harm to the child. Specifically, the legislation allows these non-parents to petition for visitation under certain circumstances, such as when a parent is deceased, incarcerated, or when the parents are divorced. The bill maintains a rebuttable presumption that a fit parent's decisions about visitation are not harmful to the child, and the petitioner must prove that denial of visitation would cause undue harm. Courts must consider multiple factors when evaluating such petitions, including the child's wishes, the mental and physical health of all parties, the quality of the prior relationship, and the potential impact of visitation on the child's life. The bill also provides guidelines for modifying existing visitation orders and includes provisions that prevent individuals convicted of certain sex offenses or murder from obtaining visitation rights.

https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?DocNum=1642&GAID=18&DocTypeID=SB&SessionID=114&GA=104