Bill > H1716

This bill amends two sections of Massachusetts law (Chapter 208 and Chapter 209) to prohibit courts from granting unsupervised visitation rights to parents convicted of specific sexual and child-related criminal offenses. The bill lists numerous criminal code sections under Chapters 265 and 272 that would trigger this visitation restriction, which include crimes such as sexual abuse, indecent assault, child pornography, and other sexual offenses against minors. However, the bill provides a potential exception if the child is of a suitable age and consents to visitation, and a guardian ad litem (a court-appointed representative who investigates the child's best interests) determines that the visitation would be in the child's best interest. This means that even if a parent has been convicted of a qualifying offense, they might still be able to obtain visitation rights under very specific circumstances, with the child's safety and well-being being the primary consideration. The legislation aims to protect children from potential further harm by preventing automatic visitation rights for parents with a history of serious sexual crimes against minors.

Justice

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/H1716