Bill > HB4217

This bill amends Michigan's Child Custody Act to expand grandparental rights by introducing the concept of "great grandparents" and providing additional legal mechanisms for them to seek parenting time with children. The bill modifies definitions in the existing law to include great grandparents and updates several sections of the law to allow great grandparents to petition for visitation rights under similar circumstances as grandparents. The bill maintains a high standard for granting visitation, requiring grandparents or great grandparents to prove that a parent's denial of visitation creates a substantial risk of harm to the child's mental, physical, or emotional health. When considering grandparenting time, courts must evaluate factors such as the existing emotional ties between the child and grandparent, the quality of their prior relationship, the grandparent's moral fitness, and the potential impact of granting visitation on the child's well-being. The bill also includes provisions protecting the rights of fit parents to make decisions about their children's relationships and limits the frequency of visitation petitions, allowing grandparents or great grandparents to file such motions only once every two years unless good cause is shown. Additionally, the bill includes protections for military service members, ensuring that their deployment status cannot be used against them in custody determinations.

Military Affairs and Security

https://legislature.mi.gov/Bills/Bill?ObjectName=2025-HB-4217