Bill > HF2804

This bill modifies Minnesota law regarding visitation rights for grandparents and great-grandparents seeking access to minor children. The bill changes existing statutes to provide clearer guidelines for when grandparents or great-grandparents can petition for visitation rights. Specifically, it allows grandparents or great-grandparents to seek visitation if they can demonstrate a "substantial established relationship" with the child, requiring the court to consider factors such as significant personal contact and whether a parent or guardian has supported the relationship. The court must determine that visitation is in the child's best interests and will not interfere with the parent-child relationship, or that the child's current environment might endanger their physical or emotional health. The bill also encourages mediation between parents and grandparents to resolve visitation disputes and explicitly states that time apart should not be considered when evaluating the relationship. Additionally, the amendments apply retroactively to actions commenced on or after January 1, 2022, and parties can request reconsideration of previous visitation orders under the new guidelines. The bill repeals a previous subdivision of the statute that outlined family court proceedings for visitation rights, replacing it with these more detailed provisions.

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https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/bill.php?b=House&f=HF2804&ssn=0&y=2025