Bill > S0674

This bill modifies Florida's laws regarding grandparent visitation rights by expanding the circumstances under which grandparents can petition a court for visitation with a minor child. Specifically, the bill allows grandparents to seek court-ordered visitation when a parent is deceased, missing, or in a persistent vegetative state, with additional provisions that require the grandparent to demonstrate that eliminating contact would pose a substantial threat to the child's physical, mental, or emotional well-being. The bill establishes a detailed legal process for such petitions, including a preliminary hearing to assess parental fitness and potential harm to the child, and requires the court to consider numerous factors when determining visitation, such as the quality of the pre-existing relationship between the grandparent and child, emotional ties, the child's well-being, and the potential impact on the parent-child relationship. The bill also mandates that courts first attempt family mediation to resolve visitation disputes and limits grandparents to filing such a petition only once every two years, unless there is compelling evidence of potential harm to the child. The legislation aims to balance the rights of grandparents to maintain relationships with grandchildren during challenging family circumstances while protecting the primary interests of the child and respecting parental decision-making.

https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2026/674