Bill > H0861

This bill modifies Florida's laws regarding grandparent visitation rights, expanding the circumstances under which grandparents can petition a court for visitation with a minor child. Specifically, grandparents may now seek court-ordered visitation if a parent is deceased, missing, or in a persistent vegetative state, with additional nuanced conditions such as having lived with the child for at least 6 months within the preceding 12-month period and demonstrating that eliminating contact would pose a substantial threat to the child's well-being. The bill requires courts to conduct a preliminary hearing to assess the petition, potentially appoint a guardian ad litem, and refer the matter to family mediation. When evaluating visitation requests, courts must consider numerous factors, including the emotional ties between grandparent and child, the quality of their previous relationship, the child's best interests, and potential harm to the parent-child relationship. The legislation also limits grandparents to filing such a petition only once every two years, unless there is compelling evidence of potential significant harm to the child. The bill aims to provide a structured legal framework for grandparents seeking visitation rights while prioritizing the child's physical, mental, and emotional welfare, and will take effect on July 1, 2026.

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https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2026/861