Bill > H4107

This bill proposes to change the terminology used in Massachusetts family law from "visitation" to "parenting time" to reflect a more collaborative approach to co-parenting, and it also introduces new definitions and guidelines for "parenting plans" which are written agreements detailing how parents will share responsibilities for their children. Specifically, the bill amends various sections of the General Laws to replace references to "visitation" with "parenting time," and it redefines terms like "custody" to "decision-making responsibility" and "residential responsibility," aiming to emphasize shared parental involvement and the child's best interests in legal proceedings concerning children. The bill also outlines factors courts should consider when determining parental responsibilities, such as the child's relationship with each parent, the child's wishes, and each parent's ability to cooperate and meet the child's needs, and it mandates that parenting plans be incorporated into court orders and agreements involving minor children.