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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1360 FILED ON: 1/18/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1516
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_________________
PRESENTED BY:
Colleen M. Garry
_________________
To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
An Act prohibiting court ordered visitation rights to any persons convicted of criminal offenses
against a minor.
_______________
PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Colleen M. Garry36th Middlesex1/10/2023 1 of 2
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1360 FILED ON: 1/18/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1516
By Representative Garry of Dracut, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1516) of Colleen
M. Garry for legislation to prohibit court ordered visitation rights to persons convicted of
criminal offenses against minors. The Judiciary.
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 1589 OF 2021-2022.]
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_______________
In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)
_______________
An Act prohibiting court ordered visitation rights to any persons convicted of criminal offenses
against a minor.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 SECTION 1. Section 28 of Chapter 208 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2014
2Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding the following paragraph:— No court shall make
3an order providing unsupervised visitation rights to a parent who has been convicted of sexual
4abuse and/or other crimes against children including but not limited to one or more of the
5following: Ch. 265, sections 13B, 13H, 13J, 22, 22A, 23, 24, 24B, 26, 26A, 27A, Chapter 272,
6sections 1, 2, 4, 4A, 4B, 16, 17, 28, 29A, 29B, 35, 35A, unless such child is of suitable age and
7assents to such order and a guardian ad litem finds the visitation is in the best interest of the
8child. 2 of 2
9 SECTION 2. Section 37 of Chapter 209 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2014
10Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding the following paragraph:— No court shall make
11an order providing unsupervised visitation rights to a parent who has been convicted of sexual
12abuse and/or other crimes against children including but not limited to one or more of the
13following: Ch. 265, sections 13B, 13H, 13J, 22, 22A, 23, 24, 24B, 26, 26A, 27A, Chapter 272,
14sections 1, 2, 4, 4A, 4B, 16, 17, 28, 29A, 29B, 35, 35A, unless such child is of suitable age and
15assents to such order and a guardian ad litem finds the visitation is in the best interest of the
16child.