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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1276 FILED ON: 1/18/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1771
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Alyson M. Sullivan-Almeida
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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 relative to parental visitation and custody for children of rape victims.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Alyson M. Sullivan-Almeida7th Plymouth1/18/2023Colleen M. Garry36th Middlesex1/18/2023Michael J. Soter8th Worcester1/26/2023Joseph D. McKenna18th Worcester1/31/2023David F. DeCoste5th Plymouth2/9/2023Donald R. Berthiaume, Jr.5th Worcester2/15/2023Carol A. Doherty3rd Bristol2/20/2023 1 of 1
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1276 FILED ON: 1/18/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1771
By Representative Sullivan-Almeida of Abington, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No.
1771) of Alyson M. Sullivan-Almeida and others relative to parental visitation and custody for
children of rape victims. The Judiciary.
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 1880 OF 2021-2022.]
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)
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An Act relative to parental visitation and custody for children of rape victims.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 Subsection (a) of section 3 of chapter 209C of the General Laws, as appearing in the
22020 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out the last sentence and inserting in place
3thereof the following sentence:-
4 No court shall make an order providing visitation rights to a parent who was convicted of
5rape, under sections 22 to 23B, inclusive, of chapter 265 or sections 2, 3, 4 or 17 of chapter 272,
6and is seeking to obtain visitation with the child who was conceived during the commission of
7that rape, unless a visitation or custody action is filed or initiated by the child conceived of that
8rape who: (i) has then reached the age of 18 or (ii) is adjudicated as emancipated from the other
9parent of the child.