Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Massachusetts House Bill H2002 Latest Draft

Bill / Introduced Version Filed 02/27/2025

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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2290       FILED ON: 1/16/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2002
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 Plymouth1/16/2025 1 of 1
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2290       FILED ON: 1/16/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2002
By Representative Sullivan-Almeida of Abington, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 
2002) of Alyson M. Sullivan-Almeida relative to parental visitation and custody for children of 
rape victims. The Judiciary.
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 1771 OF 2023-2024.]
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)
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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 
22022 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.