WILLIAM DONALD SCHAEFER, Governor                         H.B. 30

House Bill No. 30

AN ACT concerning

Visitation Rights - Grandparents

FOR the purpose of broadening the authority of an equity court to grant visitation rights
to certain grandparents, subject to certain conditions and limitations clarifying the
rights of grandparents to petition for and the power of an equity court to grant
certain visitation rights under certain circumstances; and generally relating to
visitation rights of certain grandparents under certain circumstances grandparents,

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments,
Article - Family Law
Section 9-102

Annotated Code of Maryland
(1991 Replacement Volume and 1992 Supplement)

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF
MARYLAND, That the Laws of Maryland read as follows:

Article - Family Law

9-102.

(A)     [At] THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION ARE APPLICABLE:

(1) AT any time after the termination of a marriage by divorce, annulment,
or death[, an]; OR

(2) NOTWITHSTANDING THE MARITAL STATUS OF A PARENT OR
CUSTODIAN OF A GRANDCHILD, IF:

(I) A GRANDPARENT HAS ESTABLISHED OR ATTEMPTED TO
ESTABLISH A SUBSTANTIAL PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH A NATURAL OR
ADOPTED GRANDCHILD; AND

(II) THE PARENT OR CUSTODIAN OF THE CHILD HAS DENIED THE
GRANDPARENT REASONABLE OPPORTUNITY FOR VISITATION WITH THE CHILD.

(B)     AN equity court may:

(1)     consider a petition for reasonable visitation OF A GRANDCHILD by a
grandparent [of a natural or adopted child of the parties whose marriage has been
terminated]; and

(2)     [if the court finds it to be in the best interests of the child,] grant
visitation rights to the grandparent:

(I) AFTER CONSIDERATION OF ALL RELEVANT FACTS AND
CIRCUMSTANCES;

- 3447 -