South Carolina General Assembly
114th Session, 2001-2002

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Bill 5081

Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

                    Current Status

Bill Number:                      5081
Type of Legislation:              General Bill GB
Introducing Body:                 House
Introduced Date:                  20020410
Primary Sponsor:                  Cooper
All Sponsors:                     Cooper and White
Drafted Document Number:          l:\council\bills\nbd\11557ac02.doc
Residing Body:                    House
Current Committee:                Judiciary Committee 25 HJ
Subject:                          Family court, grandparent visitation


                        History

Body    Date      Action Description                     Com     Leg Involved
______  ________  ______________________________________ _______ ____________
House   20020410  Introduced, read first time,           25 HJ
                  referred to Committee


              Versions of This Bill
View additional legislative information at the LPITS web site.

(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

A BILL

TO AMEND SECTION 20-7-420, AS AMENDED, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE JURISDICTION OF THE FAMILY COURT, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT THE COURT'S AUTHORITY TO GRANT GRANDPARENT VISITATION ALSO INCLUDES THE AUTHORITY TO GRANT VISITATION WHEN THE PARENTS REFUSE TO ALLOW VISITATION AND THE COURT FINDS THAT VISITATION WOULD BE IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE CHILD AND WOULD NOT INTERFERE WITH THE PARENT/CHILD RELATIONSHIP.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION    1.    Section 20-7-420(33) of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 429 of 1994, is further amended to read:

    "(33)    To order periods of visitation for the grandparents of a minor child where the parents refuse to allow visitation or either or both parents of the minor child is or are deceased, or are divorced, or are living separate and apart in different habitats regardless of the existence of a court order or agreement, and upon a written finding that the visitation rights would be in the best interests of the child and would not interfere with the parent/child relationship. In determining whether to order visitation for the grandparents, the court shall consider the nature of the relationship between the child and his grandparents prior to the filing of the petition or complaint."

SECTION    2.    This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

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