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TO AMEND SECTION 63-3-530, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO FAMILY COURT JURISDICTION IN DOMESTIC MATTERS, SO AS TO REVISE GRANDPARENT VISITATION PROVISIONS BY PROVIDING THAT, AT A MINIMUM, GRANDPARENTS MUST BE ALLOWED SEVENTY-TWO HOURS OF VISITATION EACH SIX MONTHS WITH A GRANDCHILD UP TO AGE SIXTEEN UNLESS THE COURT FINDS IT IS NOT IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE CHILD.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
SECTION 1. Section 63-3-530(33) of the 1976 Code, as added by Act 361 of 2008, is amended to read:
"(33) to order periods of visitation for the grandparents of a minor child where 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 grandparent visitation with a grandchild, up to sixteen years of age, for a minimum of seventy-two hours each six months unless the courts finds that such visitation is not in the best interest of the child;"
SECTION 2. This act takes effect July 1, 2010.
This web page was last updated on December 9, 2009 at 3:06 PM