101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2019 and 2020
HB2236

 

Introduced , by Rep. Avery Bourne

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
750 ILCS 5/602.9

    Amends the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act. Requires that proceedings concerning a petition for visitation brought by a grandparent or great-grandparent be given priority in being set for a hearing, and that a decision be rendered within 6 months of the petition for visitation being filed, unless the parties agree otherwise. Requires the court to set the first hearing date for a petition for visitation within 45 days of filing the petition. Requires that further hearing dates be set in court within 45 days of the prior hearing. Allows the court to impose penalties and sanctions on any party that intentionally or recklessly causes an undue delay in proceedings regarding a visitation petition brought by a grandparent or great-grandparent.


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A BILL FOR

 

HB2236LRB101 05538 LNS 50554 b

1    AN ACT concerning civil law.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of
5Marriage Act is amended by changing Section 602.9 as follows:
 
6    (750 ILCS 5/602.9)
7    Sec. 602.9. Visitation by certain non-parents.
8    (a) As used in this Section:
9        (1) "electronic communication" means time that a
10    grandparent, great-grandparent, sibling, or step-parent
11    spends with a child during which the child is not in the
12    person's actual physical custody, but which is facilitated
13    by the use of communication tools such as the telephone,
14    electronic mail, instant messaging, video conferencing or
15    other wired or wireless technologies via the Internet, or
16    another medium of communication;
17        (2) "sibling" means a brother or sister either of the
18    whole blood or the half blood, stepbrother, or stepsister
19    of the minor child;
20        (3) "step-parent" means a person married to a child's
21    parent, including a person married to the child's parent
22    immediately prior to the parent's death; and
23        (4) "visitation" means in-person time spent between a

 

 

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1    child and the child's grandparent, great-grandparent,
2    sibling, step-parent, or any person designated under
3    subsection (d) of Section 602.7. In appropriate
4    circumstances, visitation may include electronic
5    communication under conditions and at times determined by
6    the court.
7    (b) General provisions.
8        (1) An appropriate person, as identified in subsection
9    (c) of this Section, may bring an action in circuit court
10    by petition, or by filing a petition in a pending
11    dissolution proceeding or any other proceeding that
12    involves parental responsibilities or visitation issues
13    regarding the child, requesting visitation with the child
14    pursuant to this Section. If there is not a pending
15    proceeding involving parental responsibilities or
16    visitation with the child, the petition for visitation with
17    the child must be filed in the county in which the child
18    resides. Notice of the petition shall be given as provided
19    in subsection (c) of Section 601.2 of this Act.
20        (2) This Section does not apply to a child:
21            (A) in whose interests a petition is pending under
22        Section 2-13 of the Juvenile Court Act of 1987; or
23            (B) in whose interests a petition to adopt by an
24        unrelated person is pending under the Adoption Act; or
25            (C) who has been voluntarily surrendered by the
26        parent or parents, except for a surrender to the

 

 

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1        Department of Children and Family Services or a foster
2        care facility; or
3            (D) who has been previously adopted by an
4        individual or individuals who are not related to the
5        biological parents of the child or who is the subject
6        of a pending adoption petition by an individual or
7        individuals who are not related to the biological
8        parents of the child; or
9            (E) who has been relinquished pursuant to the
10        Abandoned Newborn Infant Protection Act.
11        (3) A petition for visitation may be filed under this
12    Section only if there has been an unreasonable denial of
13    visitation by a parent and the denial has caused the child
14    undue mental, physical, or emotional harm.
15        (4) There is a rebuttable presumption that a fit
16    parent's actions and decisions regarding grandparent,
17    great-grandparent, sibling, or step-parent visitation are
18    not harmful to the child's mental, physical, or emotional
19    health. The burden is on the party filing a petition under
20    this Section to prove that the parent's actions and
21    decisions regarding visitation will cause undue harm to the
22    child's mental, physical, or emotional health.
23        (5) In determining whether to grant visitation, the
24    court shall consider the following:
25            (A) the wishes of the child, taking into account
26        the child's maturity and ability to express reasoned

 

 

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1        and independent preferences as to visitation;
2            (B) the mental and physical health of the child;
3            (C) the mental and physical health of the
4        grandparent, great-grandparent, sibling, or
5        step-parent;
6            (D) the length and quality of the prior
7        relationship between the child and the grandparent,
8        great-grandparent, sibling, or step-parent;
9            (E) the good faith of the party in filing the
10        petition;
11            (F) the good faith of the person denying
12        visitation;
13            (G) the quantity of the visitation time requested
14        and the potential adverse impact that visitation would
15        have on the child's customary activities;
16            (H) any other fact that establishes that the loss
17        of the relationship between the petitioner and the
18        child is likely to unduly harm the child's mental,
19        physical, or emotional health; and
20            (I) whether visitation can be structured in a way
21        to minimize the child's exposure to conflicts between
22        the adults.
23        (6) Any visitation rights granted under this Section
24    before the filing of a petition for adoption of the child
25    shall automatically terminate by operation of law upon the
26    entry of an order terminating parental rights or granting

 

 

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1    the adoption of the child, whichever is earlier. If the
2    person or persons who adopted the child are related to the
3    child, as defined by Section 1 of the Adoption Act, any
4    person who was related to the child as grandparent,
5    great-grandparent, or sibling prior to the adoption shall
6    have standing to bring an action under this Section
7    requesting visitation with the child.
8        (7) The court may order visitation rights for the
9    grandparent, great-grandparent, sibling, or step-parent
10    that include reasonable access without requiring overnight
11    or possessory visitation.
12        (8) Proceedings concerning a petition brought under
13    this Section by a grandparent or great-grandparent shall
14    receive priority in being set for a hearing. The court
15    shall render a decision not later than 6 months after the
16    petition has been filed, unless the parties agree
17    otherwise. At the time of filing a petition under this
18    Section by a grandparent or great-grandparent, the court
19    shall set the first hearing within 45 days of the petition
20    being filed, and each subsequent hearing shall be scheduled
21    within 45 days of the immediately preceding hearing. If a
22    party intentionally or recklessly causes undue delay of the
23    proceedings on a petition for visitation rights brought by
24    a grandparent or great-grandparent, the court shall impose
25    penalties and sanctions, including, but not limited to,
26    costs and attorney's fees.

 

 

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1    (c) Visitation by grandparents, great-grandparents,
2step-parents, and siblings.
3        (1) Grandparents, great-grandparents, step-parents,
4    and siblings of a minor child who is one year old or older
5    may bring a petition for visitation and electronic
6    communication under this Section if there is an
7    unreasonable denial of visitation by a parent that causes
8    undue mental, physical, or emotional harm to the child and
9    if at least one of the following conditions exists:
10            (A) the child's other parent is deceased or has
11        been missing for at least 90 days. For the purposes of
12        this subsection a parent is considered to be missing if
13        the parent's location has not been determined and the
14        parent has been reported as missing to a law
15        enforcement agency; or
16            (B) a parent of the child is incompetent as a
17        matter of law; or
18            (C) a parent has been incarcerated in jail or
19        prison for a period in excess of 90 days immediately
20        prior to the filing of the petition; or
21            (D) the child's parents have been granted a
22        dissolution of marriage or have been legally separated
23        from each other or there is pending a dissolution
24        proceeding involving a parent of the child or another
25        court proceeding involving parental responsibilities
26        or visitation of the child (other than an adoption

 

 

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1        proceeding of an unrelated child, a proceeding under
2        Article II of the Juvenile Court Act of 1987, or an
3        action for an order of protection under the Illinois
4        Domestic Violence Act of 1986 or Article 112A of the
5        Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963) and at least one
6        parent does not object to the grandparent,
7        great-grandparent, step-parent, or sibling having
8        visitation with the child. The visitation of the
9        grandparent, great-grandparent, step-parent, or
10        sibling must not diminish the parenting time of the
11        parent who is not related to the grandparent,
12        great-grandparent, step-parent, or sibling seeking
13        visitation; or
14            (E) (i) the child is born to parents who are not
15        married to each other; (ii) the parents are not living
16        together; (iii) the petitioner is a grandparent,
17        great-grandparent, step-parent, or sibling of the
18        child; and (iv) the parent-child relationship has been
19        legally established. For purposes of this subdivision
20        (E), if the petitioner is a grandparent or
21        great-grandparent, the parent-child relationship need
22        be legally established only with respect to the parent
23        who is related to the grandparent or
24        great-grandparent. For purposes of this subdivision
25        (E), if the petitioner is a step-parent, the
26        parent-child relationship need be legally established

 

 

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1        only with respect to the parent who is married to the
2        petitioner or was married to the petitioner
3        immediately before the parent's death.
4        (2) In addition to the factors set forth in subdivision
5    (b)(5) of this Section, the court should consider:
6            (A) whether the child resided with the petitioner
7        for at least 6 consecutive months with or without a
8        parent present;
9            (B) whether the child had frequent and regular
10        contact or visitation with the petitioner for at least
11        12 consecutive months; and
12            (C) whether the grandparent, great-grandparent,
13        sibling, or step-parent was a primary caretaker of the
14        child for a period of not less than 6 consecutive
15        months within the 24-month period immediately
16        preceding the commencement of the proceeding.
17        (3) An order granting visitation privileges under this
18    Section is subject to subsections (c) and (d) of Section
19    603.10.
20        (4) A petition for visitation privileges may not be
21    filed pursuant to this subsection (c) by the parents or
22    grandparents of a parent of the child if parentage between
23    the child and the related parent has not been legally
24    established.
25    (d) Modification of visitation orders.
26        (1) Unless by stipulation of the parties, no motion to

 

 

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1    modify a grandparent, great-grandparent, sibling, or
2    step-parent visitation order may be made earlier than 2
3    years after the date the order was filed, unless the court
4    permits it to be made on the basis of affidavits that there
5    is reason to believe the child's present environment may
6    endanger seriously the child's mental, physical, or
7    emotional health.
8        (2) The court shall not modify an order that grants
9    visitation to a grandparent, great-grandparent, sibling,
10    or step-parent unless it finds by clear and convincing
11    evidence, upon the basis of facts that have arisen since
12    the prior visitation order or that were unknown to the
13    court at the time of entry of the prior visitation order,
14    that a change has occurred in the circumstances of the
15    child or his or her parent, and that the modification is
16    necessary to protect the mental, physical, or emotional
17    health of the child. The court shall state in its decision
18    specific findings of fact in support of its modification or
19    termination of the grandparent, great-grandparent,
20    sibling, or step-parent visitation. A child's parent may
21    always petition to modify visitation upon changed
22    circumstances when necessary to promote the child's best
23    interests.
24        (3) Notice of a motion requesting modification of a
25    visitation order shall be provided as set forth in
26    subsection (c) of Section 601.2 of this Act.

 

 

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1        (4) Attorney's fees and costs shall be assessed against
2    a party seeking modification of the visitation order if the
3    court finds that the modification action is vexatious and
4    constitutes harassment.
5    (e) No child's grandparent, great-grandparent, sibling, or
6step-parent, or any person to whom the court is considering
7granting visitation privileges pursuant to subsection (d) of
8Section 602.7, who was convicted of any offense involving an
9illegal sex act perpetrated upon a victim less than 18 years of
10age including, but not limited to, offenses for violations of
11Section 11-1.20, 11-1.30, 11-1.40, 11-1.50, 11-1.60, 11-1.70,
12or Article 12 of the Criminal Code of 1961 or the Criminal Code
13of 2012, is entitled to visitation while incarcerated or while
14on parole, probation, conditional discharge, periodic
15imprisonment, or mandatory supervised release for that
16offense, and upon discharge from incarceration for a
17misdemeanor offense or upon discharge from parole, probation,
18conditional discharge, periodic imprisonment, or mandatory
19supervised release for a felony offense. Visitation shall be
20denied until the person successfully completes a treatment
21program approved by the court. Upon completion of treatment,
22the court may deny visitation based on the factors listed in
23subdivision (b)(5) of this Section.
24    (f) No child's grandparent, great-grandparent, sibling, or
25step-parent, or any person to whom the court is considering
26granting visitation privileges pursuant to subsection (d) of

 

 

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1Section 602.7, may be granted visitation if he or she has been
2convicted of first degree murder of a parent, grandparent,
3great-grandparent, or sibling of the child who is the subject
4of the visitation request. Pursuant to a motion to modify
5visitation, the court shall revoke visitation rights
6previously granted to any person who would otherwise be
7entitled to petition for visitation rights under this Section
8or granted visitation under subsection (d) of Section 602.7, if
9the person has been convicted of first degree murder of a
10parent, grandparent, great-grandparent, or sibling of the
11child who is the subject of the visitation order. Until an
12order is entered pursuant to this subsection, no person may
13visit, with the child present, a person who has been convicted
14of first degree murder of the parent, grandparent,
15great-grandparent, or sibling of the child without the consent
16of the child's parent, other than a parent convicted of first
17degree murder as set forth herein, or legal guardian.
18(Source: P.A. 99-90, eff. 1-1-16; 99-763, eff. 1-1-17; 100-706,
19eff. 1-1-19.)