Bill aims to expand grandparent’s rights

0
54

HARTFORD — State Rep. Rosa Rebimbas, R-Naugatuck, has introduced legislation designed to give grandparents more rights regarding visitation with a grandchild.

H.B. 5608 would amend current state law to allow grandparents a right of visitation with a minor child provided compelling circumstances exist that overcome the presumption that the parental decision to deny such visitation is in the child’s best interest, according to a press release.

Rebimbas introduced the bill in response to concerns raised by Naugatuck resident and Connecticut Chapter President of the Grandparent’s Rights Association of the USA Emidio Cerasale, the release stated.

“This proposal will hopefully open up the process so grandparents have another option, a chance, to explain their side of a visitation situation before being cut off from family,” Cerasale stated in the release. “It will help prevent circumstances where innocent, caring grandparents are shut down completely and not allowed to establish a healthy parent-like relationship with their grandchild.”

A public hearing on the bill is scheduled for March 14 at 10:30 a.m. at the Legislative Office Building in Hartford.

“This legislation preserves current state law while creating a process to provide grandparents an opportunity to have their concerns heard if they feel their visitation rights are being unfairly denied by the child’s parent,” Rebimbas stated in the release.