GA HB1198

Amends Georgia Code Section 19-7-3 to expand grandparent visitation rights, allowing grandparents to seek visitation when a parent is deceased, incapacitated, or incarcerated, with the court awarding visitation if it finds it in the child's best interests

Establishes specific factors courts may consider in finding harm to a child from lack of grandparent contact, including the child having resided with the grandparent for six months or more, the grandparent providing financial support for at least one year, or an established pattern of regular visitation or child care

Creates a rebuttable presumption that a child denied any contact with a grandparent may suffer emotional injury harmful to the child's health, replacing the prior provision that stated there shall be no presumption in favor of grandparent visitation

Requires that grandparent visitation not interfere with school or extracurricular activities and sets a minimum visitation of 24 hours per month; courts may also order custodial parents to notify grandparents of public events such as concerts, graduations, and sporting events

Maintains that a parent's decision regarding grandparent visitation receives deference but is not conclusive when denial of contact would result in emotional harm; the act takes effect upon the Governor's approval