HB 2461 Summary

• Allows grandparents to petition family court for reasonable visitation rights with minor grandchildren if Hawaii is the child's home state and denial of visitation would cause significant demonstrable harm to the child.

• Establishes a rebuttable presumption that parental decisions regarding grandparent visitation are in the child's best interests, which can be overcome with evidence of significant demonstrable harm.

• Requires courts to consider nine specific factors when deciding grandparent visitation petitions, including the nature of the preexisting relationship, financial support provided, previous visitation arrangements, and any family violence history.

• Mandates that both living parents and the child's custodians receive actual or constructive notice of the visitation petition and hearing before any order is issued.

• Takes effect July 1, 2014.