SB-0101 Summary

• Amends the Child Custody Act of 1970 to allow grandparents to seek "grandparenting time" orders under six circumstances: pending parental divorce/separation, parental death, unmarried parents not residing together with established paternity, child in non-parental custody, or grandparent provided established custodial environment in prior year.

• Establishes a presumption that a fit parent's decision to deny grandparenting time does not harm the child; grandparents must prove by preponderance of evidence that denial creates substantial risk of harm to the child's mental, physical, or emotional health to rebut this presumption.

• Requires courts to dismiss grandparenting time requests if both fit parents jointly oppose the order, with exception when a stepparent adopted the child and the grandparent is the natural/adoptive parent of a deceased parent.

• Courts may refer qualifying grandparenting time cases to alternative dispute resolution; if unresolved, cases proceed to court hearing where judges consider factors including emotional bonds, relationship quality, grandparent fitness, child preference, and parent-grandparent hostility.

• Limits grandparents to filing requests no more than once every two years absent good cause; prohibits courts from restricting parental domicile changes primarily to enable grandparenting time; clarifies grandparenting orders do not confer parental rights and do not prevent adoption proceedings.