MO HB417

Allows non-biological or non-legal parents to petition for custody and visitation rights if they have an ongoing parent/child relationship with a minor child lasting at least one year.

Defines parent/child relationship as one where a person has performed parental duties, provided basic physical needs, cared for education and discipline, or sustained a relationship fulfilling the child's psychological and emotional needs.

Establishes a rebuttable presumption that natural parents act in the child's best interests; petitioner must prove this presumption wrong by preponderance of evidence for visitation rights or clear and convincing evidence for custody rights.

Courts must consider nine factors when determining if a parent/child relationship exists, including the child's age, duration of interaction, whether the natural parent fostered the relationship, and whether the petitioner fulfilled the child's psychological needs.

Allows courts to award visitation rights upon preponderance of evidence or full custody rights upon clear and convincing evidence if in the child's best interests, and may assess child support and attorney fees accordingly.