Florida SB 674: Construction Contracting Qualifications

Bill Text

674 
Grandparent Visitation Rights 
2025-12-01T03:30:43Z 
Authorizing a grandparent of a minor child to petition a court for court-ordered visitation with the child in certain circumstances, etc. 
Original Filed Version 
2026 
S 
2026-07-01T00:00:00Z 
GB 
General Bill 
__ 

 Florida Senate - 2026 SB 674 

 By Senator Burgess 

 23-00222-26 2026674__ 
 1 A bill to be entitled 
 2 An act relating to grandparent visitation rights; 
 3 amending s. 752.011, F.S.; authorizing a grandparent 
 4 of a minor child to petition a court for court-ordered 
 5 visitation with the child in certain circumstances; 
 6 making technical changes; reenacting ss. 752.015 and 
 7 752.071, F.S., relating to mediation of visitation 
 8 disputes and the effect of adoption by a stepparent or 
 9 close relative, respectively, to incorporate the 
 10 amendment made to s. 752.011, F.S., in references 
 11 thereto; providing an effective date. 
 12 
 13 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 
 14 
 15 Section 1. Section 752.011, Florida Statutes, is amended to 
 16 read: 
 17 752.011 Petition for grandparent visitation with a minor 
 18 child.— 
 19 (1)(a) A grandparent of a minor child whose parents are 
 20 deceased, missing, or in a persistent vegetative state may 
 21 petition the court for court-ordered visitation with the child 
 22 under this section., or 
 23 (b) A grandparent of a minor child whose one parent is 
 24 deceased, missing, or in a persistent vegetative state and whose 
 25 other parent has been convicted of a felony or an offense of 
 26 violence evincing behavior that poses a substantial threat of 
 27 harm to the minor child’s health or welfare, may petition the 
 28 court for court-ordered visitation with the child grandchild 
 29 under this section. 
 30 (c) A grandparent of a minor child whose one parent is 
 31 deceased, missing, or in a persistent vegetative state may 
 32 petition the court for court-ordered visitation with the child 
 33 under this section if: 
 34 1. The child resided in the same household as the 
 35 grandparent for at least 6 months during the 12-month period 
 36 immediately preceding the parent’s death, disappearance, or 
 37 persistent vegetative state; 
 38 2. The child did not live in the same household as the 
 39 other parent for at least 6 months during that preceding 12 
 40 month period; and 
 41 3. Eliminating the child’s contact with the grandparent 
 42 would pose a substantial threat of harm to the physical, mental, 
 43 or emotional well-being of the child. 
 44 (2)(1) Upon the filing of a petition by a grandparent for 
 45 visitation, the court shall hold a preliminary hearing to 
 46 determine whether the petitioner has made a prima facie showing 
 47 of parental unfitness or significant harm to the child. Absent 
 48 such a showing, the court shall dismiss the petition and may 
 49 award reasonable attorney fees and costs to be paid by the 
 50 petitioner to the respondent. 
 51 (3)(2) Notwithstanding subsection (2) (1), if the court 
 52 finds that one parent of a child has been held criminally liable 
 53 for the death of the other parent of the child or civilly liable 
 54 for an intentional tort causing the death of the other parent of 
 55 the child, there is a presumption for granting reasonable 
 56 visitation with the petitioning grandparent or stepgrandparent 
 57 if he or she is the parent of the child’s deceased parent. This 
 58 presumption may only be overcome if the court finds that 
 59 granting such visitation is not in the best interests of the 
 60 child. 
 61 (4)(3) If the court finds that there is prima facie 
 62 evidence that a parent is unfit or that there is significant 
 63 harm to the child, the court may appoint a guardian ad litem and 
 64 must shall refer the matter to family mediation as provided in 
 65 s. 752.015. If family mediation does not successfully resolve 
 66 the issue of grandparent visitation, the court must shall 
 67 proceed with a final hearing. 
 68 (5)(4) After conducting a final hearing on the issue of 
 69 visitation, the court may award reasonable visitation to the 
 70 grandparent with respect to the minor child if the court finds 
 71 by clear and convincing evidence that a parent is unfit or that 
 72 there is significant harm to the child, that visitation is in 
 73 the best interests interest of the minor child, and that the 
 74 visitation will not materially harm the parent-child 
 75 relationship. 
 76 (6)(5) In assessing the best interests of the child under 
 77 subsection (5) (4), the court shall consider the totality of the 
 78 circumstances affecting the mental and emotional well-being of 
 79 the minor child, including: 
 80 (a) The love, affection, and other emotional ties existing 
 81 between the minor child and the grandparent, including those 
 82 resulting from the relationship that had been previously allowed 
 83 by the child’s parent. 
 84 (b) The length and quality of the previ