03/11/1994 09:05 AM Senate STA

 CHAIRMAN LEMAN brings up SB  21 (MISC. GRANDPARENT VISITATION                 
 RIGHTS) as the next order of business.  The chairman calls Senator            
 Donley to testify.                                                            
                                                                               
 Number 463                                                                    
                                                                               
 SENATOR DAVE DONLEY, prime sponsor of SB 21 states SB 21 would give           
 grandparents standing to ask a court for visitation rights with               
 their grandchildren.  This bill would simply give them that                   
 standing to ask for visitation rights.  SB 21 does not require that           
 visitation rights be given, it is completely up to the discretion             
 of the judge, but currently grandparents do not have the standing             
 to even ask for visitation.                                                   
 SENATOR DONLEY states there has been a request by the Alaska                  
 Women's Lobby to delete section 4 of SB 21.  Senator Donley states            
 he does not have any particular objection to deleting that section.           
 Section 4 applies to mutual agreements of dissolution by both                 
 parents, and the court is not involved in that.  Some persons feel            
 that grandparents should not be involved in that process.  Senator            
 Donley thinks that the bill will be a real step forward with or               
 without that section.  He will leave that deletion up to the                  
 committee.                                                                    
                                                                               
 CHAIRMAN LEMAN asks if what the pleasure of the committee is.                 
                                                                               
 Number 494                                                                    
                                                                               
 SENATOR TAYLOR makes a motion to discharge SB 21 from the Senate              
 State Affairs Committee with individual recommendations.                      
                                                                               
 Number 497                                                                    
                                                                               
 CHAIRMAN LEMAN, hearing no objection, orders SB 21 released from              
 committee with individual recommendations.