03/01/1995 09:05 AM Senate HES

 SHES - 3/1/95                                                                 
                                                                               
          SB  27 MISC. GRANDPARENT VISITATION RIGHTS                         
                                                                               
 Number 386                                                                    
                                                                               
 CHAIRMAN GREEN introduced  SB 27  as the next order of business               
 before the committee.                                                         
                                                                               
 SENATOR DONLEY, prime sponsor, noted that SB 27 has been around for           
 at least four years.  He explained that SB 27 would allow                     
 grandparents the right to have standing to petition the courts for            
 visitation rights.  Alaska is the only state where grandparents do            
 not have such standing.  He clarified that there is a statute which           
 references grandparent visitation, but the court must take the                
 action.  The grandparents are not allowed to initiate such action.            
 He said that there was a strong public policy reason for allowing             
 this, family relations.  He recounted the past of SB 27.  In                  
 conclusion, he emphasized that SB 27 is clear regarding that                  
 visitation would only be allowed when in the best interest of the             
 child.                                                                        
                                                                               
 SENATOR SALO inquired as to how SB 27 compared to the legislation             
 last year.  She also asked if Senator Donley could address the                
 problem in the past regarding the issue of dissolution.  SENATOR              
 DONLEY pointed out that SB 27 does not contain Section 4 which                
 referenced that in last year's bill.                                          
                                                                               
 SENATOR SALO asked why that section was eliminated.  SENATOR DONLEY           
 explained that Section 4 was eliminated due to controversy                    
 surrounding it.                                                               
                                                                               
 SENATOR SALO said that she recalled the controversy being related             
 to the definition of dissolution.  A dissolution is an agreement              
 which does not involve review by a judge.  She asked how that would           
 happen under SB 27.  SENATOR DONLEY stated that it would not happen           
 because the issue is no longer covered in this legislation.                   
                                                                               
 SENATOR LEMAN moved that SB 27 be reported out of committee with              
 individual recommendations.  Without objection, it was so ordered.