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Committee approves ‘Tara’s Law’ to expand grandparents’ visitation rights
Summary
The Senate Judiciary Committee voted to pass House Bill 17-99, called “Tara’s Law,” which adds three circumstances in which grandparents may petition for visitation—court-found parental unfitness, clear-and-convincing evidence of compelling circumstances, and post-death stepparent adoptions—after testimony that sponsor worked closely with judges to craft nonobjectionable language.
The Senate Judiciary Committee on a voice vote approved House Bill 17-99, commonly called “Tara’s Law,” which would expand the circumstances under which grandparents may petition Arkansas courts for visitation with their grandchildren.
Representative Rushing, the bill’s sponsor, told the panel she developed the measure after a family tragedy and described the proposed changes as targeted, not custodial. “This is not custody rights. This is just visitation rights,” she…
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