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HD 3556

An Act prohibiting court ordered visitation rights to any persons convicted of criminal offenses against a minor

194th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Colleen Garry

Massachusetts bill bans all court-ordered visitation for anyone convicted of crimes against minors, eliminating judicial discretion in case-by-case custody assessments.

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Bill Summary · HD 3556

Legislative bill overview

HD 3556 would categorically prohibit court-ordered visitation rights for anyone convicted of criminal offenses against a minor. This is a blanket restriction that removes judicial discretion in custody and visitation determinations for this population, replacing case-by-case assessments with an absolute prohibition.

Why this is important

Family courts currently balance child safety with constitutional rights to parent-child contact through individualized assessments, considering factors like offense severity, time elapsed, rehabilitation, and specific risks. This bill would eliminate that flexibility, potentially affecting visitation in cases ranging from statutory rape to serious violent crimes, and could have significant implications for incarcerated parents seeking contact with their children.

Potential points of contention

  • Constitutional concerns: Courts may face challenges under parental rights protections and due process guarantees; blanket prohibitions without case-by-case review have faced legal scrutiny in other contexts
  • Severity distinctions: The bill doesn't differentiate between offenses—a conviction could range from a crime against a 17-year-old in a statutory case to violent assault, yet both receive identical treatment
  • Rehabilitation and public safety: No provision for changed circumstances, long sentences served, or rehabilitation evidence to potentially restore limited supervised contact if risk assessments change
  • Supervised visitation gap: Doesn't address whether even supervised, monitored contact in secure settings would remain prohibited, potentially eliminating lower-risk alternatives

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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