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HB 806

Regards minor siblings’ companionship, visitation rights

136th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Adam Bird

HB 806 creates a formal path for minor siblings to obtain reasonable companionship or visitation, with court-determined best interests and clear procedural safeguards.

Referred to committee
#childcustodyandsupport #domesticrelations #juvenileandfamilylaw
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Bill Summary · HB 806

Overview

HB 806 (136th General Assembly, Ohio) introduces a new mechanism for minor siblings to seek companionship or visitation rights with other minor siblings. The bill also makes various amendments to existing child welfare and family law provisions to accommodate and regulate these sibling-focused rights, while preserving current procedures for parenting time, visitation, and protective orders.

Main purpose and intent

  • Create a formal avenue for minor siblings to obtain reasonable companionship or visitation with one another when they are not in the same immediate household.
  • Align sibling companionship/visitation provisions with broader Ohio parenting time and visitation rules, ensuring court authority to determine best interests and schedule terms.
  • Provide a clear procedural framework, including modification, mediation, and potential expedited handling, for sibling rights.

Key provisions and changes

  • 3109.111 (new section): Allows a minor sibling (or that sibling’s adult parent/guardian/next friend) to file for reasonable companionship or visitation with respect to another minor child under circumstances such as:
    • Deceased parent or ongoing dissolution/divorce/separation involving the child.
    • A father established through 3111 who has a parent-child relationship with the other child, with proof that the siblings are indeed siblings.
  • Court process and standards (3109.111):
    • Requires a proposed schedule and terms for companionship/visitation.
    • Court may appoint an attorney for a sibling if needed.
    • Court must grant companionship/visitation if it determines it is in the best interest of the child.
    • Factors for best interest include typical considerations under 3109.051, mutual benefit of the sibling relationship, and potential impact on the parent-child relationship.
    • Court cannot consider the sex of the children or their parents in making the determination.
  • Modification and relocation (F–G).
    • Provisions for modifying an existing sibling companionship/visitation order, including timelines (hearing within 60 days) and procedures when relocation is involved.
    • Mediation is preferred if parties cannot agree; waivers and evidentiary hearings are described if mediation is not feasible.
  • Roles and enforcement (H–I).
    • Access to records and school activities consistent with non-residential-parent rights, subject to court safeguards.
    • Protection against interference with companionship/visitation rights; contempt and cost-shifting rules apply.
  • Section 3113.31 (Expanded context): Adds broader domestic violence protection framework, including definitions of domestic violence, guardianship for minors, and related protective orders. This section governs protective orders that may intersect with parenting time/visitation matters, ensuring safety and applicable remedies.
  • Financial and procedural safeguards:
    • Costs may be waived for indigent parties.
    • Courts must issue specific schedules, findings of fact, and ensure that orders are final and appealable where appropriate.

Who is affected

  • Minor siblings seeking companionship or visitation with other minor siblings.
  • Parents, guardians, and other family members involved in sibling arrangements.
  • Court systems (family/juvenile divisions) handling custody, visitation, and protective orders.
  • If incidents involve domestic violence or child safety concerns, the case may engage protection orders and enforcement mechanisms.

Timelines and procedural notes

  • Mediation encouraged if disputes arise; expedited handling available in certain circumstances.
  • Modification hearings must occur within specified windows (typically up to 60 days after motion).
  • Protection orders under 3113.31 have defined durations (up to five years or until certain age thresholds), with renewal provisions.

Note: The bill also standardizes access to records, school activities, and records management consistent with existing non-residential-parent rights frameworks.

Overall, HB 806 adds a formal legal pathway to recognize and regulate minor siblings’ companionship or visitation, with a structured due-process approach and parental/guardian safeguards.

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

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