1.1                          A bill for an act
  1.2             relating to family law; providing visitation rights to 
  1.3             certain relatives; amending Minnesota Statutes 1998, 
  1.4             section 257.022, by adding a subdivision. 
  1.5   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.6      Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1998, section 257.022, is 
  1.7   amended by adding a subdivision to read: 
  1.8      Subd. 2c.  [OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS.] If an unmarried minor 
  1.9   child spent on average at least one night per week for a period 
  1.10  of a year in the home of an adult brother, sister, aunt, uncle, 
  1.11  cousin, or other extended family member of the minor related by 
  1.12  blood, that family member may petition the district court for an 
  1.13  order granting the family member reasonable visitation rights to 
  1.14  the child during the child's minority.  The court shall grant 
  1.15  the petition if it finds that visitation rights would be in the 
  1.16  best interests of the child and would not interfere with the 
  1.17  parent and child relationship.  In determining the best 
  1.18  interests of the child, the court shall consider: 
  1.19     (1) the amount of personal contact between the family 
  1.20  member and the child in the past; 
  1.21     (2) the emotional ties that have existed between the family 
  1.22  member and the child; and 
  1.23     (3) the need for the child to have interaction with family 
  1.24  members besides the custodial parent, especially in the absence 
  1.25  of grandparental involvement. 
  2.1      Sec. 2.  [EFFECTIVE DATE.] 
  2.2      This act is effective the day following final enactment.