PRINTER'S NO. 733
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 714
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY WENTLING AND SCIALABBA, FEBRUARY 24, 2025
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY, FEBRUARY 24, 2025
AN ACT
1 Amending Title 23 (Domestic Relations) of the Pennsylvania
2 Consolidated Statutes, in child custody, providing for
3 sibling visitation rights.
4 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
5 hereby enacts as follows:
6 Section 1. Title 23 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
7 Statutes is amended by adding a section to read:
8 § 5325.1. Sibling visitation rights.
9 (a) Petition.--Upon the filing of a petition for visitation
10 by a petitioner, or by a parent or legal guardian of a
11 petitioner if the petitioner is not an adult and the parent or
12 legal guardian is acting on behalf of the petitioner, the court
13 may award reasonable visitation to the petitioner in accordance
14 with this section.
15 (b) Considerations.--In determining whether to award
16 reasonable visitation to a petitioner, a court shall consider:
17 (1) The best interests of the child in accordance with
18 section 5328 (relating to factors to consider when awarding
19 custody).
 1 (2) Whether the petitioner is a fit and proper
2 individual to have visitation with the child.
3 (3) Whether the petitioner has attempted to visit or
4 otherwise spend time with the child during the 30 days
5 immediately preceding the filing of the petition but was not
6 allowed to visit or otherwise spend time with the child
7 during that period as a direct result of the actions of an
8 individual with physical custody of the child.
9 (4) Whether there is any other way for the petitioner to
10 have visitation with the child without court intervention.
11 (5) Whether the petitioner has shown by clear and
12 convincing evidence that the refusal, by an individual with
13 physical custody of the child, to permit the petitioner to
14 have visitation with the child is unreasonable.
15 (c) Construction.--This section shall not be construed to
16 affect any rights regarding standing or the award of custody
17 under this chapter.
18 (d) Definitions.--As used in this section, the following
19 words and phrases shall have the meanings given to them in this
20 subsection unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
21 "Petitioner." An individual who is a sibling of a child and
22 who is seeking visitation with the child.
23 "Sibling." A brother, sister, half-brother, half-sister,
24 stepbrother or stepsister.
25 "Visitation." As follows:
26 (1) The right to visit or otherwise spend time with a
27 child who is a sibling.
28 (2) The term does not include the right to partial
29 physical custody, primary physical custody, shared physical
30 custody, sole physical custody or supervised physical
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1 custody.
2 Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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