HCS/HB 927 - Under this act, the month of June shall be designated as "Fathership Month" in this state. Additionally, this act establishes the "Missouri Fathership Project" within the Department of Social Services. The project shall promote and empower fathers through the use of grants to agencies, programs, and nonprofit organizations that support and facilitate involvement of fathers in the community. The grant funds shall be used to hire, train, and facilitate fathership project specialists who shall serve as one-on-one points of contact for fathers seeking to reestablish and strengthen their relationships with their children, as described in the act.
Agencies, programs, and nonprofit organizations receiving funds through this program shall submit annual reports to the relevant state agency, as specified in the act.
Any father participating in the project who has been making regular child support payments or who has been complying with a court-ordered visitation and custody order shall be eligible for limited driving privileges or the return of his license and shall not be subject to the suspension of other specified licenses.
Additionally, this act modifies provisions of law relating to grandparent visitation. This act adds a ground for grandparent visitation when a grandparent has been unreasonably denied visitation for period exceeding sixty days, the parents of the child were never married, and the parent with custodial rights has denied reasonable visitation to a grandparent. Additionally, this act repeals existing language prohibiting grandparents from seeking visitation if the natural parents are married to each other and living together with the child.
Under this act, if a grandparent has been denied reasonable visitation with a child for a period exceeding sixty days and an action involving custody or visitation has been adjudicated, the grandparent may file seeking visitation with the child. A grandparent may file a motion for an independent action if no prior custody or visitation order exists to seek visitation rights if reasonable visitation has been denied.
Visitation provided to a grandparent after filing an action under this act shall not terminate or extinguish a grandparent's right to seek relief. If the parties reach an agreement regarding grandparent visitation, the court may enter an order confirming such agreement if the agreement is found to be in the best interests of the child.
This provision is identical to HCS/HB 1165 (2025).
SARAH HASKINS