SB0481 • 2026

Family Law - Denial or Interference With Visitation Rights

Children

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Senator McKay
Last action: 2026-02-04
Official status: In the Senate - Hearing 2/18 at 1:00 p.m.
Effective date: 2026-10-01

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Family Law - Denial or Interference With Visitation Rights

Requiring, rather than authorizing, a court to order visitation to be rescheduled, in a manner consistent with the best interests of the child, when the court finds that a party to a custody or visitation order has unjustifiably denied or interfered with visitation granted by the custody or visitation order.

What This Bill Does

Requiring, rather than authorizing, a court to order visitation to be rescheduled, in a manner consistent with the best interests of the child, when the court finds that a party to a custody or visitation order has unjustifiably denied or interfered with visitation granted by the custody or visitation order.

Limits and Unknowns

This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

2026-02-04 Senate
Hearing 2/18 at 1:00 p.m.
2026-02-02 Senate
First Reading Judicial Proceedings
Maryland General Assembly
Text - First - Family Law - Denial or Interference With Visitation Rights

Official Summary Text

Requiring, rather than authorizing, a court to order visitation to be rescheduled, in a manner consistent with the best interests of the child, when the court finds that a party to a custody or visitation order has unjustifiably denied or interfered with visitation granted by the custody or visitation order.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*sb0481*

SENATE BILL 481
D4 6lr3449
CF HB 481
By: Senator McKay
Introduced and read first time: February 2, 2026
Assigned to: Judicial Proceedings

A BILL ENTITLED

AN ACT concerning 1

Family Law – Denial or Interference With Visitation Rights 2

FOR the purpose of requiring, rather than authorizing, a court to order visitation to be 3
rescheduled in a certain manner when the court finds that a party to a cust ody or 4
visitation order has unjustifiably denied or interfered with visitation granted by the 5
custody or visitation order; and generally relating to child custody and visitation. 6

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 7
Article – Family Law 8
Section 9–105 9
Annotated Code of Maryland 10
(2019 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 11

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 12
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 13

Article – Family Law 14

9–105. 15

In any custody or visitation proceeding, if the court determines that a party to a 16
custody or visitation order has unjustifiably denied or interfered with visitation granted by 17
a custody or visitation order, the court , IN A MANNER CONSISTE NT WITH THE BEST 18
INTERESTS OF THE CHILD: 19

(1) SHALL ORDER ADDITION AL PERIODS OF VISITA TION TO BE 20
SCHEDULED THAT ARE: 21

(I) OF THE SAME TYPE , INCLUDING WEEKEND , HOLIDAY, OR 22
SUMMER VISITATION TIME, AS THE VISITATION THAT WAS DENIED OR INTERFERED 23
2 SENATE BILL 481

WITH, AND DOUBLE THE DURAT ION OF THE VISITATIO N THAT WAS DENIED OR 1
INTERFERED WITH; 2

(II) AT A TIME THAT THE OTHER PARTY CHOOSES; AND 3

(III) WITHIN 2 YEARS AFTER THE COURT DETERMINATION THAT 4
THE VISITATION HAD BEEN UNJUSTIFIABLY DENIED OR INTERFERED WITH; AND 5

(2) may, in addition to any other remed y available to the court [and in a 6
manner consistent with the best interests of the child ], take any or all of the following 7
actions: 8

[(1) order that the visitation be rescheduled; 9

(2)] (I) modify the custody or visitation order to require additional terms 10
or conditions designed to ensure future compliance with the order; or 11

[(3)] (II) assess costs or counsel fees against the party who has 12
unjustifiably denied or interfered with visitation rights. 13

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this A ct shall take effect 14
October 1, 2026. 15