An Act amending Title 23 (Domestic Relations) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in child custody, providing for sibling visitation rights.

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
Amending Title 23 (Domestic Relations) of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes, in child custody, providing for
sibling visitation rights.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Title 23 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
Statutes is amended by adding a section to read:
§ 5325.1. Sibling visitation rights.
(a) Petition.--Upon the filing of a petition for visitation
by a petitioner, or by a parent or legal guardian of a
petitioner if the petitioner is not an adult and the parent or
legal guardian is acting on behalf of the petitioner, the court
may award reasonable visitation to the petitioner in accordance
with this section.
(b) Considerations.--In determining whether to award
reasonable visitation to a petitioner, a court shall consider:
(1) The best interests of the child in accordance with
section 5328 (relating to factors to consider when awarding
custody).
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
(2) Whether the petitioner is a fit and proper
individual to have visitation with the child.
(3) Whether the petitioner has attempted to visit or
otherwise spend time with the child during the 30 days
immediately preceding the filing of the petition but was not
allowed to visit or otherwise spend time with the child
during that period as a direct result of the actions of an
individual with physical custody of the child.
(4) Whether there is any other way for the petitioner to
have visitation with the child without court intervention.
(5) Whether the petitioner has shown by clear and
convincing evidence that the refusal, by an individual with
physical custody of the child, to permit the petitioner to
have visitation with the child is unreasonable.
(c) Construction.--This section shall not be construed to
affect any rights regarding standing or the award of custody
under this chapter.
(d) Definitions.--As used in this section, the following
words and phrases shall have the meanings given to them in this
subsection unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Petitioner." An individual who is a sibling of a child and
who is seeking visitation with the child.
"Sibling." A brother, sister, half-brother, half-sister,
stepbrother or stepsister.
"Visitation." As follows:
(1) The right to visit or otherwise spend time with a
child who is a sibling.
(2) The term does not include the right to partial
physical custody, primary physical custody, shared physical
custody, sole physical custody or supervised physical
20250HB0714PN0733 - 2 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
custody.
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
20250HB0714PN0733 - 3 -
1
2