Allowing a court to grant a grandparent or great-grandparent visitation rights of a child in certain circumstances

Where it is now

Done: IntroducedFebruary 18, 2026
Done: SubcommitteeFebruary 18, 2026
Stopped: House committeeDied when the General Assembly ended
Next: Passes the House
Next: Senate committeeFunnel: by March 20, 2026
Next: Passes the Senate
Next: To the Governor
Next: Signed into law

Died when the session ended The General Assembly adjourned on October 2, 2026. Bills that didn’t pass both chambers died. What’s a funnel?

What’s in it

Under current law, if a parent of a child is deceased, a court may enter an order granting visitation rights with the child to the child’s grandparent or great-grandparent (grandparent) if the court finds such visitation is in the child’s best interests; the grandparent and the child have a substantial established relationship prior to the grandparent petitioning for visitation rights; and the surviving parent is either unfit to make a decision regarding such visitation or the parent’s judgment has been impaired and the benefits the child would receive from visitation greatly outweigh the effects such visitation would have on the child’s parent-child relationship.

Read the full explanation

This bill eliminates the requirement that a parent must be unfit to make a decision regarding grandparent visitation or that the parent’s judgment must be impaired and the benefits the child would receive from visitation greatly outweigh the effects such visitation would have on the child’s parent-child relationship.

From the explanation printed with the bill as introduced, written by the Legislative Services Agency. Amendments adopted later aren’t reflected. Full bill text

House subcommittee

Named February 18, 2026. Meeting: Thursday, February 19 · 8:15 AM · House Lounge.

Three legislators hear a bill first and recommend what the committee should do; it’s the best time to weigh in. How to take part

Iowa Code it changes

Amends§600C.1

Read from the bill as introduced. Each links to every bill touching that chapter of the Iowa Code. How the Code works

Lobbying

1 for · 1 against · 0 undecided · Who →

Similar bills

HF 2423 Allowing a court to grant a grandparent or great-grandparent visitation rights of a child …
91st General Assembly · In committee
Nearly identical

Matched by the wording of each bill’s explanation, or an identical title. Companion bills and renumbered versions of this bill aren’t listed; they’re the same bill.