HB 1555 -- Virtual Visitation

Sponsor:  Yaeger

This bill requires the parties in a dissolution of marriage
proceeding to submit in their proposed parenting plan a specific
written schedule for virtual visitation.  Each parent, unless
otherwise denied by court order, must permit and encourage the
other parent to have reasonable and uncensored communications via
virtual visitation between a non-custodial parent and a child and
between a child and the custodial parent when the child is
staying with the non-custodial parent.  Virtual visitation is
designed to supplement and not replace in-person visitation.
"Virtual visitation" is defined as parenting time facilitated by
tools such as telephone, e-mail, instant messaging, video
conferencing, and any other wired or wireless technologies over
the Internet or other communication media.

If the parties cannot agree on whether virtual visitation
equipment is reasonably available, the court will make the
decision based on the best interest of the child, each parent's
ability to handle any additional expenses of virtual visitation,
and any other factors the court considers relevant.

The bill also allows a court to grant virtual visitation rights
to the grandparents of the child.

Missouri House of Representatives
93rd General Assembly, 2nd Regular Session
Last Updated November 29, 2006 at 9:43 am