An Act relative to grandparent visitation rights

This bill amends Massachusetts law to change the process for grandparents seeking visitation rights. It requires any grandparent petitioning for visitation to include a verified complaint with facts that would be admissible in court, showing the petitioner's knowledge and competence. Upon filing, the court must automatically appoint a guardian ad litem for the child (at the grandparent's expense) and assign the case to mediation, without input from other parties. The bill directly affects grandparents filing visitation petitions and alters the initial court handling of these cases.