Moses Lake woman asks for visitation
CBH Columbia Basin Herald Local News
MOSES LAKE - Connie Cervantes can't visit her two grandchildren. A new bill to be heard Wednesday in Olympia could change that.
House Bill 1506 would allow for a third party to petition the court for visitation with a child if certain conditions are met, even if the parents object.
Cervantes, from Moses Lake, met with Matt Manweller, R-Ellensburg, and other legislative officials in Olympia last week to stress the importance of grandparents rights. Cervantes was also elected to be the Hispanic Caucus Secretary and serves as the Democratic State Committee Chairperson.
Washington is currently the only state not to offer grandparents legal recourse to petition for visitation rights. Cervantes said many grandparents lose visitation rights with grandchildren following a divorce or break-up of the grandchildren's parents.
The new bill would allow for visitation rights if the person "has established an ongoing and substantial relationship with the child."
This includes interaction, companionship and mutuality, according to the bill.
If the bill passes through the House Committee on Judiciary, Cervantes will testify the specifics of her case before the House members. Cervantes urges the public to contact local legislators before the bill is heard Wednesday.
"I haven't seen my grandkids in awhile," she said. "I want to plea to legislators to have a heart."
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