A movement aimed at strengthening grandparents’ visitation rights has seen their proposed initiative approved by the state Secretary of State and the Attorney General, and they’re now 300,000 signatures away from getting their issue on this November’s ballot.

Initiative 1431 would let voters “decide if deserving grandparents will have the right to seek visitation of their grandchild/grandchildren when the grandparent/grandchild relationship has been unfairly severed due to death, divorce or disagreement among one or both parents.”

“It is a grassroots effort for us to restore visitation in cases of death, divorce or alienation from parents toward grandparent visitation of grandchildren,” said Rich Mosman, a Federal Way resident, noting that I-1431 won’t guarantee such visitation rights but would, at least, give grandparents standing in court to request them.

The group spearheading the effort, G.I.F.T.S. in Washington State (Grandparents Inspire Family Tradition and Spirit), is seeking petition signatures and volunteers to help collect them. The group has until June 1 to file the petitions.

For more information, visit giftsinwastate.org.