HB 138 - AS INTRODUCED
2017 SESSION
17-0093
09/06
HOUSE BILL 138
AN ACT relative to persons held in civil contempt.
SPONSORS: Rep. Itse, Rock. 10; Rep. Hoell, Merr. 23; Sen. Daniels, Dist 11; Sen. Reagan, Dist 17
COMMITTEE: Judiciary
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This bill declares that no person shall be incarcerated for civil contempt without there being a finding that the person has the liquid assets to satisfy the contempt penalty.
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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
17-0093
09/06
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Seventeen
AN ACT relative to persons held in civil contempt.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 New Section; Penalties for Civil Contempt Restricted. Amend RSA 491 by inserting after section 22-c the following new section:
491:22-d Penalties; Civil Contempt. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no court may incarcerate any citizen of this state and the United States for civil contempt without there first being a finding of fact that the person has the liquid assets to satisfy the contempt without borrowing money or incurring financial penalties to access financial instruments. In addition, no person shall be required to sell a principal residence or sole motor vehicle to satisfy a finding of civil contempt.
2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect January 1, 2018.
| Date | Body | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Jan. 18, 2017 | House | Hearing |
| Feb. 7, 2017 | House | Exec Session |
| Feb. 14, 2017 | House | Exec Session |
| Feb. 21, 2017 | House | Exec Session |
| March 8, 2017 | House | Floor Vote |
: Died on Table
March 9, 2017: Lay on Table (Rep. Hagan): MA VV 03/09/2017 HJ 10 P. 16
: Minority Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2017-0141h
March 8, 2017: Majority Committee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate for 03/08/2017 (Vote 14-3; RC)
Feb. 21, 2017: Executive Session: 02/21/2017 LOB 208
Feb. 21, 2017: Subcommittee Work Session: 02/21/2017 09:00 AM LOB 208
Feb. 14, 2017: ==RECESSED== Executive Session: 02/14/2017 01:00 PM LOB 208
Feb. 14, 2017: Subcommittee Work Session: 02/14/2017 11:00 AM LOB 208
Feb. 7, 2017: ==RECESSED== Executive Session: 02/07/2017 10:00 AM LOB 208
Jan. 18, 2017: Public Hearing: 01/18/2017 02:00 PM LOB 208
Jan. 4, 2017: Introduced 01/04/2017 and referred to Judiciary HJ 2 P. 18