Revision: Nov. 7, 2017, 1:08 p.m.
HB 1295 - AS INTRODUCED
2018 SESSION
18-2126
05/04
HOUSE BILL 1295
AN ACT relative to persons held in civil contempt.
SPONSORS: Rep. Itse, Rock. 10; Rep. Hoell, Merr. 23; Rep. M. Pearson, Rock. 34; Sen. Reagan, Dist 17
COMMITTEE: Judiciary
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ANALYSIS
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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
18-2126
05/04
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Eighteen
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; Civil Contempt. Amend RSA 458 by inserting after section 52 the following new section:
458:53 Penalties; Civil Contempt. Notwithstanding any other provision of law and excepting reasonable payments, no family court may incarcerate any person 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 30 days after its passage.