Revision: Dec. 28, 2018, 9:05 a.m.
HB 263 - AS INTRODUCED
2019 SESSION
19-0417
05/04
HOUSE BILL 263
SPONSORS: Rep. Morrison, Rock. 9; Rep. Wallace, Rock. 33; Rep. True, Rock. 4; Rep. Altschiller, Rock. 19; Rep. Doucette, Rock. 8; Rep. Murphy, Hills. 21; Rep. Chase, Straf. 18; Rep. Guthrie, Rock. 13; Rep. Ford, Graf. 3; Sen. Carson, Dist 14
COMMITTEE: Children and Family Law
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ANALYSIS
This bill prohibits the court in an abuse and neglect proceeding from ordering family reunification or placement with a parent or guardian who is a tier III sex offender, convicted of an offense against a child.
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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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
19-0417
05/04
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Nineteen
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 Child Protection Act; Reunification Prohibited. Amend RSA 169-C:23 to read as follows:
169-C:23 Standard for Return of Child in Placement.
I. In the absence of a guardianship of the person of the minor, governed by the terms of RSA 463, before a child in out-of-home placement is returned to the custody of his or her parents, the parent or parents shall demonstrate to the court that:
[I.] (a) They are in compliance with the outstanding dispositional court order;
[II.] (b) The child will not be endangered in the manner adjudicated on the initial petition, if returned home;
[III.] (c) Return of custody is in the best interests of the child. Upon showing the ability to provide proper parental care, it shall be presumed that a return of custody is in the child's best interests.
II. In no case shall the court order family reunification or placement with a parent or guardian who is a tier III offender, convicted of an offense against a child, as defined in RSA 651-B:1, VII. Nor shall the permanency plan for a child in placement involve family reunification or placement with a parent guardian who is a tier III offender, convicted of an offense against a child as defined in RSA 651-B:1, VII.
2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.