Bill Text: NH HB263 | 2020 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Relative to department of health and human services family reunification practices involving convicted sex offenders.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2020-02-13 - Pending Motion Committee Amendment # 2020-0604s; 02/13/2020; Senate Journal 4 [HB263 Detail]
Download: New_Hampshire-2020-HB263-Amended.html
HB 263 - AS AMENDED BY THE HOUSE
19Mar2019... 1029h
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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AMENDED 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 a sexual 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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
19Mar2019... 1029h 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] parent, the parent shall demonstrate to the court that:
[I. They are] (a) He or she is 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 a sexual offense against a child as defined in RSA 651-B:1. Nor shall the permanency plan for a child in placement involve family reunification or placement with a parent or guardian who is a tier III offender, convicted of a sexual offense against a child as defined in RSA 651-B:1. Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed as conferring any rights on a parent or guardian who is a tier I or tier II offender, convicted of a sexual offense against a child as defined in RSA 651-B:1.
2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.
