HB511: relative to the confidentiality of records pertaining to the support of dependent children.

CHAPTER 217

HB 511 – FINAL VERSION

2005 SESSION

05-0784

05/10

HOUSE BILL 511

AN ACT relative to the confidentiality of records pertaining to the support of dependent children.

SPONSORS: Rep. Wallner, Merr 12; Rep. Moran, Hills 18

COMMITTEE: Children and Family Law

ANALYSIS

This bill permits court employees to access otherwise confidential child support records in connection with court administration of cases involving the office of child support.

This bill is a request of the department of health and human services.

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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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

05-0784

05/10

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Five

AN ACT relative to the confidentiality of records pertaining to the support of dependent children.

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

217:1 Support of Dependent Children; Repository for Information; Access for Court Administration. Amend RSA 161-B:7, III to read as follows:

III. Any records established or information collected pursuant to the provisions of this chapter shall be made available only to the commissioner and the attorney general and their authorized designees, attorneys employed by the office of child support, attorneys responsible for the administration of RSA 546-B, attorneys employed by the department in RSA 169-C proceedings, the client or the client’s authorized representative, authorized court employees, and courts or agencies in other states engaged in the enforcement of support of minor children as authorized by federal law or the rules of the department. Such records and information shall be available and used only for purposes directly connected with the establishment, enforcement, or modification of child support, court administration of cases filed under this chapter, RSA 458, and RSA 546-B that are administered by the office of child support, the location and notification of parents in RSA 169-C proceedings, and the administration of this chapter. The records and information made available to the client or the client’s authorized representative shall not include information provided to the department that is prohibited from release by federal law, state statute, state case law, or by contract or agreement between the department and another entity if such contract or agreement prohibits release of such information.

217:2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.

(Approved: July 5, 2005)

(Effective Date: September 3, 2005)