HB139: relative to the determination of parental rights and responsibilities.

HB 139 – AS INTRODUCED

2009 SESSION

09-0517

05/10

HOUSE BILL 139

AN ACT relative to the determination of parental rights and responsibilities.

SPONSORS: Rep. Bickford, Straf 3

COMMITTEE: Children and Family Law

ANALYSIS

This bill requires the court to consider comparable parenting as part of the determination of parental rights and responsibilities.

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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

09-0517

05/10

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Nine

AN ACT relative to the determination of parental rights and responsibilities.

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

1 Statement of Purpose; Comparable Parenting. RSA 461-A:2, II is repealed and reenacted to read as follows:

II. This chapter shall be construed so as to promote comparable parental rights and responsibilities.

2 New Paragraph; Determination of Parental Rights and Responsibilities. Amend RSA 461-A:6 by inserting after paragraph III the following new paragraph:

III-a. If the court finds upon consideration of the evidence that comparable parenting or the parents’ proposed allocation of parental rights and responsibilities is not in the child’s best interest, the court shall set forth in detail the reasons for its decision in a written order.

3 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.