Bill Text: NH HB306 | 2024 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Relative to prohibiting reunification therapy.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 6-2)
Status: (Engrossed) 2024-04-11 - Hearing: 04/18/2024, Room 100, State House, 01:15 pm; Senate Calendar 15 [HB306 Detail]
Download: New_Hampshire-2024-HB306-Amended.html
HB 306 - AS AMENDED BY THE HOUSE
3Jan2024... 2306h
2023 SESSION
23-0470
06/04
HOUSE BILL 306
AN ACT relative to prohibiting reunification therapy.
SPONSORS: Rep. Nutter-Upham, Hills. 8; Rep. O. Ford, Rock. 3; Rep. Merchant, Sull. 6; Rep. Bernardy, Rock. 36; Rep. Stapleton, Sull. 6; Rep. Vose, Rock. 5; Rep. McMahon, Rock. 17; Rep. Cushman, Hills. 28
COMMITTEE: Children and Family Law
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AMENDED ANALYSIS
This bill prohibits certain types of family reunification treatment as part of a parenting plan and requires any recommended counselor be recommended by the parties and is a participating provider in the parties' health insurance network.
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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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
3Jan2024... 2306h 23-0470
06/04
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Three
AN ACT relative to prohibiting reunification therapy.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 Parental Rights and Responsibilities; Parenting Plans; Contents; Reunification Therapy Prohibited. Amend RSA 461-A:4, III to read as follows:
III. If the parties are insured and the parenting plan directs the parties to participate in counseling, the court shall give due consideration to selecting a counselor who [accepts direct payment from the] is recommended by the parties and is a participating provider in the parties' health insurance carrier. The court shall not order family reunification treatments, programs, or services, including, but not limited to, camps, workshops, therapeutic vacations, or educational programs that, as a condition of enrollment or participation, require or result in any of the following:
(a) A no-contact order.
(b) An overnight, out-of-state, or multi-day stay.
(c) A transfer of physical or legal custody of the child.
(d) The use of private youth transporters or private transportation agents engaged in the use of force, threat of force, physical obstruction, acutely distressing circumstances, or circumstances that place the safety of the child at risk.
(e) The use of threats of physical force, undue coercion, verbal abuse, isolation from the child's family, community, or other sources of support, or other acutely distressing circumstances.
