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HB 1687 · 2026 · House · Children and Family Law Committee

Removing family court criminal powers

AI-generated

removing the power of courts within the judicial branch family division to issue criminal determinations, judgments, and penalties.

Restricts the jurisdiction of the judicial branch family division so that it may not issue criminal determinations, judgments, or penalties in matters over which it presides.AI-generated

Status

Killed in the House — Inexpedient to Legislate · March 11, 2026
  1. ✓Introduced
  2. ✕House
  3. Senate
  4. Governor
  5. Law

Analysis

This bill restricts the jurisdiction of courts within the judicial branch family division to not be able to issue any criminal determinations, judgments, or penalties relative to matters which they may preside over.

From the bill's official ANALYSIS section.

In the bill's words

Quoted verbatim from the bill as introduced. Passages chosen from the operative text.Computed by this site

“Jurisdiction over such criminal determinations, criminal judgments, and criminal penalties relative to the matters set forth in RSA 490-D:2 shall be reserved for the superior court pursuant to RSA 592-A:1.”
RSA 490-D:2-a
“This section shall not be construed to limit the jurisdiction of the judicial branch family division over the matters set forth in RSA 490-D:2 to resolve civil disputes, including equity jurisdiction powers pursuant to RSA 490-D:3.”
RSA 490-D:2-a

Official record

Bill page — docket & status

gc.nh.gov · the authoritative source

Sponsors

Rep. David LoveRPrime

Public testimony

14 signed in online · 2 wrote testimony

43% support50% oppose7% neutral

In their wordsVerbatim, exactly as submitted

“Title IV-D contractors should never be making any criminal determinations, judgments, or penalties relative to matters which they may preside over.”
— James Gardner, Keenesupports
“HB 1687-FN could unintentionally weaken enforcement mechanisms that protect domestic-violence survivors, because it removes criminal authority from the court that handles DV cases, it introduces delays and jurisdictional complexity, and tt may reduce the immediacy of consequences…”
— Hannah Meiselman, Manchesteropposes

Verbatim excerpts of submitted testimony, quoted from the testimony tool.

Read the testimony · as of Aug 12, 2026

Votes

yeanay
Starting text: Bill as introduced
  • Mar 2, 2026HouseCommittee report· consent calendar: Inexpedient to Legislate13–1
    Overall
    93% yea
  • Mar 11, 2026HouseVoice voteInexpedient to Legislateadopted

Hearings and debates

  • Feb 17, 2026Public hearingHouse Children and Family Law4:37:47–4:46:218m 34slocated in the stream transcriptPublic Hearing
  • Mar 2, 2026Public hearingHouse Children and Family Law38:16–39:461m 30slocated in the stream transcriptCommittee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate; Executive Session
  • Mar 11, 2026Floor debateHouse floorWatchnot located in the transcript — opens the full streamInexpedient to Legislate — adopted, voice vote

Timestamps locate where this bill is taken up in the chamber's YouTube stream.

Legislative history

  1. Jan 7, 2026HouseIntroduced 01/07/2026 and referred to Children and Family Law HJ 1 P. 31
  2. Feb 17, 2026HousePublic Hearing: 02/17/2026 02:00 pm GP 230
  3. Mar 2, 2026HouseExecutive Session: 03/02/2026 10:00 am GP 230
  4. Mar 2, 2026House: Inexpedient to Legislate 03/02/2026 (Vote 13-1; CC) HC 10 P. 4
  5. Mar 11, 2026HouseInexpedient to Legislate: MA VV 03/11/2026 HJ 7 P. 3

Coverage

No reporting linked yet.

Documents (PDF)

Bill text & amendments link direct to gc.nh.gov; committee reports stream from the state record.