Bill > HB486

This bill expands the criteria for grandparents seeking visitation rights with a minor child by modifying existing state law. The proposed changes broaden the circumstances under which grandparents can petition for visitation, including if the child has lived with the grandparent for at least 6 months, if the grandparent acted as a primary caretaker for 6 months, or if they previously had regular visitation for 12 months. The bill adds new considerations for courts when evaluating visitation petitions, such as separate parental living arrangements and the inability to determine a parent's whereabouts. It also clarifies that changes in visitation frequency due to a parent's noncompliance with a prior visitation order do not constitute changed circumstances for modifying the visitation order. The bill maintains existing protections for parents' rights and requires grandparents of children of unwed parents to provide proof of legitimation or paternity. The legislation will take effect 60 days after passage and is expected to have a minimal fiscal impact of less than $10,000 annually.

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https://gc.nh.gov/bill_status/legacy/bs2016/bill_status.aspx?lsr=0802&sy=2025&sortoption=&txtsessionyear=2025&txtbillnumber=HB486