HB 548 - AS INTRODUCED
2021 SESSION
21-0742
05/04
HOUSE BILL 548
AN ACT relative to the role of a guardian ad litem in cases where domestic violence is
suspected or alleged.
SPONSORS: Rep. Gay, Rock. 8; Rep. Read, Rock. 17; Rep. Gould, Hills. 7; Rep. Elliott, Rock. 8;
Rep. Prudhomme-O'Brien, Rock. 6; Rep. Pitre, Straf. 2; Rep. Ulery, Hills. 37; Rep.
Cali-Pitts, Rock. 30; Rep. Altschiller, Rock. 19; Sen. Bradley, Dist 3
COMMITTEE: Children and Family Law
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ANALYSIS
This bill provides that if domestic violence is suspected or alleged in a parenting case, the
guardian ad litem (GAL} shall refer the victim to a local crisis center or domestic violence counselor.
The bill also directs the GAL to determine whether law enforcement completed a lethality
assessment protocol.
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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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
 HB 548 - AS INTRODUCED
21-0742
05/04
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty One
AN ACT relative to the role of a guardian ad litem in cases where domestic violence is
suspected or alleged.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 1 New Paragraph; Parental Rights and Responsibilities; Guardians Ad Litem; Domestic
2 Violence Screening. Amend RSA 461-A:16 by inserting after paragraph II the following new
3 paragraph:
4 II-a. When a guardian ad litem is appointed to a parenting case in which domestic violence
5 is suspected or alleged, the guardian ad litem shall promptly refer the relevant party to a local crisis
6 center or assessment by a domestic violence counselor as defined in RSA 173-C:1 III and, in
7 appropriate cases, comply with mandatory reporting requirements for child abuse under RSA 169-
8 C:29. The guardian ad litem shall also determine whether law enforcement completed a lethality
9 assessment protocol regarding any party to the proceeding.
10 2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.


Statutes affected:
Introduced: 461-A:16
latest version: 461-A:16