Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Bill would expand 'drug‑exposed child' law beyond meth to all controlled substances; advocates and law enforcement push for screening authority
Summary
Sponsors asked lawmakers to expand the state's existing methamphetamine-focused statute to cover exposure of children to any controlled substance, and to allow officers to take children into temporary protective custody for screening and testing in suspected exposure cases.
Lawmakers heard pleas to broaden New Hampshire’s drug‑exposed‑child statute beyond methamphetamine to include fentanyl and other controlled substances after witnesses described recent child overdoses and near‑fatal exposures. Representatives Jody Nelson and Kim Rice, sponsors of House Bill 473, said the existing statute—created during the meth crisis—does not reflect the current prevalence of fentanyl-related harms.
Nelson said law enforcement and child‑welfare officials have encountered infants and toddlers…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
