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Committee hears split testimony on bill letting judges consider known health conditions in custody reviews
Summary
Representative Joyce Ball asked the House Children and Family Law Committee to consider House Bill 285, which would add "any known mental health conditions that could interfere with parenting" to the list of factors judges may consider when deciding parental rights and responsibilities.
Open the hearing on House Bill 285 on parental rights and responsibilities. An additional section is were asked for by the, prime sponsor who is not here.
Representative Joyce Ball, the bill's sponsor, told the House Children and Family Law Committee that HB 285 "just adds words to remind judges to make sure that they're looking at a full environment for children," and would permit judges to consider "any known mental health conditions that could interfere with parenting." She repeatedly emphasized the change would be a prompt to judges, not a call for disclosure of medical records.
Proponents said the change would let judges ask a focused question about current health-related barriers to parenting and then, if needed, order evaluations. Opponents—including witnesses from NAMI New Hampshire, disability advocates and mental-health clinicians—argued the wording would stigmatize people with mental health diagnoses, chill care-seeking, and duplicate existing law.
Why it matters
Backers described the bill as a limited addition…
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