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Sponsors say bill would deter knowingly false child-protection reports; advocates raised policing and drafting questions
Summary
Supporters said HB 1565 would give DHHS/DCYF tools to filter knowingly false child-protection reports while preserving protections for good‑faith reporters; members asked technical drafting questions about identifiers and burden of proof.
Rep. Deborah D. Simony, the sponsor of HB 1565, told the committee the bill seeks to deter individuals who knowingly make false reports to child-protection hotlines for the purpose of harming another adult, often in the context of custody disputes.
"While New Hampshire law appropriately encourages and protects good-faith reporting of suspected abuse or neglect, it currently lacks a meaningful deterrent for individuals who knowingly file false reports with the intent to cause harm," the sponsor said. She described real‑world consequences: intrusive investigations, emotional harm to families and diversion of limited investigative resources from children who truly need help.
Sponsor and co‑sponsors repeatedly said the bill would not change protections for mandated reporters and would not discourage legitimate reporting. Senator Long confirmed with the sponsor that callers would still have the option to remain anonymous when making a good‑faith report.
Several members asked about practical enforcement and the standard for proving a report was knowingly false; supporters said the measure is narrowly targeted at intentional misuse and that existing investigative tools — such as repeated calls from the same number — can help agencies flag malicious patterns.
The committee closed public testimony with no public speakers and advanced the bill for committee consideration.
