HB 1770 New Hampshire House · 2026 Regular Session

relative to the allocation of parental rights and responsibilities and establishing a presumption of equal parenting time.

HB 1770 establishes a legal presumption of equal parenting time (50% of overnights annually) for New Hampshire family courts, replacing the current "best interest" standard. It defines equal parenting as a 50/50 overnight split with no more than a three-night difference in any year, requiring courts to correct imbalances the following year. The presumption can only be overridden by clear and convincing evidence of specific harm - such as abuse, neglect, domestic violence, or a parent's incapacity - and courts must provide written findings for any deviation. This applies to all custody cases, including initial rulings, temporary orders, and modifications, and takes effect January 1, 2027.
Bill status failed 1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Dec 2025
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Dec 17, 2025 Last action Mar 11, 2026
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Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
5
Key actions
0
Committee
1
Mar 4, 2026
Committee
Committee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate 03/02/2026 (Vote 14-0; CC) HC 10 P. 4
lower
Dec 17, 2025
Introduced
Introduced 01/07/2026 and referred to Children and Family Law HJ 1 P. 35
lower
1 primary · 8 co-sponsors

Sponsors