Rep. Debra DeSimone

Maddy summaryHB 1036 limits the maximum duration of term alimony (temporary spousal support during divorce) to 8 years, unless the parties agree otherwise or a court determines justice requires a different term. It specifies that term alimony cannot exceed 50% of the marriage length but is capped at 8 years, ending automatically upon the recipient's remarriage unless otherwise agreed. This bill directly affects individuals involved in divorce proceedings where term alimony is awarded under New Hampshire law. The change takes effect January 1, 2027.

Maddy summaryHB 1779 requires New Hampshire's Department of Health and Human Services to consider a child's cultural background during foster care placements and develop resources to support their cultural heritage. The bill mandates foster parents to complete cultural sensitivity training covering language, traditions, and community connections, and assigns a cultural advocate to each foster child within 30 days to help integrate cultural practices and link to community resources. It also establishes a dedicated "Cultural Foster Care Fund" for implementation costs and requires the department to publish timelines and progress reports on partnerships with cultural organizations. This directly affects children in foster care, foster families, and the state's child welfare system.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows organizations and individuals to classify people based on biological sex in specific situations without it being considered unlawful discrimination. It explicitly permits this classification in three areas: shared restrooms and locker rooms, athletic competitions where physical strength or speed is a factor, and certain correctional or involuntary commitment facilities. By adding these exceptions to the state's Law Against Discrimination, the legislation clarifies that separating individuals by biological sex in these contexts does not violate protections against discrimination based on gender identity or sexual orientation.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a specific legal process called a "family access motion" to help parents enforce court-ordered parenting time when the other parent denies or interferes with it. It requires courts to provide a simple form for parents to file these motions without a lawyer and mandates that the case be resolved within 60 days. If a parent is found to have violated the parenting plan without good cause, the court can order remedies such as making up the lost time, requiring counseling, imposing fines, or ordering the violator to pay the other parent's legal fees. The law takes effect on January 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 1080 establishes a Legislative Youth Advisory Council in New Hampshire to allow young people to review and offer recommendations on laws affecting their lives. The council will consist of 17 members, including 13 youth aged 14 to 22 and four non-voting legislators, who will focus on issues like education, technology, transportation, labor, and substance misuse. Appointments are made by the Speaker of the House and the Senate President to ensure geographic diversity and representation from various schools and counties, with members serving terms aligned with the legislative cycle. The group is required to meet at least four times annually, conduct leadership training, and submit an annual report with policy suggestions to state officials. While the youth members are not paid, legislative members receive standard mileage reimbursement, and all council meetings and records are open to the public.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services to check for and apply for Social Security and veterans benefits for children entering foster care within 60 days. If the department becomes the official payee for these funds, it is prohibited from using the money to cover the child's care costs but may use it to meet unmet needs while establishing special accounts to save for the child's future. The law also mandates that the department notify parents and guardians about benefit decisions, conduct annual reviews to identify new eligibility, and return any remaining funds to the child or their responsible adult when the child leaves the system.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates New Hampshire's child support guidelines to better reflect modern family arrangements by clarifying definitions and adjusting calculations. It formally defines terms like "eligible child care costs," "parenting time," and "substantially similar incomes" to provide clearer standards for courts and parents. The law introduces a new framework where child support obligations may be reduced or eliminated if both parents have similar incomes and share parenting time equally, while still allowing for adjustments in cases of significant health needs, long distances, or abuse. These changes aim to ensure that child support orders are fair and do not leave one parent with a higher adjusted income than the other when both are actively involved in raising the children. The provisions will take effect on January 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 1407 updates the rules for child care centers in New Hampshire by setting specific minimum staffing levels based on the age of the children in a group. The bill requires facilities to maintain certain ratios of lead and assistant teachers to ensure adequate supervision for infants and toddlers up to 35 months old. For example, a group of infants between 6 weeks and 12 months can have a maximum of 13 children, provided there are enough teachers assigned according to the new guidelines. These changes will take effect on September 10, 2024, directly impacting how child care providers must organize their staff and manage group sizes.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates the state's child care scholarship program to prioritize applications from current child care employees and eliminate waiting periods for those who reapply after being denied due to missing information. It also mandates that child care providers contracted for preventive and protective services begin training in trauma-informed care starting July 1, 2021. Additionally, the law clarifies that child care services provided as preventive or protective measures are available to grandparents who serve as legal guardians or primary caretakers for their grandchildren. These changes aim to improve access to care for specific worker groups and caregivers while enhancing staff training standards.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates the rules for when child support payments must stop, extending the obligation for most children until they graduate high school or turn 19, whichever comes first. It clarifies that support ends automatically without needing a new court order once these conditions are met, unless the child has a disability. For children with disabilities, the law allows support to continue until age 21 or until they no longer qualify for special education services. The changes will officially take effect on January 1, 2025.