---
type: "Bill"
title: "relative to adoption and parentage; the office of the child advocate; reimbursement of court ordered services for juveniles; the legal representation of children in the juvenile justice system; the best interest of the child under RSA 169-C and the duties of the oversight commission on children's services; insurance coverage for children's early intervention services; expanding the family-centered early supports and services (FCESS) program to children under the age of 3 who are born substance-exposed; the child abuse and neglect central registry; establishing a kinship navigator program; missing children; dispositional hearings under RSA 169-B; and the rebuttable presumption of harm under the child protection act."
description: "relative to adoption and parentage; the office of the child advocate; reimbursement of court ordered services for juveniles; the legal representation of children in the juvenile justice system; the best interest of the child under RSA 169-C and the duties of the oversight commission on children's services; insurance coverage for children's early intervention services; expanding the family-centered early supports and services (FCESS) program to children under the age of 3 who are born substance-exposed; the child abuse and neglect central registry; establishing a kinship navigator program; missing children; dispositional hearings under RSA 169-B; and the rebuttable presumption of harm under the child protection act."
jurisdiction: "us/states/nh"
legislature: "New Hampshire General Court"
session: "2020"
identifier: "HB 1162"
citation: "New Hampshire HB 1162 (2020)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: []
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: ["Edward A. Butler"]
version_count: 1
action_count: 30
vote_count: 1
first_action: "2019-12-02"
last_action: "2020-07-22"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/a6869e5b-4dc0-4752-b98b-2cf44558f6c4"
source_url: "http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/bill_Status/bill_status.aspx?lsr=2202&sy=2020&sortoption=&txtsessionyear=2020"
source_hash: "d960253c2138c8c53f2805836f490cb687a9ca131bb4001f0bd8780d3b1c6f31"
vintage: "2026-07-01"
source_snapshot: "https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-06"
confidence: "reported"
tags: ["legislation", "bill", "us-nh"]
---

# New Hampshire HB 1162 (2020) — relative to adoption and parentage; the office of the child advocate; reimbursement of court ordered services for juveniles; the legal representation of children in the juvenile justice system; the best interest of the child under RSA 169-C and the duties of the oversight commission on children's services; insurance coverage for children's early intervention services; expanding the family-centered early supports and services (FCESS) program to children under the age of 3 who are born substance-exposed; the child abuse and neglect central registry; establishing a kinship navigator program; missing children; dispositional hearings under RSA 169-B; and the rebuttable presumption of harm under the child protection act.

## Version chain

The bill's text revisions, in order — the diff chain from filing to enrollment.

1. **Amendment #2020-1417s** (committee substitute) — [source](http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/bill_status/billText.aspx?sy=2020&id=2020-1417s&txtFormat=amend)

## Votes

- Concur — **209–119** (pass) · lower

## Sponsors

- Edward A. Butler — primary (person)
- David H Watters — cosponsor (person)
- Erin T. Hennessey — cosponsor (person)
- Jeb Bradley — cosponsor (person)
- John Reagan — cosponsor (person)
- Kimberly A. Rice — cosponsor (person)
- Martha S. Hennessey — cosponsor (person)
- Mary Jane Mulligan — cosponsor (person)
- Michelle St. John — cosponsor (person)
- Skip Berrien — cosponsor (person)

## Timeline

The legislative action history — every referral, reading, and vote.

- **2019-12-02** Introduced 01/08/2020 and referred to Children and Family Law HJ 1 P. 12 `introduction, referral-committee`
- **2020-01-29** Public Hearing: 02/04/2020 10:00 am LOB 206
- **2020-02-05** Executive Session: 02/13/2020 10:00 am LOB 206
- **2020-02-18** Majority Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2020-0438h for 03/11/2020 (Vote 16-1; RC) HC 10 P. 33 `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2020-02-18** Minority Committee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate
- **2020-03-11** Amendment # 2020-0438h: AA VV 03/11/2020 HJ 7 P. 70
- **2020-03-11** Ought to Pass with Amendment 2020-0438h: MA VV 03/11/2020 HJ 7 P. 70 `passage`
- **2020-06-01** Introduced 03/12/2020 and Referred to Judiciary; SJ 8 `introduction, referral-committee`
- **2020-06-05** Remote Hearing: 06/09/2020, 09:00 am; SC 22
- **2020-06-05** Remote Hearing: 06/09/2020, 09:40 am, on proposed amendment # 2020-1324s; SC 22
- **2020-06-05** Committee members will receive secure Zoom invitations via email. SC 22
- **2020-06-05** Members of the public may attend using the following links: SC 22
- **2020-06-05** 1. To sign-in and/or speak in support or opposition, please register in advance by using this link: https://www.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_GczpBlBoSO6SqCEMuhnt1A SC 22
- **2020-06-05** 2. To submit your testimony to the committee, please send all documents via email to remotesenate@leg.state.nh.us SC 22
- **2020-06-05** 3. To listen via telephone: Dial(for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location): 1-301-715-8592, or 1-312-626-6799 or 1-929-205-6099, or 1-253-215-8782, or 1-346-248-7799, or 1-669-900¬6833 SC 22
- **2020-06-05** 4. Or iPhone one-tap: 19292056099,,94971632122# or +13017158592,,94971632122# SC 22
- **2020-06-05** 5. Webinar ID: 949 7163 2122 SC 22
- **2020-06-05** 6. To view/listen to this hearing on YouTube, use this link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjBZdtrjRnQdmg-2MPMiWrA SC 22
- **2020-06-05** The following email will be monitored throughout the meeting by someone who can assist with and alert the committee to any technical issues: remotesenate@leg.state.nh.us or call (603-271-3043). SC 22
- **2020-06-10** Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2020-1417s, 06/16/2020; SC 23 `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2020-06-16** Sen. Bradley Moved to divide the Question on Ought to Pass with Amendment on: Sections 1-8 and 57, and Sections 9-57; 06/16/2020; SJ 8 `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2020-06-16** Ought to Pass with Amendment #2020-1417s: Sections 1-8 and 57, AA,VV; 06/16/2020; SJ 8 `passage`
- **2020-06-16** Committee Amendment # 2020-1417s, AA, VV; 06/16/2020;
- **2020-06-16** Ought to Pass with Amendment #2020-1417s: Sections 9-57, AA,VV; 06/16/2020; SJ 8 `passage`
- **2020-06-16** OT3rdg; 06/16/2020; SJ 8
- **2020-06-17** The Chair ruled the Question Divisible; 06/16/2020; SJ 8
- **2020-06-30** House Concurs with Senate Amendment (Rep. Long): MA RC 209-119 06/30/2020 HJ 10 P. 6
- **2020-07-14** Enrolled 06/30/2020 HJ 10 P. 73
- **2020-07-14** Enrolled (In recess 06/29/2020); SJ 9
- **2020-07-22** Signed by Governor Sununu 07/20/2020; Chapter 26; I. Sec. 9-11/ 39-43 and 45-50 Eff: 09/18/2020 II. Sec. 30/ 32/ 33/ 35/ 44/ 51-53 and 55 Eff: 07/01/2020 III. Sec. 1-8/ 12-29 and RSA 169-C:12-f III as inserted by Sec. 54 Eff: 01/01/2021 IV. Sec 31/ 34 and 36 Eff: 07/01/2021 V. Sec. 56 Eff 07/01/2024 VI. Rem. Eff: 07/20/2020 `executive-signature`

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/a6869e5b-4dc0-4752-b98b-2cf44558f6c4`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official New Hampshire legislature records).