HB 142  - AS INTRODUCED

 

 

2021 SESSION

21-0099

05/04

 

HOUSE BILL 142

 

AN ACT relative to causes for divorce.

 

SPONSORS: Rep. DeSimone, Rock. 14

 

COMMITTEE: Children and Family Law

 

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ANALYSIS

 

This bill revises the fault-based grounds for divorce.

 

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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

21-0099

05/04

 

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

 

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty One

 

AN ACT relative to causes for divorce.

 

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

 

1  Causes for Divorce; Absolute Divorce; Sexual Misconduct.  RSA 458:7, II is repealed and reenacted to read as follows:

II.   Sexual misconduct of either party, which includes the following:

(a)  Adultery of either party.  In this section, "adultery" means voluntary sexual intercourse with someone other than a party's legal spouse.

(b)  Other sexual misconduct.  In this section, "other sexual misconduct" means voluntarily engaging in oral genital sex or anal intercourse, and includes, but is not limited to, the intentional touching of the genitalia, anus, breasts, or buttocks that can be reasonably construed as being for the purpose of arousal or gratification between a married person and someone other than the married person's legal spouse.

2  Causes for Divorce; Absolute Divorce; Alcohol or Drug Abuse.  Amend RSA 458:7, VII to read as follows:

VII.  When either party [is an habitual drunkard, and has been such for 2 years together] habitually abuses alcohol or drugs and has been doing so for 2 or more years.

3  Effective Date.  This act shall take effect January 1, 2022.