HB 486 New Hampshire House · 2026 Regular Session

relative to grandparents' visitation rights.

HB 486 expands the criteria courts must consider when deciding if grandparents can visit a minor child. It adds specific factors like whether the grandparent lived with the child for six months, provided primary care for six months, or had regular visitation for a year. The bill also requires courts to weigh friction between the grandparent and parent, and the reasons for the family separation (such as divorce or death). For unwed parents, grandparents must provide proof of the parent's legitimacy or paternity. This law aims to balance the child's well-being with parental authority in visitation decisions.
Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2025
Committee Review
Nov 2025
House Passage
Mar 2025
Senate Passage
Governor
Introduced Jan 14, 2025 Last action Jan 7, 2026
Floor votes

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Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
11
Key actions
2
Committee
5
Nov 4, 2025
Committee
Committee Report: Referred to Interim Study, 01/07/2026; Vote 3-0; CC; SC 46
upper
May 15, 2025
Committee
Rereferred to Committee, MA, VV; 05/15/2025; SJ 13
upper
May 12, 2025
Committee
Committee Report: Rereferred to Committee, 05/15/2025, Vote 3-0, CC; SC 21A
upper
Mar 11, 2025
Introduced
Introduced 03/06/2025 and Referred to Children and Family Law; SJ 7
upper
Mar 6, 2025
Lower · Passed
Ought to Pass: MA VV 03/06/2025 HJ 7 P. 3
lower
Feb 21, 2025
Lower · Passed
Committee Report: Ought to Pass 02/18/2025 (Vote 14-0; CC) HC 14 P. 4
lower
Jan 14, 2025
Introduced
Introduced (in recess of) 01/09/2025 and referred to Children and Family Law HJ 3 P. 12
lower
0 primary · 0 co-sponsors

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