Latest news with #JamesSpillane
Yahoo
21-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
NH House approves bill imposing punishments for false reports of child abuse or neglect
House Bill 243 will forbid people in New Hampshire from making false reports 'maliciously or with the intent of harm' and allow them to face criminal charges or civil lawsuits for doing so. (Getty Images) The New Hampshire House of Representatives approved a proposal through a voice vote on Thursday to punish people who file false reports of child abuse or neglect. If also approved by the Senate and governor, House Bill 243 will forbid people in New Hampshire from making false reports 'maliciously or with the intent of harm' and allow them to face criminal charges or civil lawsuits for doing so. It also specifies that reports 'may' include the name, address, or phone number of whoever was making the report. Thursday's vote goes against the wishes of the majority in the House Children and Family Law Committee. That committee previously voted, 10-6, to recommend the full House reject the bill over concerns it would be ineffective and have a chilling effect. Lawmakers opposed to the bill pointed out that by simply allowing the name and information of the reporter to be included and not requiring it, this bill still allows people intentionally filing false reports to remain anonymous, making it ineffective. They also said a provision in the bill that informs reporters they may be subject to criminal or civil penalties for malicious reports would have a chilling effect, possibly discouraging good-faith reporters and preventing real abuse from being addressed. 'If one child is put at risk, that is one child too many,' Rep. Peter Petrigno, a Milford Democrat, said Thursday on the House floor in opposition to the bill. 'While the bill has good intentions, it's impractical and potentially harmful.' Deerfield Republican Rep. James Spillane, who sponsored the bill, previously told the Bulletin, 'we've got a problem with people weaponizing the system.' He said he'd heard from constituents stories of aggrieved ex-spouses or squabbling grandparents making false reports vindictively. Another bill related to false reports of abuse and neglect, also sponsored by Spillane, is still being considered by the House. House Bill 430, if passed, would shorten the length of time the Department of Health and Human Services holds onto records regarding 'unfounded' reports of child abuse or neglect. The department currently maintains records of unfounded abuse or neglect for 10 years from when it was deemed unfounded, unless it determines there is 'reasonable concern' about the case, at which point the records are kept indefinitely. This legislation would shorten that period from 10 to three years. After that, the department destroys all electronic or paper records in the case. The Children and Family Law Committee will discuss that bill in closed session on March 4.
Yahoo
19-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
State rep deletes social media share of controversial slur
Feb. 18—A six-term Republican state legislator and committee chairman said he deleted his share of a post on the X social media platform that referred to an upcoming summit of moderate political leaders as a "gay retards" summit. Rep. James Spillane, R-Deerfield, said he had meant only to share the controversial attack privately with a group discussion. The critical post was about the Principles First Summit to be held this weekend in Washington, D.C., that will feature many critics of President Donald Trump, including rival presidential candidates Chris Christie and Asa Hutchinson as well as former Republican National Chairman Michael Steele and former Congressman Adam Kinzinger, the latter who had voted in favor of impeaching Trump. "I certainly did not mean to publicly share that. I saw it posted this morning modified from the original event notification and meant to only share it privately with a group discussion regarding who might be attending such a conference in Washington," Spillane told the Union Leader. "I have deleted it and appreciate your pointing it out to me." Spillane chairs the House Fish and Game and Marine Resources Committee. Kristina Snyder, an animal rights activist who has battled Spillane over legislation that he has sponsored, first alerted media outlets to Spillane's past sharing of the item. "This is extremely offensive and he tweeted it from his official representative account. I am sickened that someone would mock being gay and also a mental disability like this," Snyder wrote. In 2019, then-House Speaker Steve Shurtleff, D-Penacook, removed Spillane from the same House committee after he had posted on Twitter a graphic photo of him having shot a squirrel to death in his backyard. klandrigan@
