Infinite Stars law
The Issue
Please sign , you can help save children's lives
My daughter has experienced an exorbitant amount of domestic violence and they claim it os "a civil parenting issue" reality is it is not. So please let's take full action.
The Infinite Stars Law – Community Petition
This petition supports the enactment of The Infinite Stars Law, which aims to recognize repeated exposure of a minor child to emotionally or psychologically harmful environments—such as shouting, intimidation, substance abuse, breaking objects, or any ongoing hostile behavior occurring within sight or earshot of a child—as a form of criminal child abuse or neglect. The current legal framework in New Hampshire primarily addresses physical harm but fails to fully protect children from the emotional trauma caused by non-physical domestic violence. This law seeks to close that gap by ensuring that repeated emotional endangerment, especially when caused by reckless or criminal behavior in the presence of a child, is treated as a chargeable offense. By signing below, you affirm your belief that this type of exposure is abusive and should be recognized and prosecuted accordingly under state law.
Dcyf does not recognize this as abuse. Please help.
A more refined statement.of the bill.
The Infinite Stars Law
Purpose:
To protect minors from repeated emotional and psychological endangerment by clearly defining prohibited acts, linking them to existing New Hampshire criminal statutes, establishing mandatory protective and recovery measures, requiring forensic interview procedures, and ensuring placement on the Abuse and Neglect Registry or Sex Offender Registry for repeat offenses.
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Definitions
For the purposes of this act:
1. Emotional abuse – Behavior that harms a child’s self-worth or emotional well-being as defined by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, including sustained shouting, name-calling, shaming, rejection, or withholding of love, and repetitive verbal aggression likely to inflict psychological harm. (Linked to RSA 169-C:3, II(b), definition of abuse.)
2. Shouting – The sustained raising of one’s voice above conversational volume in a hostile or aggressive manner, paired with demeaning, derogatory, or belittling statements directed at a child or at another individual in the presence of a child, including but not limited to remarks such as “you are useless,” “you can’t do anything right,” “you are stupid,” or other verbal attacks intended to demean, degrade, or cause emotional harm.
When such shouting includes profane, obscene, or offensive language within the meaning of RSA 644:2, II(c) or II(d), the conduct shall also be considered disorderly conduct for the purposes of additional criminal prosecution.
This definition does not include brief or measured raising of one’s voice for reasonable parental discipline, urgent safety warnings, or necessary attention-getting in a non-hostile context.
3. Intimidation – Verbal threats, menacing gestures, or coercive behavior intended to cause reasonable apprehension of harm or injury. (Linked to RSA 631:4.)
4. Substance misuse – Misuse of alcohol or controlled drugs as defined in RSA 318-B and RSA 172, occurring in the presence of a child.
5. Destruction of property – Intentional or reckless damaging, defacing, or breaking of property, whether owned by another or by the actor, including slamming doors, breaking household items, or punching walls, where such conduct is reasonably likely to cause emotional or psychological harm to a child. (Linked to RSA 634:2, Criminal Mischief.)
6. Dissemination of adult or age-inappropriate material – Showing, giving, transmitting, or otherwise making available to a minor material harmful to minors under RSA 650:2, including pornography, sexually explicit depictions, or other material determined by the court to be harmful given the child’s developmental stage.
7. In the presence of a minor – Within the minor’s line of sight or hearing.
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Offense
Any person who, in the presence of a minor, engages in conduct defined in items 1–6 above shall be guilty of:
Child abuse or neglect under RSA 169-C.
Endangering the welfare of a child under RSA 639:3.
Additionally, conduct under item 6 shall constitute dissemination of harmful materials to minors under RSA 650:2.
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Protective Measures
Upon any conviction under this act:
1. The court shall issue a protective order on behalf of the child.
2. The child shall be referred to mandatory therapy with a licensed mental health provider.
3. Disclosures made in therapy regarding repeated or additional offenses shall be admissible in subsequent proceedings.
4. The court shall appoint a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA). If CASA is unavailable, a Guardian ad Litem shall be appointed.
5. Parents, guardians, or custodians who were parties to the incident shall not unilaterally determine contact without CASA/GAL input and court approval.
6. Mandatory Forensic Interview Requirement: Any child who is a victim, witness, or otherwise involved in a case under this act shall be interviewed only by a certified child forensic interviewer or child forensic psychologist. CPSWs shall not conduct the interview.
7. Recording Requirement: All interviews and related conversations with the child shall be audio and video recorded in full, preserving both questions and responses.
8. Attorney Presence Requirement: An attorney shall be present for all recorded interviews or conversations involving the child.
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Penalties and Registry Placement
For offenses under items 1–5:
First offense – Only if the offender has no violent crime, sexual offense, or prior child-related offense in the past five years: suspended sentence; one-year placement on the Abuse and Neglect Registry under RSA 169-C:35.
Second offense – Mandatory sentence; two-year Abuse and Neglect Registry placement.
Third or subsequent offense – Mandatory sentence; permanent Abuse and Neglect Registry placement.
For offenses under item 6 (Dissemination):
First offense – Abuse and Neglect Registry placement (emotional/psychological category).
Second offense – Mandatory sentence; two-year placement on the Sex Offender Registry.
Third or subsequent offense – Permanent placement on the Sex Offender Registry.
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Penalty Enhancement
When any act under this section occurs in the presence of a minor, all statutory penalties for the underlying offense shall be doubled.
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Rulemaking
The Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Safety shall adopt rules under RSA 541-A to implement and enforce the provisions of this act and update registry procedures accordingly.
17
The Issue
Please sign , you can help save children's lives
My daughter has experienced an exorbitant amount of domestic violence and they claim it os "a civil parenting issue" reality is it is not. So please let's take full action.
The Infinite Stars Law – Community Petition
This petition supports the enactment of The Infinite Stars Law, which aims to recognize repeated exposure of a minor child to emotionally or psychologically harmful environments—such as shouting, intimidation, substance abuse, breaking objects, or any ongoing hostile behavior occurring within sight or earshot of a child—as a form of criminal child abuse or neglect. The current legal framework in New Hampshire primarily addresses physical harm but fails to fully protect children from the emotional trauma caused by non-physical domestic violence. This law seeks to close that gap by ensuring that repeated emotional endangerment, especially when caused by reckless or criminal behavior in the presence of a child, is treated as a chargeable offense. By signing below, you affirm your belief that this type of exposure is abusive and should be recognized and prosecuted accordingly under state law.
Dcyf does not recognize this as abuse. Please help.
A more refined statement.of the bill.
The Infinite Stars Law
Purpose:
To protect minors from repeated emotional and psychological endangerment by clearly defining prohibited acts, linking them to existing New Hampshire criminal statutes, establishing mandatory protective and recovery measures, requiring forensic interview procedures, and ensuring placement on the Abuse and Neglect Registry or Sex Offender Registry for repeat offenses.
---
Definitions
For the purposes of this act:
1. Emotional abuse – Behavior that harms a child’s self-worth or emotional well-being as defined by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, including sustained shouting, name-calling, shaming, rejection, or withholding of love, and repetitive verbal aggression likely to inflict psychological harm. (Linked to RSA 169-C:3, II(b), definition of abuse.)
2. Shouting – The sustained raising of one’s voice above conversational volume in a hostile or aggressive manner, paired with demeaning, derogatory, or belittling statements directed at a child or at another individual in the presence of a child, including but not limited to remarks such as “you are useless,” “you can’t do anything right,” “you are stupid,” or other verbal attacks intended to demean, degrade, or cause emotional harm.
When such shouting includes profane, obscene, or offensive language within the meaning of RSA 644:2, II(c) or II(d), the conduct shall also be considered disorderly conduct for the purposes of additional criminal prosecution.
This definition does not include brief or measured raising of one’s voice for reasonable parental discipline, urgent safety warnings, or necessary attention-getting in a non-hostile context.
3. Intimidation – Verbal threats, menacing gestures, or coercive behavior intended to cause reasonable apprehension of harm or injury. (Linked to RSA 631:4.)
4. Substance misuse – Misuse of alcohol or controlled drugs as defined in RSA 318-B and RSA 172, occurring in the presence of a child.
5. Destruction of property – Intentional or reckless damaging, defacing, or breaking of property, whether owned by another or by the actor, including slamming doors, breaking household items, or punching walls, where such conduct is reasonably likely to cause emotional or psychological harm to a child. (Linked to RSA 634:2, Criminal Mischief.)
6. Dissemination of adult or age-inappropriate material – Showing, giving, transmitting, or otherwise making available to a minor material harmful to minors under RSA 650:2, including pornography, sexually explicit depictions, or other material determined by the court to be harmful given the child’s developmental stage.
7. In the presence of a minor – Within the minor’s line of sight or hearing.
---
Offense
Any person who, in the presence of a minor, engages in conduct defined in items 1–6 above shall be guilty of:
Child abuse or neglect under RSA 169-C.
Endangering the welfare of a child under RSA 639:3.
Additionally, conduct under item 6 shall constitute dissemination of harmful materials to minors under RSA 650:2.
---
Protective Measures
Upon any conviction under this act:
1. The court shall issue a protective order on behalf of the child.
2. The child shall be referred to mandatory therapy with a licensed mental health provider.
3. Disclosures made in therapy regarding repeated or additional offenses shall be admissible in subsequent proceedings.
4. The court shall appoint a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA). If CASA is unavailable, a Guardian ad Litem shall be appointed.
5. Parents, guardians, or custodians who were parties to the incident shall not unilaterally determine contact without CASA/GAL input and court approval.
6. Mandatory Forensic Interview Requirement: Any child who is a victim, witness, or otherwise involved in a case under this act shall be interviewed only by a certified child forensic interviewer or child forensic psychologist. CPSWs shall not conduct the interview.
7. Recording Requirement: All interviews and related conversations with the child shall be audio and video recorded in full, preserving both questions and responses.
8. Attorney Presence Requirement: An attorney shall be present for all recorded interviews or conversations involving the child.
---
Penalties and Registry Placement
For offenses under items 1–5:
First offense – Only if the offender has no violent crime, sexual offense, or prior child-related offense in the past five years: suspended sentence; one-year placement on the Abuse and Neglect Registry under RSA 169-C:35.
Second offense – Mandatory sentence; two-year Abuse and Neglect Registry placement.
Third or subsequent offense – Mandatory sentence; permanent Abuse and Neglect Registry placement.
For offenses under item 6 (Dissemination):
First offense – Abuse and Neglect Registry placement (emotional/psychological category).
Second offense – Mandatory sentence; two-year placement on the Sex Offender Registry.
Third or subsequent offense – Permanent placement on the Sex Offender Registry.
---
Penalty Enhancement
When any act under this section occurs in the presence of a minor, all statutory penalties for the underlying offense shall be doubled.
---
Rulemaking
The Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Safety shall adopt rules under RSA 541-A to implement and enforce the provisions of this act and update registry procedures accordingly.
The Decision Makers
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Petition created on August 7, 2025