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HB1688 • 2026

expanding the circumstances where the restraint is permitted in schools and treatment facilities and modifying the definition of seclusion.

expanding the circumstances where the restraint is permitted in schools and treatment facilities and modifying the definition of seclusion.

Education
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Mike Drago (R)
Last action
2026-03-05
Official status
HOUSE
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

expanding the circumstances where the restraint is permitted in schools and treatment facilities and modifying the definition of seclusion.

expanding the circumstances where the restraint is permitted in schools and treatment facilities and modifying the definition of seclusion.

What This Bill Does

  • expanding the circumstances where the restraint is permitted in schools and treatment facilities and modifying the definition of seclusion.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-05 H

    Inexpedient to Legislate: MA VV 03/05/2026 HJ 6 P. 12

  2. 2026-02-25 H

    Executive Session: 02/18/2026 01:30 pm GP 232

  3. 2026-02-25 H

    Committee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate 02/18/2026 (Vote 16-0; CC) HC 9 P. 11

  4. 2026-02-03 H

    Public Hearing: 02/09/2026 01:30 pm GP 232

  5. 2025-12-12 H

    Introduced 01/07/2026 and referred to Education Policy and Administration HJ 1 P. 31

Official Summary Text

expanding the circumstances where the restraint is permitted in schools and treatment facilities and modifying the definition of seclusion.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HB 1688 - AS INTRODUCED

2026 SESSION
26-2771
12/07

HOUSE BILL
1688

AN ACT
expanding the circumstances where the restraint is permitted in schools and treatment facilities and modifying the definition of seclusion.

SPONSORS: Rep. Drago, Rock. 4

COMMITTEE: Education Policy and Administration

─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────

ANALYSIS

This bill expands the circumstances where restraint is permitted in schools and treatment facilities. The bill also modifies the definition of seclusion by making the involuntary separation of a child from a stressful environment an exception to the definition.

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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.
26-2771
12/07

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty-Six

AN ACT
expanding the circumstances where the restraint is permitted in schools and treatment facilities and modifying the definition of seclusion.

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

1 Public Health; Limiting the Use of Child Restraint Practices; Definition of Seclusion Modified. Amend RSA 126-U:1, V-a(b) to read as follows:
(b) The term shall not include: the [
voluntary
]
involuntary
separation of a child from a stressful environment for the purpose of allowing the child to regain self-control, when such separation is to an area which a child is able to leave; circumstances in which there is no physical barrier, and the child is physically able to leave; or involuntary confinement of a child to a room or area with an adult who is actively engaging in a therapeutic intervention. A circumstance may be considered seclusion even if a window or other device for visual observation is present, if the other elements of this definition are satisfied.

2 Limitation on the Use of Restraint to Emergencies Only; Substantial and Serious Bodily Harm Removed. Amend RSA 126-U:5, I to read as follows:
I. Restraint shall only be used in a school or facility to ensure the immediate physical safety of persons when there is [
a substantial and
]
an
imminent risk of [
serious
] bodily harm to the child or others. The determination of whether the use of restraint is justified under this section may be made with consideration of all relevant circumstances, including whether continued acts of violence by a child to inflict damage to property will create a [
substantial
] risk of [
serious
] bodily harm to the child or others. Restraint shall be used only by trained personnel using extreme caution when all other interventions have failed or have been deemed inappropriate.

3 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.