N.H. Lawmakers Vote to Keep House Committee on Children & Family Law

An effort to get rid of the legislature's Committee on Children and Family Law fell flat in the House Wednesday. Lawmakers rejected the proposal, 172 votes to 196.

The House's Children and Family Law Committee is one of more than 20 committees that consider bills before they move to the full House.

The debate Wednesday over whether to eliminate that committee lasted roughly an hour with most lawmakers speaking in opposition to the idea.

Many pointed to a recent outside review which found that the state was mishandling cases of child neglect and abuse. Here's Rep. Mary Beth Walz of Bow.

“Here we are at the time of crisis and what are we going to do? We are going to abolish the committee that can deal with the crisis and we are going to disperse the expertise throughout the body – we are not going to leave it concentrated," Walz told the House Chamber.