Cassandra Knapp

Relative to Parental Alienation Children and Family Law Committee January 13, 2026 Chairwoman DeSimone and Members of the Committee, Thank you for the opportunity to submit testimony in strong support of HB 1323. I am writing as a parent and step-parent who has been directly involved in a prolonged New Hampshire family court matter involving a child I deeply care about. Over time, I have witnessed firsthand how parental alienation—when left undefined and unaddressed—can quietly but profoundly harm a child, even while court proceedings continue. Our Experience In our family’s case, a child named (“Addie”) had a close, loving, and consistent relationship with her father, Dylan, for years. That relationship changed dramatically—not because of abuse, neglect, or danger—but due to repeated interference, negative messaging, and obstruction of parenting time by the other parent, The Mother. Over time, Addelin: • Was exposed to adult conflict she should never have been responsible for carrying • Was placed in the middle of loyalty conflicts • Gradually lost contact with her father despite his consistent efforts to remain involved What made this especially painful is that the behavior causing this harm was difficult to address in court precisely because parental alienation is not clearly defined in statute. Concerns were minimized, inconsistently evaluated, or treated as ordinary “parent conflict,” even as the child’s relationship with a loving parent deteriorated. Why HB 1323 Matters HB 1323 would have mattered enormously in our case. This bill does not create automatic punishments or remove judicial discretion. Instead, it provides: • A clear definition of parental alienation • A framework for courts to identify patterns of behavior, not isolated incidents • Recognition that intentionally undermining a child’s relationship with a parent is harmful to the child, not just the other parent Without this clarity, alienation often goes unaddressed until the damage is severe or irreversible. Protecting Children While Preserving Safety I want to be very clear: HB 1323 does not punish parents for acting in good faith to protect a child from abuse or neglect. That distinction is essential, and it is included in the bill. What the bill does address is conduct that: • Is not rooted in safety • Is not supported by evidence • Is intended to interfere with or destroy a child’s bond with a parent Children like Addelin deserve courts that can recognize the difference. The Cost of Inaction When parental alienation is ignored or mislabeled as “high conflict,” children lose: • Access to loving parents • Stability and identity • Trust in adults and institutions HB 1323 helps ensure courts have the tools to intervene before that loss becomes permanent. Conclusion HB 1323 brings clarity, consistency, and child-centered accountability to New Hampshire family law. Based on our lived experience, I firmly believe this bill would help protect children from a form of harm that is real, devastating, and too often invisible. For these reasons, I respectfully urge the committee to vote Ought to Pass on HB 1323. Thank you for your time and for considering the voices of families who have lived this reality. Respectfully submitted, Cassandra Knapp Sodus, New York Parent / Stepparent / Advocate