HB 1302 New Hampshire House · 2026 Regular Session

relative to post-arrest photograph distribution by law enforcement officers.

HB 1302 prohibits law enforcement from publicly releasing mugshots of individuals arrested for nonviolent offenses before they are convicted. This applies to all such photographs taken during arrest, with exceptions only for immediate public safety threats (e.g., locating a dangerous suspect) or when a defendant fails to appear in court after bail. The bill also specifies that these restrictions do not apply to individuals unlawfully present in the U.S., who may have mugshots released regardless of conviction status. Law enforcement must document any permitted release, including the reason and recipient. The policy aims to reduce reputational harm for unconvicted individuals while maintaining public safety exceptions.
Bill status died 1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Dec 2025
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Dec 1, 2025 Last action Mar 3, 2026
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Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
4
Key actions
0
Committee
1
Mar 3, 2026
Committee
Committee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate 02/13/2026 (Vote 7-6; RC) HC 10 P. 81
lower
Dec 1, 2025
Introduced
Introduced 01/07/2026 and referred to Criminal Justice and Public Safety HJ 1 P. 14
lower
1 primary · 3 co-sponsors

Sponsors