HB 1837 updates New Hampshire's boating regulations to increase penalties for violations, raise mooring fees, and add display requirements for vessel registration. It raises fines for unregistered boats to $50 for a first offense and $100 for repeat offenses in the same year, doubles mooring fees from $25 to $50 per field, and requires boat owners to display valid registration numbers and decals. The bill also repeals existing requirements for mandatory boat safety courses (RSA 270:46-a) and rental boat safety checklists (RSA 270-D:2-c). These changes directly affect boat owners, operators, and public mooring field users, taking effect January 1, 2027.
HB 1309 requires New Hampshire towns to clearly state the "intent and effect" of every item on town meeting warrants, eliminating deceptive or ambiguous language. This directly affects all towns holding meetings by mandating that each warrant article explicitly explains what the proposal does and its expected outcome. The bill amends RSA 39:2 to require that "the intent and effect of each warrant article shall be stated without deception or deliberate ambiguity," ensuring voters understand what they are voting on. It applies to all town meeting business, including budget items, though it allows towns to adjust specific funding amounts within existing budget constraints. This change aims to improve transparency in local governance without altering voting procedures or creating new financial obligations.
HB 1444 requires New Hampshire state agencies and local governments (counties, cities, towns) to stop purchasing or acquiring drones not on an official "cleared list" after January 1, 2028. The bill mandates the Department of Safety to create and maintain a public list of security-compliant drones by that date, including models cleared by the Defense Department, meeting federal security standards, or proven incapable of unauthorized data transmission. All state and local procurement must prioritize drones on this list, with contracts for non-listed drones deemed void. The bill has no new funding impact, as noted in its fiscal analysis.
HB 1059 prevents the automatic repeal of existing regulations governing number plate scanning devices, which were scheduled to expire on January 1, 2027. The bill maintains current rules that govern how law enforcement may use these devices to scan license plates. It directly affects police departments and law enforcement agencies that utilize number plate scanning technology. The legislation does not create new rules or restrictions but preserves the existing regulatory framework for these devices. This is a procedural change to ensure the current statute remains in effect indefinitely.
HB 1172 expands New Hampshire's definition of "sexual assault counselor" to explicitly include National Guard sexual assault prevention and response personnel, such as coordinators and victim advocates. This change grants these military and civilian staff the same confidentiality protections already provided to other sexual assault counselors under state law, based on military rules of evidence. The bill, requested by the Department of Military Affairs and Veteran Services, amends RSA 173-C:1 to include these personnel in the existing legal framework for confidential communications. It takes effect on July 1, 2026, directly affecting National Guard staff who support sexual assault victims.
This bill amends New Hampshire's Exotic Aquatic Weeds and Species Committee to include the study of harmful algal blooms and cyanobacteria alongside exotic aquatic weeds. The committee must now investigate factors contributing to these blooms, such as links between invasive species and nutrient levels in water. It also directs the committee to assist the Department of Environmental Services in controlling and eradicating milfoil, harmful algal blooms, and cyanobacteria. This change updates the committee's responsibilities to address specific water quality concerns affecting the state's surface waters.
HB 1039 requires parenting plans in New Hampshire to include specific agreements about parents sharing a child's images on social media. This bill directly affects parents creating or modifying custody arrangements by mandating this new provision as a required element. The key mechanism adds a new section (f) to the parenting plan requirements, explicitly covering digital image sharing. The law takes effect January 1, 2027, and applies to all new or revised parenting plans after that date.
HB 1494 increases the maximum allowable amounts for three optional local tax credits in New Hampshire: the veterans' credit ($750 → $1,000), combat service credit ($500 → $750), and surviving spouse credit ($2,000 → $2,500). These credits directly affect eligible veterans, active-duty service members in combat roles, and surviving spouses of service members killed in action. Municipalities must adopt the updated credit amounts (replacing the standard credits), and the surviving spouse credit now covers all property types (real and personal) in the resident's municipality. The changes take effect April 1, 2027, with no requirement for local re-adoption.
HB 1730 would make all sexual penetration or contact offenses against minors under age 16 punishable by death, raising the age threshold from 13 to 16 in existing law. It amends New Hampshire statutes to classify these crimes as aggravated felonious sexual assault, adding a death penalty option (RSA 632-A:10-a I-a) and updating legal procedures for capital cases. The bill directly affects individuals convicted of sexual offenses against minors under 16, including those with authority over the victim or with significant age differences. Key mechanisms include changing age thresholds in multiple statutes, inserting death penalty provisions, and revising the chapter heading to "HOMICIDE AND CAPITAL OFFENSES." This proposal would significantly increase penalties for these offenses compared to current law.
SB 625 allows immediate family members (parents, spouses, or children) of homicide victims to request an evidentiary hearing when the Department of Justice (DOJ) does not file criminal charges or seek a retrial after a hung jury in a homicide case. Families must first request a written explanation from the DOJ for not filing charges, and if they believe probable cause exists, they can petition a superior court to review the DOJ’s decision. The court will assess whether the evidence supports charging a suspect, potentially requiring the DOJ to provide investigative reports for private review and holding a hearing to evaluate witness credibility. If the court finds probable cause, it will recommend prosecution to the DOJ but only inform the family that probable cause exists - not the detailed recommendation.
SB 460 prohibits registered sex offenders required to register under RSA 651-B for sexual offenses against children under 13 from knowingly appearing within 1,000 feet of certain locations - such as childcare facilities, churches, schools, or areas where children gather - when circumstances would alarm nearby residents. The law applies specifically to tier II and tier III offenders and takes effect January 1, 2027. It creates a new criminal violation for these prohibited appearances, with no direct state or local funding impacts identified. The bill was requested by the Department of Safety and aligns with existing registration requirements for sex offenders.
HB 1435 adjusts the funding mechanism for the Winnipesaukee River Basin Control Replacement Fund. It reduces the required capitalization rate from 5% to 2% of treatment facility equipment value (calculated every 5 years based on current replacement costs) and revises how member contributions are structured and replenished after fund use. This directly affects the organizations that operate and utilize the basin's water treatment facilities, requiring them to pay lower initial contributions while modifying how future costs are shared among members. The changes take effect for valuations after June 30, 2024, with full implementation by 2029.
