Criminal Justice and Public Safety

HB 1670 defines "organized retail crime" as acting with others to steal merchandise from stores with intent to resell or redistribute it, or knowingly receiving stolen items. It creates new criminal penalties for leaders of such operations, classifying offenses as class A felonies if stolen merchandise totals $2,500 or more (with enhanced penalties at $10,000), and requires courts to order forfeiture of property used in the crime. Key mechanisms include aggregating thefts across multiple stores and counties over 180 days to meet value thresholds, and allowing prosecutions in any county where activity occurred. The bill directly targets individuals involved in coordinated retail theft rings, while preserving existing laws like RSA 629:3 for prosecution.

HB 1587 requires police body-worn camera footage to be disclosed under New Hampshire's public records law (right-to-know law), ending an existing exemption. It mandates that police departments respond to public requests for footage within 5 business days and remove private details like Social Security numbers, addresses, or images of minors before release. The bill repeals a prior exemption (RSA 91-A:5, X) that kept body camera videos from public access. This policy change applies to all law enforcement agencies in the state starting January 1, 2027.

SB 467 increases penalties for fentanyl distribution by establishing mandatory minimum prison sentences: 3.5 years for 20 grams or more and 7 years for 50 grams or more (including mixtures). It also mandates a life sentence or long prison term for distributing non-fentanyl controlled drugs that cause death. Courts may reduce these sentences if defendants meet specific conditions, such as having no recent violent felony convictions, not using violence, and completing drug treatment or education. If reduced, defendants must serve at least 3 years of probation with drug testing, treatment, community service, and a suspended prison sentence.

SB 410 authorizes New Hampshire law enforcement agencies to possess portions of human remains (such as tissue or bone) for training cadaver detection dogs, directly affecting law enforcement, funeral homes, and mortuaries. The bill requires written consent from next of kin or the deceased’s prior donation authorization, specifies the exact portions to be used, and mandates documentation retention. After training, all remains must be returned to a New Hampshire institution of higher education or a licensed medical waste disposal company. Agencies must also develop written policies covering consent, handling, storage, and final disposition, all to be submitted to the police standards council. The law takes effect 60 days after passage.

HB 609 gives New Hampshire's state legislature exclusive authority to regulate firearms, stun guns, Tasers, pepper spray, knives, and other self-defense tools. It overrides all existing local city or town ordinances on these items, making them void upon the bill's passage. The bill specifies that only state law can govern sales, ownership, possession, transportation, licensing, and taxation of these items, with limited exceptions for zoning rules about where businesses operate. This bill has no fiscal impact, as it does not create new costs, require funding, or change existing regulations.