SB 409 amends penalties for disobeying law enforcement officers during traffic stops or pursuits. It increases penalties for specific violations: disobeying orders to stop (subparagraph I(c)) now carries a class B felony if a motor vehicle accident causes serious injury, and a class A felony if the accident causes death or injury to another person. The bill directly affects drivers who refuse to comply with officers during traffic enforcement, particularly in situations involving collisions. These changes enhance criminal penalties for dangerous disobedience during pursuits, without adding new financial costs to state or local governments.
HB 1633 requires health care providers, law enforcement, and other designated entities to provide sexual assault survivors with clear, written information about their existing rights regarding medical examinations and evidence preservation. The bill defines "sexual assault survivor" broadly to include individuals reporting non-penetrative assault, attempted rape (even without legal terminology), and deceased victims. It mandates the attorney general to post a simplified summary online detailing evidence collection timelines, preservation periods (up to 20 years or the statute of limitations), and survivors' right to request extended preservation of evidence kits. This ensures consistent, accessible information without creating new rights, focusing on transparency in how evidence is handled.
SB 620 increases license suspension periods for drivers who refuse alcohol testing and modifies penalties for aggravated driving while intoxicated (DWI). For a first refusal of testing, license suspension rises from 180 days to 12 months; for repeat offenders with prior DWI convictions or refusals, it increases from 2 to 3 years. The bill also adds new requirements for aggravated DWI convictions, including a mandatory 17-day jail sentence (suspensible), a substance use disorder evaluation within 60 days of release, and installation of an ignition interlock device. These changes directly affect drivers arrested for DWI who refuse testing or are convicted of aggravated DWI offenses. The policy focuses on stricter consequences for refusal and repeat offenses, with court discretion to suspend up to 6 months of license revocation if treatment requirements are met.
HB 1108 revises New Hampshire's criminal threatening law to clarify that individuals displaying a firearm or other lawful self-defense tool in response to specific threats (like potential serious injury, death, property damage, or unlawful intrusion) will not be considered to have committed criminal threatening. It applies directly to people using defensive measures against these defined threats. The key provision creates a legal exception for reasonable defensive actions, specifying that the response must be to conduct a reasonable person would view as likely to cause the listed harms. The bill takes effect January 1, 2027, with no estimated state or local fiscal impact.
HB 1609 prohibits New Hampshire state, county, and municipal governments from using public funds or property to build, operate, or pay for immigrant detention facilities, particularly those managed by private companies. It bans spending on construction, renovation, repurposing public property for detention, selling public property for such use, and making payments to private detention operators. The bill does not affect existing 287(g) agreements between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities or the provision of health and safety services to detained individuals. Counties may face potential revenue losses if they stop cooperating with federal immigration programs, but municipalities are not expected to have financial impacts.
HB 1061 establishes a commission to study alternatives to prison for nonviolent offenders who are primary caregivers, such as parents of young children. The commission, made up of lawmakers, state agency representatives, and community experts (including formerly incarcerated individuals), will examine current sentencing impacts on families and identify community-based options like home confinement or treatment programs. It must submit a report with recommendations by November 1, 2026, but the bill itself does not change current laws or policies.
HB 1464 defines "political affiliation or opinion" to include First Amendment-protected activities like supporting political parties or candidates. It prohibits discrimination in employment, housing, and public accommodations based on political views, and bans politically motivated harassment or economic interference (such as doxxing to cause job loss). The bill creates new criminal penalties: class A misdemeanors for harassment targeting political views, and class B felonies if economic harm or threats of violence occur. It directly affects workers, businesses, and anyone facing political harassment, expanding existing anti-discrimination laws to cover political expression.
HB 1570 requires New Hampshire law enforcement agencies to obtain written approval from their local budget authority before entering federal immigration enforcement agreements (Section 287(g) agreements with ICE). The budget authority must review the agreement, consider the estimated yearly cost to the agency (including employee hours), and notify residents before authorizing participation. Agencies must submit quarterly reports detailing costs, officer activities, and federal reimbursements, and the budget authority can terminate the agreement at any time due to cost concerns. Failure to comply results in the state withholding all state funding from the agency.
HB 1642 establishes a new legal process for courts to issue temporary orders restricting access to firearms for individuals deemed to pose an immediate risk of harm to themselves or others. Eligible petitioners - including family or household members, intimate partners, or law enforcement officers - must file a court petition with a sworn affidavit detailing specific safety concerns, such as recent threats or dangerous behavior involving firearms. The court may issue an initial temporary order without the person at risk being present, followed by a prompt hearing where they can respond. The order requires the individual to surrender firearms and ammunition and remains in effect until the court decides otherwise, prioritizing public safety while ensuring due process.
This bill establishes a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years to life imprisonment for anyone who distributes certain controlled drugs (including methamphetamine, PCP, and other Schedule I or II drugs) when death results from the person's use of those substances. It requires that the death must be directly caused by the injection, inhalation, or ingestion of the distributed drug, and prohibits using the decedent's own drug use as a defense. The bill amends the Controlled Drug Act to create this mandatory sentence, clarifying it applies when the distributor's actions are a direct cause of death. It does not prevent other prosecutions for homicide or related drug offenses. The bill would take effect on January 1, 2026.
