Criminal Justice

died · New Hampshire · House Feb 24, 2026

HB 1084: relative to the relinquishment of deadly weapons by those subject to a domestic violence protective order.

HB 1084 requires individuals subject to a domestic violence protective order in New Hampshire to immediately surrender all firearms, ammunition, and deadly weapons to law enforcement officers. The bill directly affects people ordered to relinquish weapons under protective orders (RSA 173-B:4 or 173-B:5), making surrender mandatory rather than discretionary. Key provisions include replacing "may" with "shall" for weapon relinquishment, prohibiting refusal (with immediate detention for non-compliance), and requiring courts to issue search warrants if weapons remain unturned over. This bill strengthens enforcement of existing protections by ensuring weapons are removed from individuals deemed a threat under domestic violence orders.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeMandates immediate firearm surrender for domestic violence protective order subjects, enhancing victim safety and preventing gun violence. Aligns with criminal justice reform by strengthening protections and reducing recidivism.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Domestic Violence Firearms Law Enforcement

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failed · New Hampshire · House Mar 5, 2026

HB 1465: establishing mandatory reporting of civil rights violations committed by members of the judiciary.

HB 1465 requires certain state employees, including court staff, judges, attorneys, and bar association members, to report suspected civil rights violations or breaches of judicial conduct rules committed by judicial branch members. If they have reasonable cause to believe a violation occurred (e.g., in person or reported to them), they must immediately notify the Attorney General’s office. Failure to report is punishable as a misdemeanor, with a $1,500 fine and up to one week in jail. The Attorney General forwards reports to the court administrative office, county sheriffs, and the chief justice, while protecting good-faith reporters from retaliation. The bill takes effect January 1, 2027.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeMandates reporting of judicial civil rights violations, enhancing accountability within courts and aligning with criminal justice reform goals.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Civil Rights Corrections Courts

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passed both · New Hampshire · Senate Jun 1, 2026

SB 625: establishing a committee to study options for family members of intentional homicide victims where the department of justice does not file charges in a case, repealing the refugee resettlement program in the department of health and human services, and prohibiting expenditure of state funds on refugee resettlement.

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.

Topics ✗ Budget & TaxesOpposes Budget & TaxesBill explicitly prohibits expenditure of state funds on refugee resettlement, directly restricting government spending.85% confidence ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeAllows families to challenge DOJ non-prosecution decisions via court review, enhancing prosecutorial accountability and transparency in criminal justice proceedings.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Government Spending Courts Victims' Rights Violent Crime

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failed · New Hampshire · House Feb 19, 2026

HB 1632: relative to the lethality assessment program screening tool.

This bill requires all New Hampshire law enforcement agencies to use a standardized lethality assessment tool (LAP) during responses to suspected domestic violence incidents, violations of protective orders, and stalking cases involving domestic violence. It mandates that officers administer the LAP screening with victims and submit the results to the court at the defendant's arraignment. Currently, participation in the LAP program is voluntary, with only about 45% of departments reporting data; this bill makes statewide use mandatory. The policy directly affects police departments, victims in these cases, and court proceedings by ensuring consistent assessment of risk during critical early stages of investigations.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeMandates standardized lethality assessment for domestic violence cases, enhancing victim safety and court decision-making in criminal justice reform.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts Domestic Violence Law Enforcement

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failed · New Hampshire · House Feb 12, 2026

HB 1642: relative to extreme risk protection orders.

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.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeEstablishes court process for firearm restrictions to prevent violence, aligning with criminal justice reform goals of reducing harm through proactive measures.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts Firearms Law Enforcement

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passed · New Hampshire · House May 5, 2026

HB 1631: relative to the contents of the attorney general's annual report detailing state forfeiture information for the preceding fiscal year.

HB 1631 requires the New Hampshire Attorney General to publish a detailed annual report on the state's property forfeiture activities within 120 days after each fiscal year ends. The report must include specific data for each seizure, such as the law enforcement agency involved, date and location, type and value of property (excluding contraband like drugs), related criminal case details, and outcomes (e.g., conviction or dismissal). Law enforcement agencies must provide this information in disaggregated form to the Attorney General's office. The bill directly affects the Attorney General's office (which must compile and publish the report) and local law enforcement agencies (which must supply the data). This expands reporting requirements beyond current law to increase transparency about how seized property is handled.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRequires transparency in property forfeiture reporting, enhancing law enforcement accountability per criminal justice reform indicators.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Law Enforcement Tags Data Reporting

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in committee · New Hampshire · House Feb 12, 2026

HB 1547: relative to appeals from convictions in circuit court for certain offenses.

HB 1547 requires defendants charged with specific misdemeanors - including misdemeanor sexual assault involving minors, class A misdemeanor assault, and misdemeanor stalking - to choose within 30 days of arraignment: either appeal to superior court for a jury trial or proceed in circuit court with a waived right to a jury trial. Circuit courts cannot move forward with a trial under the waiver option without confirming the defendant knowingly and voluntarily gave up their jury trial right through a court discussion. The bill applies only to these three offense types and modifies existing appeal rules to clarify that superior courts handle jury trial appeals for these cases. It does not change sentencing or create new costs, as noted in the fiscal impact statement.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeRestricts defendant's right to jury trial by mandating waiver or appeal within 30 days for specific misdemeanors, reducing constitutional protections.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts Domestic Violence Sentencing

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died · New Hampshire · House Aug 20, 2026

HB 1367: establishing a criminal offense of doxing.

HB 1367 establishes a new criminal offense for "doxing" in New Hampshire, defined as intentionally publishing another person's personal information (like addresses, phone numbers, or financial details) without consent to threaten, harass, or cause harm. It makes basic doxing a class A misdemeanor, escalating to a class B felony if it causes physical harm, over $1,000 in economic loss, or occurs as part of a pattern of harassment. Victims can also pursue civil lawsuits for at least $1,000 per violation, plus punitive damages, injunctions, and attorney fees. The law explicitly excludes lawful public records, consented sharing, reporting crimes to police, and protected speech like journalism.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeEstablishes criminal penalties for doxing to protect individuals from harassment, aligning with civil rights protections and victim safety in criminal justice reform.92% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyCriminalizes unauthorized publication of personal data, strengthening data privacy protections against doxing threats.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Policing Data Privacy

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signed · New Hampshire · House May 19, 2026

HB 1175: relative to the offense of use of scanning device or reencoder to defraud.

HB 1175 updates New Hampshire's law against fraud using scanning devices or reencoders to specifically cover payment card chips (like those in modern credit cards), not just magnetic strips. It makes it illegal to scan or reencode chip data without permission to defraud cardholders, card issuers, or merchants. The bill expands existing criminal penalties to address current fraud methods targeting chip-based payment technology. The law takes effect January 1, 2027.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeUpdates criminal penalties for chip-based payment fraud, strengthening enforcement against modern financial crimes within criminal justice framework.90% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyBill criminalizes unauthorized scanning of chip payment data, strengthening cybersecurity protections against modern fraud methods targeting digital transactions.95% confidence

signed · New Hampshire · Senate May 29, 2026

SB 512: relative to fees to annul criminal records related to charges that do not result in conviction.

SB 512 requires courts to waive the $125 filing fee for individuals seeking to annul criminal records related to charges that resulted in a not-guilty verdict, case dismissal, or lack of prosecution. It directly affects people with unresolved criminal charges that didn’t lead to conviction, removing a financial barrier to clearing their records. The bill amends state law to mandate fee waivers when petitioners provide proof of these outcomes, streamlining the annulment process. The change takes effect January 1, 2027, and aims to support rehabilitation by reducing costs for affected individuals.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill waives $125 fee for annulment of non-conviction records, removing financial barriers to criminal record clearance - a direct criminal justice reform measure reducing recidivism barriers.95% confidence