Criminal Justice

failed · New Hampshire · House Mar 9, 2026

HB 1185: relative to the offense of endangering the welfare of a child or incompetent.

HB 1185 redefines the crime of endangering a child under 18 or an incompetent person by clarifying that failing to provide necessary care (negligent) is a class A misdemeanor, while knowingly causing danger is a class B felony. A second or subsequent offense automatically becomes a class B felony, and if careless actions cause serious injury or death, the penalty escalates to a class A felony. The law applies to individuals with a duty of care, such as caregivers or guardians, and takes effect January 1, 2027. This bill updates penalties without creating new financial obligations for the state or local governments.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeIncreases penalties for endangering children, including felony charges for repeat offenses and serious harm, aligning with stricter sentencing indicators.85% confidence

Track

failed · New Hampshire · House Mar 11, 2026

HB 1239: relative to the offense of loitering or prowling.

HB 1239 prohibits registered Tier II or Tier III sex offenders (for crimes against children under 13) from appearing within 1,000 feet of childcare facilities, churches, schools, or areas where children commonly gather under circumstances that would alarm reasonable people. This directly affects individuals convicted of sexual offenses against children under 13 who are required to register under New Hampshire law. The bill amends existing loitering statutes to add this specific restriction, creating a new criminal violation for such conduct near child-focused locations. It takes effect January 1, 2027, with no estimated state or local cost impact.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeExpands criminalization by restricting sex offenders' proximity to child gathering areas, increasing loitering penalties under amended statutes.95% confidence

Track

passed both · New Hampshire · House May 21, 2026

HB 1423: relative to the offense of improper influence and making synthetic and semisynthetic kratom illegal to prepare, distribute, manufacture, sell, possess, or advertise, with exceptions made for scientific research.

HB 1423 expands New Hampshire's "improper influence" law to include threats against the immediate family members (spouses, children, parents, siblings, or household members) of public servants, party officials, or voters. It makes threatening harm to these family members a class B felony, imposing mandatory minimum penalties: at least one year in prison and $1,000 in fines for each person threatened. These penalties must be served consecutively for multiple victims and cannot be reduced or suspended. The bill directly affects individuals who attempt to influence public officials' decisions through coercion targeting their families, with no direct state or local cost impact noted.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeExpands criminalization of threats against family members with mandatory minimums, increasing penalties and restricting defendant rights.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Sentencing

Track

passed both · New Hampshire · Senate Jun 1, 2026

SB 460: prohibiting tier III criminal offenders from being present in designated child safety zones absent a legitimate purpose.

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.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeBill creates new criminal violation for sex offenders near children's locations, expanding restrictions rather than reforming justice.95% confidence

Track

signed · New Hampshire · House Jun 1, 2026

HB 1730: enhancing the level of offense for certain sexual offenses.

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.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeAdds death penalty for minor sexual offenses, expanding criminalization and increasing mandatory sentences, opposing reform efforts to reduce severity of penalties.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Violent Crime

failed · New Hampshire · House Feb 5, 2026

HB 1556: relative to the commission of domestic violence offenses in the presence of a child.

HB 1556 increases penalties for domestic violence offenses committed in the presence of a child under 18, directly affecting perpetrators convicted under New Hampshire law (RSA 631:2-b). It raises maximum jail time for class A misdemeanors from 1 year to 18 months and adds a mandatory 30-day minimum sentence for all qualifying offenses. The bill also requires law enforcement to report child presence at domestic violence scenes and mandates police training on identifying child exposure, while clarifying that the law does not criminalize victims or impact parental fitness. Courts must consider the child’s age, psychological impact, and defendant history when sentencing.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeBill increases mandatory minimum sentences and maximum penalties for domestic violence involving children, opposing reform by harshening sentencing standards.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Domestic Violence Law Enforcement

Track

failed · New Hampshire · House Feb 5, 2026

HB 1333: relative to nonconsensual provision of medication intended to terminate a pregnancy and the homicide of a fetus.

This bill creates a first-degree murder charge for anyone who administers medication intended to terminate a pregnancy without the pregnant woman's knowledge or consent. It also changes when a fetus can be considered a homicide victim, removing the previous 20-week gestation limit and instead defining a "fetus" from conception (or implantation for IVF) until birth. These changes mean that nonconsensual administration of pregnancy-termination medication could now be prosecuted as murder, and killing a fetus at any stage would be treated as homicide under the new definition. The law takes effect January 1, 2027.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeBill creates new murder charge for nonconsensual abortion medication and expands homicide definition to conception, increasing criminalization.90% confidence ✗ HealthcareOpposes HealthcareBill criminalizes nonconsensual abortion medication, restricting access to a healthcare service. Removes gestational limits, increasing legal risk for providers and potentially limiting reproductive healthcare access.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Violent Crime

Track

failed · New Hampshire · Senate Apr 23, 2026

SB 465: classifying xylazine as a schedule III controlled drug.

SB 465 classifies xylazine - a veterinary sedative sometimes misused in illicit drug mixtures - as a Schedule III controlled substance under New Hampshire law. This change permanently places xylazine in Schedule III (a category for drugs with moderate abuse potential and accepted medical uses) via statutory amendment, overriding the commissioner’s authority to schedule it through rulemaking. It directly affects individuals and entities handling xylazine in New Hampshire, including healthcare providers, law enforcement, and pharmacies. The bill takes effect January 1, 2027, with no estimated state revenue or expenditure impact.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeBill expands criminalization by classifying xylazine as Schedule III controlled substance, subjecting non-medical use to criminal penalties. Aligns with 'oppose' indicator of expanding criminalization.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Drug Policy Law Enforcement

Track

in committee · New Hampshire · Senate Jan 29, 2026

SB 553: relative to penalties for attempting to elude pursuit by law enforcement.

SB 553 increases penalties for drivers who willfully attempt to evade law enforcement by speeding, turning off headlights while moving, or abandoning their vehicle during a chase. Offenders will face a mandatory 5-day jail term (with no probation or deferred sentencing) and a driver's license suspension of at least six months. This law directly affects individuals who use these specific tactics to avoid police pursuit. The bill takes effect January 1, 2027.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeBill mandates 5-day jail with no probation for evasion, increasing mandatory sentences per criminal justice indicators.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Law Enforcement Sentencing

Track

failed · New Hampshire · House Mar 5, 2026

HB 1047: relative to the offense of capital murder.

HB 1047 amends New Hampshire law to define killing certain state officials as capital murder. It specifically targets the governor, governor-elect, executive council members, and state legislators (including those in office or nominated in primaries for the New Hampshire Senate or House of Representatives). The bill requires that the killing must be motivated by the perpetrator’s knowledge of the victim’s official capacity. This change takes effect January 1, 2027, and does not involve new state funding.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeIncreases capital murder penalty for killing state officials, expanding criminalization of specific offenses per bill's definition.95% confidence

Track