Criminal Justice

signed · New Hampshire · Senate May 12, 2026

SB 411: relative to the procedure concerning search warrant inventories.

SB 411 revises the procedure for creating inventories of property seized under search warrants in New Hampshire. It requires that the inventory be made in the presence of the person from whom property was taken (if present) or, if they are not present, in the presence of at least one neutral third-party witness. For electronic searches, officers may skip the witness requirement if they personally attest to the inventory's accuracy. This change applies to all law enforcement officers executing search warrants and takes effect January 1, 2027.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRequires witness presence during search warrant inventories, enhancing transparency and accountability in law enforcement procedures per bill language.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Law Enforcement

failed · New Hampshire · House Mar 13, 2026

HB 1609: limiting the use of state, county, and municipal funds and property for construction and operation of certain immigrant detention facilities.

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.

Topics ✗ Budget & TaxesOpposes Budget & TaxesBill restricts public funds for detention facilities, defunding a specific government spending area per its prohibition on using state/municipal funds for such operations.90% confidence ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeDefunds immigrant detention facilities, restricting public funding for correctional facilities under criminal justice system.90% confidence ✗ ImmigrationOpposes ImmigrationProhibits state funds for immigrant detention facilities, restricting state-level immigration enforcement. Explicitly limits public funding for detention operations, aligning with 'defund' indicator.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Law Enforcement Detention Enforcement Sanctuary Policies

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died · New Hampshire · House Feb 24, 2026

HB 1142: relative to requirements for law enforcement officers assisting in immigration enforcement.

HB 1142 requires state, county, and local law enforcement officers participating in the federal 287(g) immigration enforcement program to identify themselves by name, badge number, and agency while operating under that agreement, and to remain unmasked during such operations. The bill directly affects officers in New Hampshire who assist with federal immigration enforcement through the 287(g) program. It establishes procedural requirements for transparency and accountability during these operations but does not change immigration enforcement policies or practices. The bill amends RSA 106-P and takes effect 60 days after enactment.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRequires transparency in immigration enforcement operations, enhancing police accountability per 287(g) program85% confidence ✓ ImmigrationSupports ImmigrationRequires transparency in 287(g) enforcement, limiting secret operations and protecting immigrant rights during federal cooperation95% confidence

Sub-Topics Law Enforcement Driver Licenses & IDs Enforcement Sanctuary Policies

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signed · New Hampshire · House Jul 10, 2026

HB 1236: relative to the use of body-worn cameras in county departments of corrections.

HB 1236 requires law enforcement to electronically record all police questioning of individuals in custody (custodial interrogations) in New Hampshire. Unrecorded statements from such interrogations would generally be excluded as evidence in criminal or juvenile court cases, unless police provide a documented, reasonable justification for not recording. The bill creates a clear rule: recordings must be complete, and unrecorded statements are inadmissible unless courts approve specific justifications. It takes effect January 1, 2027, impacting police departments, defendants, and courts.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeMandates electronic recordings of custodial interrogations, excluding unrecorded statements without justification, enhancing police accountability and protecting defendant rights per criminal justice reform indicators.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts Juvenile Justice Policing

passed · New Hampshire · Senate Aug 24, 2026

SB 410: relative to possession of human remains for law enforcement training purposes.

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.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeAuthorizes law enforcement training with consent protocols, directly enhancing cadaver dog detection capabilities for investigations.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Drug Policy Law Enforcement Policing

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died · New Hampshire · House Aug 20, 2026

HB 1641: relative to petitions for certain orders of protection where the subject of the order is either released on bail or on probation.

HB 1641 requires court clerks to send domestic violence, stalking, and civil restraining orders to prosecutors and probation officers within 24 hours when the person subject to the order is on bail or probation. This directly affects individuals under court supervision (bail or probation) who are named in such protection orders. The key mechanism mandates this rapid transmission to ensure law enforcement and probation officials are promptly notified. The bill would require 43 new full-time court positions for implementation, costing an estimated $1.76 million annually starting in 2027, though it does not provide funding for these positions.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeMandates rapid notification of protection orders to probation/prosecutors for individuals on bail/probation, enhancing oversight and victim safety in criminal justice context92% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts Domestic Violence Law Enforcement

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signed · New Hampshire · Senate Jun 24, 2026

SB 470: relative to the expungement of certain disciplinary matters.

SB 470 allows licensed professionals (like doctors, lawyers, or contractors) who faced minor disciplinary actions - such as reprimands, fines, or administrative penalties - to petition to have those records removed from public view. To qualify, they must have completed the disciplinary action over 3 years ago, have no further violations, no pending investigations, and maintain a good license standing. For cases involving only reprimands or fines, approval is automatic if requirements are met; for other cases, petitioners must show expungement aids rehabilitation without harming public safety. The bill does not cover cases involving permanent license revocation.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeAllows expungement of minor professional disciplinary records, reducing barriers to employment and aligning with criminal justice reform goals of rehabilitation and reducing recidivism.90% confidence

Tags Licensing

failed · New Hampshire · House Feb 12, 2026

HB 1509: relative to judicial immunity and permitting civil actions against judicial officers for certain criminal bail decisions.

HB 1509 would remove judicial immunity for judges who make bail decisions under specific circumstances. It allows civil lawsuits against judges if they release a defendant for certain offenses (like violations of RSA 631:2-b, felonies, or crimes committed while on prior bail), the released defendant then commits a new crime or intentional tort, and another person suffers physical or financial injury as a result. Injured parties or their estates could sue, and courts would not apply judicial immunity in these cases. The bill takes effect January 1, 2027, and does not change bail standards but creates a new legal pathway for accountability.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill enhances judicial accountability in bail decisions, allowing civil suits when releases lead to harm, aligning with criminal justice reform by promoting oversight and victim protection.85% confidence

Track

failed · New Hampshire · House Feb 19, 2026

HB 1737: relative to reinstating the death penalty for certain offenses against minors under 13 years of age.

HB 1737 would reinstate the death penalty for specific crimes against children under 13 years old in New Hampshire. It defines "capital offenses against a child" as first-degree murder, second-degree murder, or aggravated sexual assault involving a minor under 13, mandating a death sentence for anyone convicted of these crimes who was at least 18 at the time of the offense. The bill requires courts to impose the death penalty without considering mitigating factors and limits appeals to only evidentiary or constitutional errors related to guilt, with the Supreme Court required to resolve all appeals within one year of conviction. This law would apply only to offenses committed after its effective date, not retroactively.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeBill mandates death penalty without mitigating factors for crimes against minors, increasing mandatory sentences and reducing defendant rights. This opposes criminal justice reform efforts.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts Violent Crime

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failed · New Hampshire · House Apr 21, 2026

HB 1173: relative to post-secondary education opportunities for inmates.

HB 1173 allows New Hampshire's commissioner of corrections to release inmates from state prison at any time during their sentence to attend community college or university programs for which they've been accepted. This directly affects incarcerated individuals in New Hampshire state prisons who are accepted into post-secondary education. The bill requires the commissioner to notify the sentencing court and prosecutor before release, who may object within 10 days; if objected to, a court hearing determines approval. Time spent in education outside prison counts fully toward the inmate's sentence, and the commissioner may recall the inmate if community safety is threatened.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeEnables inmate education programs to reduce recidivism, aligning with rehabilitation-focused criminal justice reform by expanding post-secondary opportunities in state prisons.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationExpands post-secondary education access for incarcerated individuals by enabling prison release for college programs, directly advancing educational opportunity for a marginalized group.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Courts Probation & Parole Higher Education

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