Criminal Justice

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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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

signed · New Hampshire · House Jun 1, 2026

HB 1172: relative to confidentiality protections for national guard sexual assault prevention and response personnel.

HB 1172 expands New Hampshire's definition of "sexual assault counselor" to explicitly include National Guard sexual assault prevention and response personnel, such as coordinators and victim advocates. This change grants these military and civilian staff the same confidentiality protections already provided to other sexual assault counselors under state law, based on military rules of evidence. The bill, requested by the Department of Military Affairs and Veteran Services, amends RSA 173-C:1 to include these personnel in the existing legal framework for confidential communications. It takes effect on July 1, 2026, directly affecting National Guard staff who support sexual assault victims.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeExpands confidentiality protections for National Guard sexual assault response personnel, aligning with victim-centered criminal justice practices and supporting victim engagement in the system.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands confidentiality protections for sexual assault counselors (including military personnel), aligning with healthcare patient rights and mental health service protections per state law.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Violent Crime

failed · New Hampshire · House Mar 5, 2026

HB 1801: relative to causes of action for wrongful detention, drug forfeiture proceedings, the regulation of law enforcement officers, and the offense of unsworn falsification.

HB 1801 modifies four key areas of law enforcement practice. It requires the state to prove a detention was lawful after a plaintiff shows it was unlawful, with $100 hourly damages (adjusted annually) for wrongful detention. The bill revises drug forfeiture rules to specify which property (like vehicles, money, or real estate) can be seized and adds a lien on seized items. It also mandates new certification requirements for law enforcement officers and creates a violation-level offense for officers who knowingly provide false information in written reports. These changes directly affect individuals claiming unlawful detention, property owners in drug cases, and law enforcement officers.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill mandates state prove lawful detention, provides $100/hr damages for wrongful detention, revises drug forfeiture rules, and requires officer certification - enhancing accountability and civil rights in law enforcement.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Drug Policy Law Enforcement

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died · New Hampshire · House Aug 20, 2026

HB 1454: relative to the possession of firearms following a court order requiring surrender of firearms and ammunition.

HB 1454 makes it a crime to possess a firearm after a court orders you to surrender all firearms and ammunition you owned or controlled. For a first offense, this is a class A misdemeanor; repeat violations are class B felonies. The bill also specifies that violating this court order counts as a qualifying offense for bail denial if the original court order was a domestic violence protection order (under RSA 173-B) or if the person faces separate domestic violence charges. It directly affects individuals subject to such court orders, particularly in domestic violence cases. The law applies to all firearms and ammunition subject to the court’s surrender requirement.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeEnforces firearm surrender in domestic violence cases, preventing gun access for abusers and enhancing victim safety per RSA 173-B, aligning with criminal justice reform protecting civil rights.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts Domestic Violence Firearms

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failed · New Hampshire · Senate Feb 5, 2026

SB 555: relative to critical risk protection orders.

SB 555 creates "critical risk protection orders" to temporarily restrict access to firearms when someone poses an immediate risk of harm to themselves or others. It allows family members, household members, intimate partners, or law enforcement to petition a court for this order, requiring the respondent to surrender firearms and ammunition. The court can issue an emergency order without the respondent's immediate presence, followed by a hearing within 72 hours. This applies only to acute risk situations and excludes cases already covered under domestic violence laws (RSA 173-B or 633:3-a).

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill creates court-ordered firearm restrictions for acute risk situations, preventing harm and enhancing public safety within criminal justice framework.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts Domestic Violence Firearms

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passed · New Hampshire · House Apr 3, 2026

HB 1108: relative to the offense of criminal threatening.

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.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeClarifies that defensive firearm use against specific threats isn't criminal threatening, protecting self-defense rights and preventing wrongful charges under criminal justice law.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Firearms

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in committee · New Hampshire · House Mar 5, 2026

HB 1372: establishing a commission to study the feasibility of reestablishing a state psychiatric hospital for adults with severe mental illness.

HB 1372 establishes a commission to study whether New Hampshire should reestablish a state psychiatric hospital for adults with severe mental illness. The commission - comprised of legislative members, health department representatives, and corrections officials - will examine current mental health resources, assess individuals cycling through jails or emergency rooms due to untreated conditions, and evaluate costs, staffing, and potential locations for a new facility. It will also review best practices from other states and gather input from mental health professionals and families. The commission must submit its findings and recommendations to state leaders by November 1, 2026. This bill does not fund or create a hospital but sets up a study to inform future decisions.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeAddresses mental health as root cause of jail cycling, aiming to reduce recidivism through potential hospital reestablishment85% confidence

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