Criminal Justice (Domestic Violence)

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.

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.