HB 1607 New Hampshire House · 2024 Regular Session

relative to expanded safe haven protections.

This bill updates New Hampshire's safe haven laws to allow parents to anonymously surrender infants up to 61 days old, matching the age limits of other New England states. It expands the definition of safe haven devices to include containers installed in hospitals, police stations, and fire departments, provided they are staffed around the clock and have alarms. The legislation also clarifies that parents who surrender a baby cannot be prosecuted solely based on evidence found during that surrender, while still permitting investigations into other crimes not directly linked to the act of surrendering the child.
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Dec 2023
Committee Review
May 2024
House Passage
May 2024
Senate Passage
May 2024
Signed into Law
Jul 2024
Introduced Dec 15, 2023 Signed Jul 30, 2024
Floor votes · House May 30, 2024

How they voted

182172
Passed · 35 other
Total votes 389
May 30, 2024
D Democratic193
10 Yea 167 Nay 16
86% Nay
I Independent2
1 Yea 1
50% Yea
R Republican194
171 Yea 5 Nay 18
88% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
22
Key actions
7
Committee
5
Amendments
1
Jul 30, 2024
Signed into law
Signed by Governor Sununu 07/26/2024; Chapter 272; eff. 09/24/2024
lower
May 31, 2024
Introduced
House Concurs with Senate Amendment 2024-1965s (Rep. W. MacDonald): MA RC 185-174 05/30/2024 HJ 15 P. 17
lower
May 30, 2024
House · Passed
House Vote: pass (182-172-35)
house
May 22, 2024
Upper · Passed
Ought to Pass with Amendment 2024-1965s, MA, VV; OT3rdg; 05/22/2024; SJ 14
upper
May 22, 2024
Upper · Passed
Committee Amendment # 2024-1965s, RC 14Y-10N, AA; 05/22/2024; SJ 14
upper
May 15, 2024
Upper · Passed
Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2024-1965s, 05/22/2024, Vote 3-2; SC 20
upper
Apr 2, 2024
Introduced
Introduced 03/21/2024 and Referred to Judiciary; SJ 8
upper
Mar 20, 2024
Lower · Passed
Minority Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2024-1220
lower
Mar 20, 2024
Lower · Passed
Majority Committee Report: Refer for Interim Study 03/20/2024 (Vote 19-1; RC) HC 12 P. 33
lower
Dec 15, 2023
Introduced
Introduced 01/03/2024 and referred to Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs HJ 1 P. 26
lower
1 primary · 12 co-sponsors

Sponsors