HB 1184 establishes clear rules for issuing no trespass orders (NTOs) on municipal and school properties in New Hampshire. It requires most NTOs to be approved by a unanimous vote of the governing body (e.g., city council or school board) at a public meeting, and mandates written orders including the reason, property location, duration (max 90 days), and the right to request a hearing. Individuals affected can challenge an NTO through a hearing and appeal to court within 30 days, while existing NTOs over 90 days automatically expire. The bill also limits extensions beyond 90 days to court-issued restraining orders, ensuring procedural safeguards for those subject to NTOs.
HB 1422 extends the deadline for filing a petition for a new trial beyond the standard three years in specific criminal cases. It applies to individuals convicted of a felony or class A misdemeanor who are incarcerated, subject to sentence terms, or facing collateral consequences, provided they allege newly discovered evidence and innocence. The petition must detail the new evidence, including results from new forensic testing or scientific analysis not available at trial. Courts must first verify the petition meets these conditions before granting a hearing, and the state must reactivate victim services during the case review.
HB 1565 makes it a misdemeanor to intentionally file false reports of child abuse or neglect with New Hampshire's Division for Children, Youth, and Families. It directly affects individuals who submit false reports (subject to criminal penalties) and people harmed by such reports (who can sue for civil damages). The bill clarifies that reports may include the reporter's name and creates a legal pathway for victims to seek monetary compensation through civil court. This changes existing law by adding specific criminal penalties for false reports and establishing a private right to sue, effective July 1, 2026.
HB 1442 requires public schools and municipal buildings to designate bathrooms and locker rooms by biological sex (male/female), rather than gender identity. It redefines "gender identity" to exclude using it for accessing spaces designated for females, and creates "willful trespass" for males entering female-designated facilities (with exceptions for emergencies or supervision). The bill also mandates correctional facilities house inmates by biological sex and limits gender identity protections in civil rights enforcement. It directly affects public school students, municipal building users, correctional facility inmates, and businesses operating public accommodations. The law uses biological sex (based on chromosomes/SRY gene) as the standard for facility access and definitions.
HB 1279 modifies New Hampshire's self-defense law to clarify when physical force can be used against someone committing a felony. It specifies that force is justified if a person reasonably believes another is "likely to use any unlawful force in the commission of a felony" against them or a third person within their vehicle, dwelling, or immediate property (curtilage). The bill expands the legal standard by focusing on the likelihood of a felony occurring, not just an immediate threat. This change directly affects individuals defending themselves or others in their home, car, or nearby property during potential felony crimes. The law takes effect January 1, 2027.
HB 1499 would expand eviction grounds under New Hampshire's landlord and tenant law by adding three specific conditions: (1) a tenant or occupant being unlawfully present in the U.S., (2) a recent conviction (within 3 years) for certain violent crimes or drug offenses, or (3) being a registered sexual offender under state law. This bill directly affects tenants who meet these criteria, allowing landlords to seek eviction based on these new grounds. The key provision modifies the existing statute to include these three categories as valid reasons for termination of tenancy. The bill takes effect 60 days after passage and does not require new state funding.
HB 1633 requires health care providers, law enforcement, and other designated entities to provide sexual assault survivors with clear, written information about their existing rights regarding medical examinations and evidence preservation. The bill defines "sexual assault survivor" broadly to include individuals reporting non-penetrative assault, attempted rape (even without legal terminology), and deceased victims. It mandates the attorney general to post a simplified summary online detailing evidence collection timelines, preservation periods (up to 20 years or the statute of limitations), and survivors' right to request extended preservation of evidence kits. This ensures consistent, accessible information without creating new rights, focusing on transparency in how evidence is handled.
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.
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.
HB 1464 defines "political affiliation or opinion" to include First Amendment-protected activities like supporting political parties or candidates. It prohibits discrimination in employment, housing, and public accommodations based on political views, and bans politically motivated harassment or economic interference (such as doxxing to cause job loss). The bill creates new criminal penalties: class A misdemeanors for harassment targeting political views, and class B felonies if economic harm or threats of violence occur. It directly affects workers, businesses, and anyone facing political harassment, expanding existing anti-discrimination laws to cover political expression.
