Criminal Justice

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 | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Criminal Justice

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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 | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

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died · New Hampshire · House Mar 12, 2026

HB 1061: establishing a commission to study alternatives to incarceration for nonviolent offenders who are primary caregivers.

HB 1061 establishes a commission to study alternatives to prison for nonviolent offenders who are primary caregivers, such as parents of young children. The commission, made up of lawmakers, state agency representatives, and community experts (including formerly incarcerated individuals), will examine current sentencing impacts on families and identify community-based options like home confinement or treatment programs. It must submit a report with recommendations by November 1, 2026, but the bill itself does not change current laws or policies.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill studies alternatives to incarceration for nonviolent primary caregivers, promoting reform to reduce prison reliance and support family stability.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Criminal Justice

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failed · New Hampshire · House Mar 11, 2026

HB 1464: relative to discrimination, harassment, and violence based on political affiliation or opinion.

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.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeBill creates new criminal penalties (class A/B offenses) for politically motivated harassment, expanding criminalization beyond existing laws.90% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingProhibits political discrimination in housing, directly strengthening tenant protections against bias based on political views.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill prohibits employment discrimination based on political views, protecting workers' rights against harassment and economic harm like doxxing for job loss, directly advancing labor protections.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

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failed · New Hampshire · House Feb 12, 2026

HB 1570: relative to governmental budget authority for agreements for law enforcement agencies to participate in federal immigration enforcement.

HB 1570 requires New Hampshire law enforcement agencies to obtain written approval from their local budget authority before entering federal immigration enforcement agreements (Section 287(g) agreements with ICE). The budget authority must review the agreement, consider the estimated yearly cost to the agency (including employee hours), and notify residents before authorizing participation. Agencies must submit quarterly reports detailing costs, officer activities, and federal reimbursements, and the budget authority can terminate the agreement at any time due to cost concerns. Failure to comply results in the state withholding all state funding from the agency.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeRestricts local law enforcement from entering federal immigration agreements without budget approval and reporting, limiting their participation in federal enforcement activities.85% confidence ✓ ImmigrationSupports ImmigrationRequires written approval and cost review for law enforcement to enter federal immigration agreements, limiting state cooperation with federal enforcement, an indicator of support.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

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failed · New Hampshire · House Feb 12, 2026

HB 1642: relative to extreme risk protection orders.

HB 1642 establishes a new legal process for courts to issue temporary orders restricting access to firearms for individuals deemed to pose an immediate risk of harm to themselves or others. Eligible petitioners - including family or household members, intimate partners, or law enforcement officers - must file a court petition with a sworn affidavit detailing specific safety concerns, such as recent threats or dangerous behavior involving firearms. The court may issue an initial temporary order without the person at risk being present, followed by a prompt hearing where they can respond. The order requires the individual to surrender firearms and ammunition and remains in effect until the court decides otherwise, prioritizing public safety while ensuring due process.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeEstablishes court process for firearm restrictions to prevent violence, aligning with criminal justice reform goals of reducing harm through proactive measures.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Criminal Justice

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passed both · New Hampshire · Senate Feb 5, 2026

SB 15: relative to incorporating hard labor as a sentencing option for capital murder and serious sexual assaults on children, defining hard labor, establishing medical exemptions and penalties for abuse thereof, providing alternative punitive measures for legitimate medical exemptions, and authorizing jury determination of hard labor in qualifying cases.

This bill establishes a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years to life imprisonment for anyone who distributes certain controlled drugs (including methamphetamine, PCP, and other Schedule I or II drugs) when death results from the person's use of those substances. It requires that the death must be directly caused by the injection, inhalation, or ingestion of the distributed drug, and prohibits using the decedent's own drug use as a defense. The bill amends the Controlled Drug Act to create this mandatory sentence, clarifying it applies when the distributor's actions are a direct cause of death. It does not prevent other prosecutions for homicide or related drug offenses. The bill would take effect on January 1, 2026.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeBill imposes mandatory minimum 10 years to life for drug distribution causing death, increasing sentencing severity and opposing reform trends.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

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