Criminal Justice

signed · New Hampshire · Senate Jul 9, 2026

SB 667: relative to the assault of emergency room personnel.

SB 667 amends New Hampshire assault laws to specifically address violence against emergency room personnel. It adds new provisions making it a first-degree assault (RSA 631:1, I(e)) to knowingly cause serious bodily injury to ER staff acting in their duties, and a second-degree assault (RSA 631:2, I(g)) to knowingly cause bodily injury to them. The bill defines "emergency room personnel" broadly to include all hospital ER staff and volunteers providing public services, such as doctors, nurses, clerks, technicians, students, and volunteers. This law directly affects individuals who assault ER workers and increases penalties for such acts by classifying them as specific assault offenses. The bill is scheduled to take effect January 1, 2027.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill increases penalties for assaulting ER personnel, strengthening legal protections for healthcare workers within criminal justice framework.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Violent Crime

failed · New Hampshire · House Mar 5, 2026

HB 1158: relative to the definition of intimate partner.

HB 1158 expands the legal definition of "intimate partner" in New Hampshire domestic violence cases to include individuals who were in a romantic or sexual relationship, regardless of whether the relationship was sexually consummated. This change directly affects victims and perpetrators in domestic violence proceedings under New Hampshire law. The bill modifies existing statutes (RSA 173-B:1 and RSA 631:2-b) to remove the previous requirement that such relationships must have been sexually consummated. The law takes effect on January 1, 2027, with no estimated state or local fiscal impact.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeExpands victim protection in domestic violence cases by broadening intimate partner definition, aligning with criminal justice reform goals to strengthen legal safeguards for victims.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Domestic Violence

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died · New Hampshire · House Mar 5, 2026

HB 186: relative to the legalization and regulation of cannabis and making appropriations therefor.

HB 186 legalizes and regulates cannabis for adults 21 and older in New Hampshire, establishing a comprehensive framework for cultivation, manufacturing, and retail sales. The bill creates a Cannabis Commission to license and regulate businesses, sets strict limits on personal possession (2 ounces of flower or equivalent), and prohibits smoking in public places with escalating fines for violations. Revenue from cannabis taxes will fund the general fund (55%), substance misuse prevention programs (15%), municipalities based on sales (25%), and public safety agencies (5%). The bill also includes provisions to vacate past cannabis possession convictions for adults 21+ and creates a dual-use system allowing therapeutic cannabis centers to operate retail stores under specific conditions.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill explicitly allocates cannabis tax revenue to fund general fund (55%) and substance misuse programs, directly advancing state budget priorities through new tax revenue streams.95% confidence ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeLegalizes cannabis, reducing criminalization of personal use and funding substance misuse prevention - direct criminal justice reform.95% confidence

Sub-Topics State Budget Drug Policy

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died · New Hampshire · House Mar 12, 2026

CACR 19: relative to the personal possession of cannabis. Providing that adults 21 years of age or older shall have the right to possess a modest amount of cannabis intended for their personal consumption.

This proposed constitutional amendment would grant New Hampshire adults aged 21 and older the right to possess a modest amount of cannabis for personal consumption. If approved by voters in November 2026, it would amend the state constitution to explicitly protect this right, replacing current laws that lack such a provision. The amendment specifically covers personal possession and consumption, not cultivation, sales, or public use. It requires a two-thirds majority vote in the referendum to take effect.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeLegalizes personal cannabis possession, reducing criminal penalties for non-violent offenses, aligning with criminal justice reform goals of reducing over-criminalization.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Drug Policy

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signed · New Hampshire · House Jun 5, 2026

HB 1091: relative to unauthorized camping on private property.

HB 1091 requires New Hampshire towns and cities to offer nonmonetary penalties (such as community service) as an alternative to fines for violations of local rules prohibiting sleeping or camping outdoors. It directly affects individuals cited under municipal ordinances for outdoor sleeping or camping, replacing the current option of only financial penalties. The bill mandates that towns must include this nonmonetary penalty choice in their enforcement of such ordinances, while still allowing fines as an option. This change applies to all relevant local rules and takes effect January 1, 2027.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeReplaces fines with community service for outdoor sleeping/camping violations, reducing punitive measures and aligning with criminal justice reform goals like reducing recidivism for nonviolent offenses.95% confidence

failed · New Hampshire · House Feb 19, 2026

HB 1038: establishing a committee to study raising awareness of the law providing immunity from liability in certain cases involving drug overdoses.

This bill creates a committee called the "better education on life-saving action committee" to study how to improve public awareness of New Hampshire's good Samaritan law. The law protects people from legal liability when they call for medical help during a drug overdose. The committee will examine current outreach methods, identify effective ways to reach high-risk communities, and assess whether state funding could help spread the information. It must report its findings and recommendations to state leaders by November 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill promotes awareness of New Hampshire's good Samaritan law, which protects individuals from liability when seeking medical help during drug overdoses. This alignates with criminal justice reform by reducing unnecessary legal barriers to life-sa...90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill creates committee to study improving public awareness of good Samaritan law protecting overdose callers, advancing public health access and reducing barriers to emergency care.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Substance Abuse

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died · New Hampshire · House Aug 20, 2026

HB 1436: relative to the classification and protection of personal digital information and cloud-stored files.

HB 1436 establishes legal property rights for personal digital information stored in cloud services, such as emails, photos, or documents. It presumes that individuals retain ownership of their unpublished digital data (including cloud-stored files) and creates a legal presumption of bailment when third parties hold this information. The bill requires government entities to obtain a warrant for searches or seizures of such digital records, treating them as protected "papers" under constitutional and state law. It directly affects consumers whose personal data is stored with cloud providers, distinguishing private digital content from public information while exempting certain public or emergency uses.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRequires warrants for government access to digital data, protecting privacy rights in criminal procedure per Fourth Amendment standards.85% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyEstablishes ownership of cloud data, requires warrants for government access, strengthening privacy protections per bill's legal presumption of bailment and warrant requirement for searches.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Consumer Data Protection Data Privacy

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in committee · New Hampshire · Senate Jan 7, 2026

SB 139: creating a private right of action in civil rights cases.

SB 139 creates a private right of action in civil rights cases, allowing any person subjected to unlawful interference with their civil rights to file a lawsuit directly. Currently, only the New Hampshire Attorney General can initiate such cases under the Civil Rights Act (RSA 354-B). The bill requires courts to notify the Attorney General by sending copies of the complaint and final judgment to their office. The law will take effect on January 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeEnables private lawsuits for civil rights violations, enhancing accountability in law enforcement actions - a key criminal justice reform indicator.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Civil Rights Tags Civil Liberties

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failed · New Hampshire · House Apr 3, 2026

HB 206: relative to government agent entries into secured premises.

HB 206 requires government agents (like police or local officials) to obtain a warrant before entering privately-owned property marked as "secured" (e.g., fenced, posted with notices). Exceptions allow entry without a warrant if the property owner consents or if there’s an immediate life-threatening emergency. Agents must notify property owners upon entry and show a warrant if not entering under consent or emergency. Evidence or arrests obtained in violation of this law would be invalid in court, though conservation officers enforcing wildlife laws are exempt. The bill takes effect January 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRequires warrants for property entry, protecting privacy rights and enhancing law enforcement accountability per Fourth Amendment principles.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts Policing

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in committee · New Hampshire · Senate Jan 7, 2026

SB 289: relative to use and preservation of body-worn camera recordings in certain matters.

SB 289 establishes rules for how police body-worn camera footage can be used in criminal, juvenile, and administrative court cases. It allows law enforcement and prosecutors to copy footage for discovery but prohibits further sharing without a court order, requires destruction of copies after case resolution, and mandates law enforcement to preserve original recordings until a defendant completes all sentencing terms. The bill directly affects law enforcement agencies, prosecutors, defendants, and courts by standardizing access to body camera evidence while preventing unauthorized distribution. Violations of these rules are classified as misdemeanors. The law applies to all body-worn camera recordings used in qualifying legal proceedings.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeMandates police accountability via controlled bodycam footage use, prohibits unauthorized sharing, and requires preservation until sentencing completion, aligning with transparency and oversight reforms.90% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyBill mandates court orders for sharing bodycam footage and requires destruction of copies, strengthening data privacy protections for law enforcement recordings.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts Law Enforcement Policing

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