Criminal Justice (Courts)

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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failed · New Hampshire · House Jan 7, 2026

HB 253: relative to interest-bearing pooled trust accounts maintained by lawyers.

HB 253 requires New Hampshire lawyers managing interest-bearing pooled trust accounts to remit quarterly interest or dividends to the New Hampshire public defender's office. The public defender must not have contributed to nonprofits or political campaigns during that quarter and must publish its full annual budget. If the public defender fails these requirements, the funds instead go to the state general fund. The law establishes this funding mechanism while allowing the Supreme Court and bar association to create implementing rules that align with these core provisions.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill allocates interest from lawyer trust accounts to public defender's office, funding essential legal services per fiscal management criteria.95% confidence ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeFunds public defender's office for indigent defense, directly supporting fair representation and access to counsel in criminal justice system.95% confidence

Sub-Topics State Budget Courts

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in committee · New Hampshire · House Jan 7, 2026

HB 580: relative to retaliatory defamation in domestic violence and sexual violence cases.

HB 580 prohibits accused individuals from filing defamation lawsuits against victims who report sexual misconduct, domestic abuse, or related incidents. It protects victims who disclose these incidents to authorities, employers, social media, or others, making such lawsuits generally invalid unless the victim retracted the report or the accusation was factually impossible. The law allows defamation claims only if the accused proves the report was impossible or the victim publicly denied the incident. Victims who win such cases can recover court costs, legal fees, and additional damages. This applies to reports made under New Hampshire's domestic violence laws (RSA 173-B).

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeProtects victims from defamation lawsuits for reporting abuse, reducing barriers to reporting and supporting victim-centered justice in criminal cases.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts Domestic Violence

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failed · New Hampshire · House Jan 7, 2026

HB 439: relative to non-driving related violations and driver's license suspension.

HB 439 eliminates driver's license suspensions for non-driving violations, such as unpaid fines for non-traffic offenses (e.g., parking tickets or civil citations). It directly affects individuals who face license suspension solely due to unpaid court fines unrelated to motor vehicle safety. The bill amends state law to restrict license suspensions only to moving violations (like speeding) or cases where a court has specifically authorized suspension. Effective January 1, 2026, this change removes the ability to suspend licenses for non-driving-related defaults, aligning suspension criteria with driving offenses only.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeEliminates license suspensions for non-driving violations (e.g., parking tickets), reducing punitive measures that disproportionately impact low-income individuals and aligns with criminal justice reform goals.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts

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in committee · New Hampshire · Senate Jan 7, 2026

SB 261: requiring that custodial interrogations be recorded, establishing a fund to make grants to state law enforcement agencies to purchase equipment to enable such recordings, and making an appropriation therefor.

SB 261 requires that all custodial interrogations (questioning of individuals in police custody) be electronically recorded with audio and/or video, with exceptions for equipment failure or specific requests by the person being questioned. The bill establishes a $50,000 fund to help state law enforcement agencies purchase recording equipment, prioritizing departments without any recording capability. It creates a presumption that unrecorded statements cannot be used as evidence in court, though this can be overcome with reasonable justification. The law applies to all state law enforcement agencies conducting interrogations at police stations, jails, or other detention facilities and would take effect 9 months after passage.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill explicitly appropriates $50,000 for law enforcement recording equipment grants, directly funding a state program per budget allocation language.95% confidence ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRequires recording custodial interrogations to enhance police accountability, protects defendant rights by presuming unrecorded statements inadmissible, and funds equipment for compliance.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Appropriations Courts Law Enforcement Policing

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failed · New Hampshire · House Jan 7, 2026

HB 611: relative to repayment regarding appointed counsel for indigent criminal defendants.

HB 611 eliminates the requirement for indigent defendants in criminal cases to repay court-appointed legal fees. It removes all provisions allowing courts to collect repayment from defendants who qualify for free counsel due to financial inability, including repealing RSA 604-A:9 (which governed repayment) and related sections. The bill directly affects individuals who receive appointed counsel in criminal proceedings because they cannot afford private attorneys. This change ends the practice of seeking repayment through periodic installments or financial investigations, streamlining access to defense services without financial burden on qualifying defendants. The law takes effect January 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeEliminates repayment requirements for indigent defendants, removing financial barriers to legal representation and advancing criminal justice reform by protecting civil rights of low-income defendants.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts

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died · New Hampshire · House Aug 20, 2026

HB 1322: reestablishing the judicial conduct commission.

HB 1322 reestablishes a Judicial Conduct Commission to investigate complaints about judges and clerks (including court staff like clerks of court and registrars) and recommend to the legislature whether impeachment or removal actions are warranted. The commission will operate concurrently with the New Hampshire Supreme Court’s existing disciplinary authority, meaning it does not replace the court’s power to discipline judges but provides a structured process for handling complaints. Key provisions include defining "judge" and "clerk" broadly, establishing an executive director to manage operations, and ensuring recommendations align with constitutional separation of powers. This bill restores a mechanism for judicial accountability that was lost after the previous commission was repealed in 2024.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeReestablishes judicial oversight commission to investigate judge misconduct, enhancing accountability within courts - key criminal justice component.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts Judges

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failed · New Hampshire · House Feb 19, 2026

HB 1595: establishing a domestic violence program and relative to orders of protection, stalking offenses, and annulment of criminal records.

This bill establishes a statewide domestic violence program within the judicial branch to improve handling of civil domestic violence cases. It requires judges and court staff to complete specialized training on domestic violence dynamics, lethality assessment, and victim safety, and mandates law enforcement to use a standardized lethality assessment form in suspected cases. The bill also allows victims to submit safety affidavits when filing family court petitions, updates stalking laws to include installing electronic devices on a person as a stalking offense, and expands annulment eligibility for violent crimes while requiring courts to notify and seek input from victims before granting annulment. These changes directly affect domestic violence victims, law enforcement, courts, and individuals seeking annulment of criminal records.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeMandates specialized court training, standardized lethality assessments, and victim safety protocols for domestic violence cases, directly improving judicial handling of criminal justice matters.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts Domestic Violence Law Enforcement

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signed · New Hampshire · Senate Jun 8, 2026

SB 515: relative to judicial determinations related to children placed in a qualified residential treatment program in certain juvenile matters and appointment of counsel in certain circumstances.

SB 515 requires that children placed in specialized treatment facilities (qualified residential treatment programs) receive a qualified assessment within 30 days and have their placement reviewed by a court within 60 days. It directly affects children in juvenile court cases involving such placements, their families, and the courts handling these matters. The bill also allows court proceedings to continue if a child’s legal counsel cannot be secured after diligent efforts, while prioritizing issues not affecting the child’s expressed interests. These changes align state law with federal requirements under the Family First Prevention Services Act and aim to ensure timely oversight of children’s care. The bill has no fiscal impact on state or local government.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill mandates timely assessments/reviews for children in treatment programs, enhancing juvenile justice oversight and protections within the criminal justice system.75% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates timely assessments and court reviews for children in specialized treatment programs, ensuring access to mental health services within juvenile court system.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts Juvenile Justice Substance Abuse