Criminal Justice (Civil Rights)

vetoed · New Hampshire · House Aug 19, 2026

HB 1442: permitting classification of individuals based on biological sex under certain limited circumstances.

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.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeBill mandates correctional facilities house inmates by biological sex, limiting gender identity protections. This restricts inmate rights in corrections, a core criminal justice component.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Civil Rights Corrections

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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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passed both · New Hampshire · Senate Jun 24, 2026

SB 464: relative to civil rights enforcement.

SB 464 changes New Hampshire's civil rights enforcement standard by requiring that prohibited conduct (like threats or violence) be "substantially motivated by hostility" toward a victim's protected characteristic - such as race, gender identity, or disability - to be considered a civil rights violation. This applies directly to enforcement agencies and courts when investigating or prosecuting civil rights cases. The bill modifies RSA 354-B:1 to clarify that conduct must be clearly driven by bias, not just coincidental, to trigger civil rights protections. It takes effect January 1, 2027, with no estimated state or local cost impact.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeBill raises civil rights enforcement standard to require 'substantially motivated' hostility, making prosecutions harder and weakening protections against bias-based violations in law enforcement/courts.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Civil Rights

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failed · New Hampshire · House Mar 5, 2026

HB 1564: removing all references of gender identity in New Hampshire statutes.

HB 1564 removes the phrase "gender identity" from multiple New Hampshire statutes that currently include it as a protected characteristic in discrimination laws. This affects provisions related to equal employment (RSA 21-I:42), classified employment protections (RSA 21-I:52), cable TV service access (RSA 53-C:3-g), hate crime reporting (RSA 106-B:14-c), police training (RSA 106-L:2), racial profiling definitions (RSA 106-O:1), and mental health services (RSA 135-C:13). The bill deletes all instances of "gender identity" except in RSA 332-M:2, III-a. It does not create new policies but eliminates existing language from these statutes. The direct effect is removing gender identity as a specified protected category in these legal provisions.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeRemoves gender identity as protected characteristic from hate crime reporting (RSA 106-B:14-c) and police training (RSA 106-L:2), weakening criminal justice protections for LGBTQ+ individuals.90% confidence ✗ HealthcareOpposes HealthcareRemoves gender identity protections from mental health services statute (RSA 135-C:13), limiting access for transgender patients.85% confidence ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentRemoves 'gender identity' as a protected characteristic in employment discrimination laws (RSA 21-I:42), weakening workplace protections for LGBTQ+ workers.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Civil Rights Policing Mental Health

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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

Sub-Topics Civil Rights Employment Discrimination

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failed · New Hampshire · House Mar 5, 2026

HB 1465: establishing mandatory reporting of civil rights violations committed by members of the judiciary.

HB 1465 requires certain state employees, including court staff, judges, attorneys, and bar association members, to report suspected civil rights violations or breaches of judicial conduct rules committed by judicial branch members. If they have reasonable cause to believe a violation occurred (e.g., in person or reported to them), they must immediately notify the Attorney General’s office. Failure to report is punishable as a misdemeanor, with a $1,500 fine and up to one week in jail. The Attorney General forwards reports to the court administrative office, county sheriffs, and the chief justice, while protecting good-faith reporters from retaliation. The bill takes effect January 1, 2027.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeMandates reporting of judicial civil rights violations, enhancing accountability within courts and aligning with criminal justice reform goals.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Civil Rights Corrections Courts

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failed · New Hampshire · Senate Mar 5, 2026

SB 623: relative to requirements for law enforcement officers assisting in immigration enforcement.

This bill requires New Hampshire state and local law enforcement officers who assist U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) under the federal 287(g) program to display their name or badge number, refrain from wearing facial coverings, and keep body-worn cameras active during these duties. It mandates that law enforcement agencies establish disciplinary measures for officers who violate these requirements and directs all complaints about violations to the state Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Unit for investigation. The bill applies only to officers participating in the 287(g) program and takes effect 60 days after enactment. It does not alter existing requirements for officers not engaged in federal immigration enforcement.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRequires transparency and accountability for law enforcement during immigration enforcement, aligning with police accountability indicators in criminal justice reform.95% confidence ✓ ImmigrationSupports ImmigrationRequires transparency during ICE cooperation, enhancing accountability for immigrant enforcement actions.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Civil Rights Law Enforcement Driver Licenses & IDs Enforcement Sanctuary Policies

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