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.
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).
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.
HB 1637 requires courts to schedule hearings on bail modification or revocation motions within 72 hours (excluding weekends and holidays) in domestic violence, stalking, and harassment cases. Before any hearing can occur, the party filing the motion must provide the court with certified copies of the complaint, affidavit, warrant, bail slip, and related court orders. The bill also mandates that in cases where a district court has found a person poses a danger, the superior court must hold a hearing and issue written findings when reviewing bail changes. This law takes effect January 1, 2027.
HB 1641 requires court clerks to send domestic violence, stalking, and civil restraining orders to prosecutors and probation officers within 24 hours when the person subject to the order is on bail or probation. This directly affects individuals under court supervision (bail or probation) who are named in such protection orders. The key mechanism mandates this rapid transmission to ensure law enforcement and probation officials are promptly notified. The bill would require 43 new full-time court positions for implementation, costing an estimated $1.76 million annually starting in 2027, though it does not provide funding for these positions.
HB 1651 establishes sexual assault protective orders, allowing survivors to file civil petitions in circuit court to obtain court-issued orders for their safety. These orders, modeled after existing protective orders under RSA 173-B, can last up to one year initially and be extended for up to five years with court approval, requiring annual safety reviews. The bill also updates survivors' rights by guaranteeing free preservation of sexual assault evidence kits for up to 20 years (or the statute of limitations, whichever is longer), disclosure of kit results without compromising investigations, and written information about kit handling procedures. It directly affects sexual assault survivors and defendants facing these orders, while clarifying that attorneys may contact survivors under strict conditions for legitimate legal purposes.
This bill amends New Hampshire's domestic violence law by adding "coercive control" to the list of behaviors courts can consider when issuing protection orders. Coercive control is defined as a pattern of behavior - including isolating a victim from support, controlling finances, monitoring communications, or threatening harm to pets/children - that causes a reasonable fear for safety. The bill directly affects victims of domestic violence and the courts handling protection order cases by expanding the types of abusive conduct that can be legally recognized. It does not change existing penalties or require new funding, as confirmed by the fiscal note showing no state revenue or expenditure impact.
HB 1556 increases penalties for domestic violence offenses committed in the presence of a child under 18, directly affecting perpetrators convicted under New Hampshire law (RSA 631:2-b). It raises maximum jail time for class A misdemeanors from 1 year to 18 months and adds a mandatory 30-day minimum sentence for all qualifying offenses. The bill also requires law enforcement to report child presence at domestic violence scenes and mandates police training on identifying child exposure, while clarifying that the law does not criminalize victims or impact parental fitness. Courts must consider the child’s age, psychological impact, and defendant history when sentencing.
HB 1740 updates New Hampshire's domestic violence protection laws to strengthen victim safety and law enforcement response. It requires police to immediately investigate all abuse reports, create written reports within 24 hours, and mandate arrests when probable cause exists - regardless of whether the abuse was witnessed. The bill also establishes a new domestic violence law enforcement training fund and clarifies that civil protective orders must follow criminal proceedings, not replace them. These changes directly affect victims of domestic violence, law enforcement agencies, and courts handling such cases.
HB 1084 requires individuals subject to a domestic violence protective order in New Hampshire to immediately surrender all firearms, ammunition, and deadly weapons to law enforcement officers. The bill directly affects people ordered to relinquish weapons under protective orders (RSA 173-B:4 or 173-B:5), making surrender mandatory rather than discretionary. Key provisions include replacing "may" with "shall" for weapon relinquishment, prohibiting refusal (with immediate detention for non-compliance), and requiring courts to issue search warrants if weapons remain unturned over. This bill strengthens enforcement of existing protections by ensuring weapons are removed from individuals deemed a threat under domestic violence orders.
