Criminal Justice (Policing)

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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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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signed · New Hampshire · House Jul 21, 2026

HB 109: relative to false reports to law enforcement.

HB 109 makes it a misdemeanor to knowingly report false information about police officer misconduct during official duties, and a class A misdemeanor for false reports about alleged criminal conduct by officers. The bill directly affects individuals who make false allegations against law enforcement officers, creating new criminal penalties for such false reports. Key provisions amend New Hampshire law to specifically criminalize false reports regarding officer misconduct (Section II, misdemeanor) or criminal conduct (Section III, class A misdemeanor). The law takes effect January 1, 2026, and does not impose direct fiscal costs on the state or local governments.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeCriminalizes false reports against officers, potentially deterring legitimate misconduct allegations and weakening oversight of law enforcement.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Law Enforcement Policing

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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signed · New Hampshire · House Jul 10, 2026

HB 1236: relative to the use of body-worn cameras in county departments of corrections.

HB 1236 requires law enforcement to electronically record all police questioning of individuals in custody (custodial interrogations) in New Hampshire. Unrecorded statements from such interrogations would generally be excluded as evidence in criminal or juvenile court cases, unless police provide a documented, reasonable justification for not recording. The bill creates a clear rule: recordings must be complete, and unrecorded statements are inadmissible unless courts approve specific justifications. It takes effect January 1, 2027, impacting police departments, defendants, and courts.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeMandates electronic recordings of custodial interrogations, excluding unrecorded statements without justification, enhancing police accountability and protecting defendant rights per criminal justice reform indicators.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts Juvenile Justice Policing

passed · New Hampshire · Senate Aug 24, 2026

SB 410: relative to possession of human remains for law enforcement training purposes.

SB 410 authorizes New Hampshire law enforcement agencies to possess portions of human remains (such as tissue or bone) for training cadaver detection dogs, directly affecting law enforcement, funeral homes, and mortuaries. The bill requires written consent from next of kin or the deceased’s prior donation authorization, specifies the exact portions to be used, and mandates documentation retention. After training, all remains must be returned to a New Hampshire institution of higher education or a licensed medical waste disposal company. Agencies must also develop written policies covering consent, handling, storage, and final disposition, all to be submitted to the police standards council. The law takes effect 60 days after passage.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeAuthorizes law enforcement training with consent protocols, directly enhancing cadaver dog detection capabilities for investigations.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Drug Policy Law Enforcement Policing

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signed · New Hampshire · House Jun 24, 2026

HB 1361: relative to the procedure concerning search warrant inventories.

HB 1361 modifies New Hampshire law governing search warrant inventories by requiring law enforcement officers to create inventories in the presence of the person searched (or a neutral witness if they're absent), rather than the warrant applicant. It also allows electronic inventories for digital evidence with officer verification, and specifies a standardized return form for warrant execution. The bill directly affects police officers executing searches and ensures clearer documentation for individuals whose property is seized. It takes effect January 1, 2027, as requested by the Department of Safety.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRequires officer presence during search inventories with witness, enhancing transparency and accountability in law enforcement procedures.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Law Enforcement Policing

failed · New Hampshire · House Feb 19, 2026

HB 1740: relative to the protection of persons from domestic violence.

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.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeMandates police investigations, arrests on probable cause, and law enforcement training to strengthen victim safety and accountability in domestic violence cases, aligning with criminal justice reform indicators.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Domestic Violence Law Enforcement Policing

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failed · New Hampshire · House Feb 5, 2026

HB 1690: relative to impact fees.

This bill expands the permitted uses of impact fees - charges imposed on new development - to include purchasing safety equipment for police, fire, and emergency services. It directly affects municipalities that collect impact fees, allowing them to allocate these funds toward existing safety vehicle fleets (like police cars or fire trucks) rather than solely for infrastructure like roads or water systems. The key change amends the definition of "impact fee" in state law to explicitly authorize this use, adding it to the existing list of approved purposes. This is a concrete policy adjustment to the existing fee structure, not a new program.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesRedirects existing impact fee revenue toward public safety equipment funding, increasing allocation for essential services like police/fire departments.90% confidence ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill explicitly authorizes impact fees for police safety equipment purchases, directly funding law enforcement resources under criminal justice topic.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Procurement Policing Tags Public Safety

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