KLS Keeping Law Simple Legislation in plain English

Straight-ahead summaries built from the official bill text. We keep the source links front and center and leave the decision up to you.

Back to New Hampshire

HB1108 • 2026

relative to the offense of criminal threatening.

relative to the offense of criminal threatening.

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Donald McFarlane (R), Kristin Noble (R), Daniel Innis (R), Cyril Aures (R), Matt Drew (R), Keith Murphy (R), Daniel Popovici-Muller (R), Michael Granger (R)
Last action
2026-04-03
Official status
SENATE
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

relative to the offense of criminal threatening.

relative to the offense of criminal threatening.

What This Bill Does

  • relative to the offense of criminal threatening.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-03 S

    Refer to Interim Study, MA, VV; 04/09/2026; SJ 8

  2. 2026-04-01 S

    Committee Report: Referred to Interim Study, 04/09/2026; Vote 5-0; CC; SC 13

  3. 2026-03-18 S

    Hearing: 03/24/2026, Room 100, SH, 01:10 pm; SC 11

  4. 2026-03-17 S

    Introduced 03/12/2026 and Referred to Judiciary; SJ 7

  5. 2026-03-11 H

    Remove from Table (Rep. Roy): MA RC 177-158 03/11/2026 HJ 7 P. 69

  6. 2026-03-11 H

    Inexpedient to Legislate: MF RC 151-186 03/11/2026 HJ 7 P. 71

  7. 2026-03-11 H

    FLAM #2026-1113h (Rep. McFarlane): AA DV 188-149 03/11/2026 HJ 7 P. 73

  8. 2026-03-11 H

    Indefinitely Postpone (Rep. Wade): MF DV 146-191 03/11/2026 HJ 7 P. 73

  9. 2026-03-11 H

    Ought to Pass with Amendment 2026-1113h: MA RC 193-144 03/11/2026 HJ 7 P. 75

  10. 2026-03-05 H

    Lay HB1108 on Table (Rep. Rhodes): MA DV 297-23 03/05/2026 HJ 6 P. 138

  11. 2026-03-04 H

    Removed from Consent (Reps. McFarlane, McGrath, Beaulier, Tom Mannion, Giasson, Berezhny, D. Kelley, D. McGuire, Scully, Popovici-Muller) 03/04/2026 HJ 6 P. 2

  12. 2026-02-24 H

    Executive Session: 01/28/2026 03:00 pm GP 159

  13. 2026-02-24 H

    Committee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate 02/11/2026 (Vote 13-0; CC) HC 9 P. 5

  14. 2026-01-21 H

    Public Hearing: 01/28/2026 03:00 pm GP 159

  15. 2025-12-01 H

    Introduced 01/07/2026 and referred to Criminal Justice and Public Safety HJ 1 P. 6

Official Summary Text

relative to the offense of criminal threatening.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HB 1108-FN - AS AMENDED BY THE HOUSE

11Mar2026... 1113h
2026 SESSION
26-2548
09/08

HOUSE BILL
1108-FN

AN ACT
relative to the offense of criminal threatening.

SPONSORS: Rep. McFarlane, Graf. 18; Rep. Aures, Merr. 13; Rep. Popovici-Muller, Rock. 17; Rep. Noble, Hills. 2; Rep. Drew, Hills. 19; Rep. Granger, Straf. 2; Sen. Innis, Dist 7; Sen. Murphy, Dist 16

COMMITTEE: Criminal Justice and Public Safety

─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────

ANALYSIS

This bill revises the standard for when a person shall not be deemed to have committed the offense of criminal threatening, when responding to certain threats.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in
bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [
in brackets and struckthrough.
]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
11Mar2026... 1113h 26-2548
09/08

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty-Six

AN ACT
relative to the offense of criminal threatening.

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

1 Criminal Threatening; Actions in Response to Certain Threats. RSA 631:4, IV is repealed and reenacted to read as follows:
IV. A person who, in response to conduct that could reasonably be perceived by a person as likely to result in serious bodily injury, death, theft, unlawful intrusion, or refusal to leave after lawful trespass notice, displays a firearm or other lawful means of self-defense with the intent to deter such conduct, shall not be deemed to have committed a criminal act under this section. Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit the open carrying of firearms as otherwise permitted by law.

2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect January 1, 2027.

LBA
26-2548
03/18/2026

HB 1108-FN- FISCAL NOTE
AS AMENDED BY THE HOUSE (AMENDMENT # 2026-1113h)

AN ACT
relative to the offense of criminal threatening.

FISCAL IMPACT:

Estimated State Impact

FY 2026
FY 2027
FY 2028
FY 2029

Revenue
$0
$0
$0
$0

Revenue Fund
None

Expenditures*
Indeterminable

Funding Source
General Fund

Appropriations*
$0
$0
$0
$0

Funding Source
None

*Expenditure = Cost of bill *Appropriation = Authorized funding to cover cost of bill

Estimated Political Subdivision Impact

FY 2026
FY 2027
FY 2028
FY 2029

County Revenue
$0
$0
$0
$0

County Expenditures
Indeterminable

Local Revenue
$0
$0
$0
$0

Local Expenditures
Indeterminable

METHODOLOGY:
This bill adds, deletes, or modifies a criminal penalty, or changes statute to which there is a penalty for violation. Therefore, this bill may have an impact on the judicial and correctional systems, which could affect prosecution, incarceration, probation, and parole costs, for the state, as well as county and local governments. A summary of such costs can be found at:
https://gencourt.state.nh.us/lba/Budget/Fiscal_Notes/JudicialCorrectionalCosts.pdf

AGENCIES CONTACTED:
Judicial Branch, Judicial Council, Department of Justice, Department of Corrections, New Hampshire Association of Counties, and New Hampshire Municipal Association