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HB 1244-FN - AS INTRODUCED
2026 SESSION
26-3150
09/08
HOUSE BILL
1244-FN
AN ACT
relative to exceptions to the charge of criminal threatening.
SPONSORS: Rep. Farrington, Straf. 8; Rep. Aures, Merr. 13; Rep. Corcoran, Hills. 28; Rep. Drew, Hills. 19; Rep. Granger, Straf. 2; Rep. Layon, Rock. 13; Rep. Tom Mannion, Hills. 1; Rep. McFarlane, Graf. 18; Rep. Polozov, Merr. 10; Rep. Sabourin dit Choinere, Rock. 30; Sen. Innis, Dist 7; Sen. Murphy, Dist 16
COMMITTEE: Criminal Justice and Public Safety
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ANALYSIS
This bill adds an additional exception to when a person shall not have been deemed to commit the offense of criminal threatening to include certain actions in response to a person criminally trespassing that may result in property damage or threat of serious bodily injury or death.
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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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
26-3150
09/08
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty-Six
AN ACT
relative to exceptions to the charge of criminal threatening.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 Criminal Trespass; Exception. Amend RSA 631:4, IV to read as follows:
IV. A person who responds to a
person criminally trespassing in violation of RSA 635:2 or other
threat which would be considered by a reasonable person as likely to cause
property damage,
serious bodily injury or death to the person or to another by displaying a firearm or other means of self-defense with the intent to warn away the person
criminally trespassing or
making the threat shall not have committed a criminal act under this section.
2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect January 1, 2027.
LBA
26-3150
10/27/25
HB 1244-FN- FISCAL NOTE
AS INTRODUCED
AN ACT
relative to exceptions to the charge 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