relative to orders of protection.

HB 1552-FN - AS INTRODUCED

2026 SESSION
26-2807
12/09

HOUSE BILL
1552-FN

AN ACT
relative to orders of protection.

SPONSORS: Rep. Love, Rock. 13

COMMITTEE: Criminal Justice and Public Safety

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ANALYSIS

This bill requires the non-adverse parties obtaining temporary and permanent protective orders to sign a statement acknowledging their understanding that any material false statement made in connection with the protective order may be grounds for a charge of perjury.

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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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
26-2807
12/09

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty-Six

AN ACT
relative to orders of protection.

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

1 Protection of Persons from Domestic Violence; Commencement of Proceedings. Amend RSA 173-B:3, IV to read as follows:
IV. The clerks of the circuit courts shall supply forms for petitions and for relief under this chapter designed to facilitate pro se proceedings. All such petitions shall contain the following words: I swear that the foregoing information is true and correct to the best of my knowledge
under the penalty of perjury
. I understand that making a false statement on this petition will subject me to criminal penalties
for perjury pursuant to RSA 641:1
.

2 Petition for a Protective Order Filed on Behalf of a Minor. Amend RSA 169-C:7-a, III to read as follows:
III.
All petitions filed pursuant to this section shall include the following words: I swear that the foregoing information is true and correct to the best of my knowledge under the penalty of perjury. I understand that making a false statement on this petition will subject me to criminal penalties for perjury pursuant to RSA 641:1.
[
III.
]
IV.
Any acts of abuse or neglect alleged in a petition shall be referred to the department pursuant to this chapter.

3 New Paragraph; Domestic Relations; Orders of Protection; Perjury Statement Requirement. Amend RSA 458:16 by inserting after paragraph III the following new paragraph:
IV. In exercising the power to issue temporary and permanent restraining orders pursuant to this section, the superior court shall require the non-adverse party to be informed and to sign an affidavit acknowledging his or her understanding that any material false statement made relative to the order may be prosecuted for perjury pursuant to RSA 641:1. "Non-adverse party" shall mean the party which is protected by the issuance of a temporary or permanent restraining order.

4 New Paragraph; Parental Rights and Responsibilities. Amend RSA 461-A:10 by inserting after paragraph II the following new paragraph:
III. In exercising the power to issue temporary and permanent restraining orders pursuant to this section, the superior court shall require the non-adverse party to be informed and to sign an affidavit acknowledging his or her understanding that any material false statement made relative to the order may be prosecuted for perjury pursuant to RSA 641:1. "Non-adverse party" shall mean the party which is protected by the issuance of a temporary or permanent restraining order.

5 Stalking; Orders of Protection; Perjury Statement Required. Amend RSA 633:3-a, III-a to read as follows:
III-a. A person who has been the victim of stalking as defined in this section may seek relief by filing a civil petition in the district court in the district where the plaintiff or defendant resides.
The court shall require the person filing the petition to be informed and to sign acknowledging his or her understanding that any material false statement made in the petition shall be prosecuted for perjury pursuant to RSA 641:1.
Upon a showing of stalking by a preponderance of the evidence, the court shall grant such relief as is necessary to bring about a cessation of stalking. The types of relief that may be granted, the procedures and burdens of proof to be applied in such proceedings, the methods of notice, service, and enforcement of such orders, and the penalties for violation thereof shall be the same as those set forth in RSA 173-B.

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

LBA
26-2807
12/3/25

HB 1552-FN- FISCAL NOTE
AS INTRODUCED

AN ACT
relative to orders of protection.

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