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CHAPTER 97
HB 1730-FN - FINAL VERSION
19Feb2026... 0420h
2026 SESSION
26-3238
09/08
HOUSE BILL
1730-FN
AN ACT
enhancing the level of offense for certain sexual offenses.
SPONSORS: Rep. Sweeney, Rock. 25; Rep. Alexander Jr., Hills. 29; Rep. Berry, Hills. 44
COMMITTEE: Criminal Justice and Public Safety
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AMENDED ANALYSIS
This bill reclassifies as felonies certain sexual assault conduct related to engaging in sexual contact or penetration with a person over whom the defendant had certain authority by virtue of their role in a correctional institution, the secure psychiatric unit, or a juvenile detention facility, or their role as an adult or juvenile probation or parole officer.
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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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
19Feb2026... 0420h 26-3238
09/08
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty-Six
AN ACT
enhancing the level of offense for certain sexual offenses.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
97:1 Aggravated Felonious Sexual Assault. Amend the introductory paragraph of RSA 632-A:2, I(n) to read as follows:
(n) When the actor is in a position of authority over the victim [
and uses this authority to coerce the victim to submit
] under any of the following circumstances:
97:2 Felonious Sexual Assault. Amend the introductory paragraph of RSA 632-A:3, IV(a) to read as follows:
IV.(a) Engages in sexual contact with the person, or causes the person to engage in sexual contact on himself or herself in the presence of the actor, when the actor is in a position of authority over the person [
and uses that authority to coerce the victim to submit
] under any of the following circumstances:
97:3 Registration of Criminal Offenders; Sexual Offense. Amend RSA 651-B:1, V(a) to read as follows:
(a) Capital murder, RSA 630:1, I(e); first degree murder, RSA 630:1-a, I(b)(1); aggravated felonious sexual assault, RSA 632-A:2; felonious sexual assault, 632-A:3; sexual assault, 632-A:4, I(a) [
or RSA 632-A:4, III
]; violation of privacy, RSA 644:9, I(a) or RSA 644:9, III-a; or a second or subsequent offense within a 5-year period for indecent exposure and lewdness, RSA 645:1, I.
97:4 Registration of Criminal Offenders; Offense Against a Child. Amend RSA 651-B:1, VII(a) to read as follows:
(a) Any of the following offenses, where the victim was under the age of 18 at the time of the offense: capital murder, RSA 630:1, I(e); first degree murder, RSA 630:1-a, 1(b)(1); aggravated felonious sexual assault, RSA 632-A:2; felonious sexual assault, RSA 632-A:3; sexual assault, RSA 632-A:4, I(a) [
or RSA 632-A:4, III
]; kidnapping, RSA 633:1; criminal restraint, RSA 633:2; false imprisonment, RSA 633:3; incest, RSA 639:2; violation of privacy, RSA 644:9, I(a) or RSA 644:9, III-a; a second or subsequent offense within a 5-year period for indecent exposure and lewdness, RSA 645:1, I; indecent exposure and lewdness, RSA 645:1, II and RSA 645:1, III; or prostitution, RSA 645:2.
97:5 Registration of Criminal Offenders; Tier I Offender. Amend RSA 651-B:1, VIII(a) to read as follows:
(a) RSA 632-A:4, I(a); RSA 632-A:4, I(b); [
RSA 632-A:4, III;
] RSA 644:9, I(a); RSA 644:9, III-a; or a second or subsequent offense within a 5-year period for indecent exposure and lewdness, RSA 645:1, I.
97:6 Repeal. RSA 632-A:4, III, relative to sexual assault in certain positions of authority, is repealed.
97:7 Effective Date. This act shall take effect January 1, 2027.
Approved: May 28, 2026
Effective Date: January 01, 2027