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HB580 • 2026

relative to retaliatory defamation in domestic violence and sexual violence cases.

relative to retaliatory defamation in domestic violence and sexual violence cases.

Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor
Anita Burroughs (D), Dick Thackston (R), Debra Altschiller (D), Hope Damon (D), Paul Berch (D), Rebecca Perkins Kwoka (D), Alicia Gregg (D), Carry Spier (D)
Last action
2026-01-07
Official status
HOUSE
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 retaliatory defamation in domestic violence and sexual violence cases.

relative to retaliatory defamation in domestic violence and sexual violence cases.

What This Bill Does

  • relative to retaliatory defamation in domestic violence and sexual violence cases.

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. 2026-01-07 H

    Refer for Interim Study: MA VV 01/07/2026 HJ 1 P. 75

  2. 2025-11-04 H

    Executive Session: 09/10/2025 10:00 am GP 230

  3. 2025-10-02 H

    Committee Report: Refer for Interim Study 09/10/2025 (Vote 15-0; CC) HC 51 P. 14

  4. 2025-08-25 H

    Full Committee Work Session: 09/10/2025 10:00 am GP 230

  5. 2025-03-17 H

    Retained in Committee

  6. 2025-02-20 H

    ==CONTINUED== Public Hearing: 03/12/2025 10:15 am LOB 206-208

  7. 2025-02-20 H

    Executive Session: 03/12/2025 11:00 am LOB 206-208

  8. 2025-01-21 H

    ==RECESSED== Public Hearing: 02/19/2025 11:15 am LOB 206-208

  9. 2025-01-16 H

    Introduced (in recess of) 01/09/2025 and referred to Judiciary HJ 3 P. 17

Official Summary Text

relative to retaliatory defamation in domestic violence and sexual violence cases.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HB 580-FN - AS INTRODUCED

2025 SESSION
25-0214
11/09

HOUSE BILL
580-FN

AN ACT
relative to retaliatory defamation in domestic violence and sexual violence cases.

SPONSORS: Rep. Burroughs, Carr. 2; Rep. Damon, Sull. 8; Rep. Gregg, Hills. 7; Rep. Thackston, Ches. 12; Rep. Berch, Ches. 6; Rep. Spier, Hills. 6; Sen. Altschiller, Dist 24; Sen. Perkins Kwoka, Dist 21

COMMITTEE: Judiciary

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ANALYSIS

This bill prohibits retaliatory defamation against a victim reporting sexual misconduct, sexual abuse, sexual assault, sexual harassment, or domestic abuse.

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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.
25-0214
11/09

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Five

AN ACT
relative to retaliatory defamation in domestic violence and sexual violence cases.

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

1 New Section; Retaliatory Defamation; Sexual and Domestic Violence. Amend RSA 507:15 by inserting after section 507:15-b the following new section:
507:15-c Retaliatory Defamation.
I. A person accused by a victim of sexual misconduct, sexual abuse, sexual assault, sexual harassment, or the commission or attempted commission of one or more acts described in RSA 173-B:1, I(a)-(f), shall not file a defamation action against a victim reporting sexual misconduct, sexual abuse, sexual assault, sexual harassment, or abuse under RSA 173-B, including in cases where the alleged perpetrator is publicly named, except as permitted in paragraph II.
II. Defamation claims, where the alleged perpetrator is publicly named by a victim reporting sexual misconduct, sexual abuse, sexual assault, sexual harassment, or abuse under RSA 173-B, shall be reserved for cases where the plaintiff's complaint establishes, by pleading particular facts and not a general claim, one or both of the following:
(a) The claimed act in the reported accusation was a factual impossibility for the accused to have perpetrated.
(b) The victim has publicly stated that the present reported incident did not occur.
III. For purposes of this section:
(a) “Report” or “reporting” means disclosures to authorities, human resources, speaking to the press, publishing on social media, or telling another person.
(b) "Victim" means alleged victim or victim determined by legal process.
IV. A victim who prevails in a retaliatory defamation case at any point in the proceedings shall be awarded court costs and reasonable attorneys fees, and shall be eligible to receive punitive damages in addition to treble compensatory damages.

2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect January 1, 2026.

LBA
25-0214
1/2/25

HB 580-FN- FISCAL NOTE
AS INTRODUCED

AN ACT
relative to retaliatory defamation in domestic violence and sexual violence cases.

FISCAL IMPACT:

The Legislative Budget Assistant has determined that this legislation has a total fiscal impact of less than $10,000 in each of the fiscal years 2026 through 2028.

AGENCIES CONTACTED:
Judicial Branch