SB501 • 2026

relative to authorization of seclusion or restraint during a personal safety emergency by a physician, physician associate, or advanced practice registered nurse.

Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor: Suzanne Prentiss (D), Donovan Fenton (D), Kevin Avard (R), Timothy Lang (R), Rebecca Perkins Kwoka (D), Ruth Ward (R), David Watters (D), Tim McGough (R), Regina Birdsell (R), Howard Pearl (r), Keith Murphy (R)
Last action: 2026-05-07
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 authorization of seclusion or restraint during a personal safety emergency by a physician, physician associate, or advanced practice registered nurse.

What This Bill Does

relative to authorization of seclusion or restraint during a personal safety emergency by a physician, physician associate, or advanced practice registered nurse.

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

2026-05-07 H
Lay SB501 on Table (Rep. W. MacDonald): MA RC 188-154 05/07/2026 HJ 12
2026-04-22 H
Majority Committee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate 04/15/2026 (Vote 10-8; RC) HC 18 P. 14
2026-04-22 H
Minority Committee Report: Ought to Pass
2026-04-07 H
Executive Session: 04/15/2026 10:00 am GP 158
2026-04-01 H
Public Hearing: 04/08/2026 11:00 am GP 158
2026-02-26 H
Introduced (in recess of) 02/19/2026 and referred to Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs HJ 5 P. 124
2026-02-12 S
Committee Report: Ought to Pass, 02/19/2026; Vote 5-0; CC; SC 6
2026-02-12 S
Ought to Pass : MA, VV; OT3rdg; 02/19/2026; SJ 4
2026-02-05 S
Hearing: 02/11/2026, Room 100, SH, 01:15 pm; SC 5
2025-11-21 S
Introduced 01/07/2026 and Referred to Health and Human Services; SJ 1

Official Summary Text

relative to authorization of seclusion or restraint during a personal safety emergency by a physician, physician associate, or advanced practice registered nurse.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

SB 501 - AS INTRODUCED

2026 SESSION
26-2096
09/08

SENATE BILL
501

AN ACT
relative to authorization of seclusion or restraint during a personal safety emergency by a physician, physician associate, or advanced practice registered nurse.

SPONSORS: Sen. Prentiss, Dist 5; Sen. Lang, Dist 2; Sen. Watters, Dist 4; Sen. Pearl, Dist 17; Sen. Fenton, Dist 10; Sen. Perkins Kwoka, Dist 21; Sen. McGough, Dist 11; Sen. Murphy, Dist 16; Sen. Avard, Dist 12; Sen. Ward, Dist 8; Sen. Birdsell, Dist 19

COMMITTEE: Health and Human Services

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ANALYSIS

This bill authorizes a physician, physician associate, or advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) to order seclusion or restraint during a personal safety emergency at New Hampshire hospital and other designated receiving facilities.

The bill is a request of the department of health and human services.

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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.
26-2096
09/08

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty-Six

AN ACT
relative to authorization of seclusion or restraint during a personal safety emergency by a physician, physician associate, or advanced practice registered nurse.

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

1 New Hampshire Mental Health Services System; Treatment Rights; Seclusion or Restraint. Amend RSA 135-C:57, V to read as follows:
V. Freedom from seclusion or physical or pharmacological restraint.
Notwithstanding any state law to the contrary,
seclusion or restraint shall be administered only
by order of a physician, physician associate, or an APRN
with the consent of the person, who has made an informed decision, or as a form of emergency treatment imposed by law or by rules, adopted by the commissioner under RSA 541-A.

2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.