Bill Text - HB1468 (2020)

Relative to criminal mischief.


Revision: March 11, 2020, 4:23 p.m.

HB 1468 - AS AMENDED BY THE HOUSE

 

11Mar2020... 0873h

2020 SESSION

20-2500

04/10

 

HOUSE BILL 1468

 

AN ACT relative to criminal mischief.

 

SPONSORS: Rep. Welch, Rock. 13; Rep. Shurtleff, Merr. 11; Rep. Wall, Straf. 6; Rep. Hinch, Hills. 21; Sen. Soucy, Dist 18; Sen. D'Allesandro, Dist 20; Sen. Morse, Dist 22

 

COMMITTEE: Criminal Justice and Public Safety

 

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ANALYSIS

 

This bill inserts a definition of public property into the criminal mischief statute.

 

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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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

11Mar2020... 0873h 20-2500

04/10

 

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

 

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty

 

AN ACT relative to criminal mischief.

 

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

 

1  Destruction of Property; Criminal Mischief.  Amend RSA 634:2, I to read as follows:

I.  A person is guilty of criminal mischief who, having no right to do so nor any reasonable basis for belief of having such a right, purposely or recklessly damages the property of another, or who causes permanent or temporary damage to public property including vandalism, defacement, destruction, covering, tampering with, or any other unauthorized alteration to public property.

2  New Paragraph; Destruction of Property; Criminal Mischief.  Amend RSA 634:2 by inserting after paragraph IV the following new paragraph:

IV-a.  As used in this section, "public property" means any property that is not privately owned, including state or municipal property, or statues, monuments, or natural geological formations, sites, or rock surfaces located on public property that have been designated by the state or one of its political subdivisions or the federal government as a natural area or landmark.

3  Destruction of Property; Criminal Mischief.  Amend RSA 634:2, VI to read as follows:

VI.  Any person who is found guilty of criminal mischief under paragraph III of this section because he or she has vandalized, defaced, [or] destroyed [any part of state or municipal property, or any natural geological formation, site, or rock surface located on public property that has been designated by the state or any of its political subdivisions or the federal government as a natural area or landmark], covered, tampered with, or made any other unauthorized alteration, whether permanent or temporary, on public property, shall be guilty of a [class A misdemeanor] violation and shall also make restitution for any damage he or she has caused.

4  Effective Date.  This act shall take effect January 1, 2021.