HB 331-FN - AS AMENDED BY THE HOUSE
24Feb2021... 0188h
2021 SESSION
21-0409
08/10
HOUSE BILL 331-FN
AN ACT relative to a forfeiture of personal property.
SPONSORS: Rep. Sylvia, Belk. 6; Rep. T. Lekas, Hills. 37; Rep. Bean, Belk. 2; Rep. Greene, Hills. 37; Rep. Aron, Sull. 7; Rep. Spillane, Rock. 2; Rep. A. Lekas, Hills. 37
COMMITTEE: Judiciary
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ANALYSIS
This bill limits the conditions under which seized property may be transfered to a federal agency.
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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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
24Feb2021... 0188h 21-0409
08/10
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty One
AN ACT relative to a forfeiture of personal property.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 New Section; Forfeiture of Personal Property. Amend RSA 617 by inserting after section 12 the following new section:
617:13 Limiting Adoptions by the Federal Government of Property Seized Under State Law.
I. A state or local law enforcement agency shall not offer for transfer or adoption property, seized under state law, to a federal agency for the purpose of forfeiture under the federal Controlled Substances Act, Public Law 91-513, unless the seized property includes more than $100,000 in United States currency.
II. Paragraph I shall only apply to a seizure by a state or local law enforcement agency pursuant to its own authority under state law and without involvement of the federal government in the seizure. Nothing in paragraph I shall be construed to limit state and local law enforcement agencies from participating in a joint task force with the federal government.
III. The state or local law enforcement agency shall not accept payment of any kind or distribution of forfeiture proceeds from the federal government if the state or local law enforcement agency violates paragraph I. All proceeds received shall be transferred and deposited to the state’s general fund.
2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect January 1, 2022.
21-0409
12/15/20
HB 331-FN- FISCAL NOTE
AS INTRODUCED
AN ACT relative to a forfeiture of personal property.
FISCAL IMPACT: [ X ] State [ ] County [ X ] Local [ ] None
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| Estimated Increase / (Decrease) | |||
STATE: | FY 2021 | FY 2022 | FY 2023 | FY 2024 |
Appropriation | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Revenue | $0 | Indeterminable | Indeterminable | Indeterminable |
Expenditures | $0 | Indeterminable | Indeterminable | Indeterminable |
Funding Source: | [ X ] General [ ] Education [ ] Highway [ ] Other | |||
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LOCAL: |
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Revenue | $0 | Indeterminable | Indeterminable | Indeterminable |
Expenditures | $0 | Indeterminable | Indeterminable | Indeterminable |
METHODOLOGY:
This bill limits the conditions under which seized property may be transferred to a federal agency. The Department of Justice indicates the bill prohibits state and local law enforcement agencies from entering into agreements with the federal government to allow the federal government to take custody of property valued at less than $100,000.00 for the purposes of forfeiting that property pursuant to federal law. In the context of drug-related crimes, the Attorney General’s Office handles all forfeiture proceedings. This bill would increase the number of forfeiture proceedings the Attorney General’s Office must handle because state and local law enforcement would no longer be able to work with the federal government to forfeit money or property. It is not clear how many additional forfeiture cases this bill would create. Therefore, this bill’s fiscal impact is indeterminable.
The New Hampshire Municipal Association states this legislation bars state, county, and municipal law enforcement agencies from entering into agreements with federal agencies to allow the federal government to engage in “adoptive forfeiture”; the process by which the federal government brings a forfeiture case without being involved in building the case except where $100,000 in U.S. currency is involved, and unless the seizure of the property took place under the auspices of an intergovernmental joint task force. The Association indicates the bill would, presumably, cut some portion of the incoming equitable share due to the restriction on how municipal law enforcement agency may turn over property to the federal government. The impact on county revenue and expenditures cannot be determined.
AGENCIES CONTACTED:
Departments of Justice, Administrative Services and New Hampshire Municipal Association
| Date | Body | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Jan. 26, 2021 | House | Hearing |
| House | Floor Vote | |
| April 6, 2021 | Senate | Hearing |
| April 29, 2021 | Senate | Floor Vote |
| Jan. 26, 2021 | House | Hearing |
| April 6, 2021 | Senate | Hearing |
| April 29, 2021 | Senate | Floor Vote |
April 29, 2021: Inexpedient to Legislate, RC 21Y-3N, MA === BILL KILLED ===; 04/29/2021; SJ 13
April 29, 2021: Inexpedient to Legislate, RC 21Y-3N, MA === BILL KILLED ===; 04/29/2021; SJ 13
April 29, 2021: Sen. Bradley Moved Reconsideration on ITL, RC 23Y-1N, MA; 04/29/2021; SJ 13
April 29, 2021: Sen. Bradley Moved Reconsideration on ITL, RC 23Y-1N, MA; 04/29/2021; SJ 13
April 29, 2021: Inexpedient to Legislate, RC 20Y-4N, MA === BILL KILLED ===; 04/29/2021; SJ 13
April 29, 2021: Inexpedient to Legislate, RC 20Y-4N, MA === BILL KILLED ===; 04/29/2021; SJ 13
April 21, 2021: Committee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate, 04/29/2021; SC 21
April 29, 2021: Committee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate, 04/29/2021; SC 21
April 1, 2021: Remote Hearing: 04/06/2021, 01:00 PM; Links to join the hearing can be found in the Senate Calendar; SC 18
April 6, 2021: Remote Hearing: 04/06/2021, 01:00 PM; Links to join the hearing can be found in the Senate Calendar; SC 18
March 4, 2021: Introduced 03/04/2021 and Referred to Judiciary; SJ 7
March 4, 2021: Introduced 03/04/2021 and Referred to Judiciary; SJ 7
Feb. 24, 2021: Ought to Pass with Amendment 2021-0188h: MA VV 02/24/2021 HJ 3 P. 12
Feb. 24, 2021: Ought to Pass with Amendment 2021-0188h: MA VV 02/24/2021 HJ 3 P. 12
Feb. 24, 2021: Amendment # 2021-0188h: AA VV 02/24/2021 HJ 3 P. 12
Feb. 24, 2021: Amendment # 2021-0188h: AA VV 02/24/2021 HJ 3 P. 12
Feb. 18, 2021: Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2021-0188h (Vote 18-2; RC) HC 12 P. 9
: Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2021-0188h (Vote 18-2; RC) HC 12 P. 9
Jan. 21, 2021: Public Hearing: 01/26/2021 10:30 am Members of the public may attend using the following link: To join the webinar: https://www.zoom.us/j/94597513398 / Executive session on pending legislation may be held throughout the day (time permitting) from the time the committee is initially convened.
Jan. 26, 2021: Public Hearing: 01/26/2021 10:30 am Members of the public may attend using the following link: To join the webinar: https://www.zoom.us/j/94597513398 / Executive session on pending legislation may be held throughout the day (time permitting) from the time the committee is initially convened.
Jan. 9, 2021: Introduced (in recess of) 01/06/2021 and referred to Judiciary HJ 2 P. 44
Jan. 6, 2021: Introduced (in recess of) 01/06/2021 and referred to Judiciary HJ 2 P. 44