Bill Text - HB1367 (2024)

Relative to establishing immunity for certain testimony in public legislative hearings.


Revision: Oct. 3, 2023, 4:20 p.m.

 

2024 SESSION

24-2324.0

09/05

 

HOUSE BILL [bill number]

 

AN ACT relative to establishing that testimony in a public legislative hearing shall not be used as grounds for criminal prosecution.

 

SPONSORS: [sponsors]

 

COMMITTEE: [committee]

 

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ANALYSIS

 

This bill authorizes the granting of immunity to witnesses that appear before the legislature.

 

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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

24-2324.0

09/05

 

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

 

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Four

 

AN ACT relative to establishing that testimony in a public legislative hearing shall not be used as grounds for criminal prosecution.

 

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

 

1 New Section; The State and Its Government; Legislative Officers and Proceedings; Witness Immunity.  Amend RSA 14 by inserting after section 14-c the following new section:

14:14-d  Witness Immunity.

When a witness provides testimony at any hearing before the general court or any committee thereof, the person presiding over the proceeding may communicate to the witness an order of immunity.  If an order of immunity is issued, the witness may not refuse to comply with the order on the basis of the witness' privilege against self-incrimination.  No testimony or other information compelled under the order, or any information directly or indirectly derived from such testimony or other information, may be used against the witness in any criminal case, except a prosecution for perjury, unsworn falsification, or otherwise failing to comply with the order.

2  Effective Date.  This act shall take effect January 1, 2025.