Revision: Jan. 16, 2025, 12:09 p.m.
HB 640-FN - AS INTRODUCED
2025 SESSION
25-0691
05/08
HOUSE BILL 640-FN
AN ACT relative to the transparency of federal agency operations within New Hampshire.
SPONSORS: Rep. Ammon, Hills. 42; Rep. Layon, Rock. 13; Rep. Drew, Hills. 19; Rep. Sabourin, Rock. 30; Rep. Sirois, Hills. 32; Rep. Tom Mannion, Hills. 1; Rep. Corcoran, Hills. 28; Rep. Kofalt, Hills. 32
COMMITTEE: Criminal Justice and Public Safety
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ANALYSIS
This bill directs the attorney general to collect and publish certain information regarding federal agency operations within the state.
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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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
25-0691
05/08
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Five
AN ACT relative to the transparency of federal agency operations within New Hampshire.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 New Subdivision; Attorney General; Federal Agency Report. Amend RSA 7 by inserting after section 48 the following new subdivision:
Federal Agency Reports
7:49 Federal Agency Notification and Reporting.
I. The attorney general shall formally request that federal government agencies with law enforcement, investigatory, or operational activities in New Hampshire voluntarily provide the following aggregated, anonymized data quarterly:
(a) Total number of agency facilities in the state.
(b) Total number of permanent staff positions in New Hampshire, noting any quarterly changes.
(c) Total number of temporary staff assigned to New Hampshire, noting any quarterly changes.
(d) Total number of completed surveillance operations in the state during the previous quarter.
(e) Total number of completed investigations involving New Hampshire residents during the previous quarter.
(f) Total number of federal warrants executed in New Hampshire during the previous quarter.
(g) Total number of no-knock warrants executed in New Hampshire during the previous quarter.
(h) Total number of arrests by federal agencies involving New Hampshire residents during the previous quarter.
(i) Total number of federal refugee relocations in New Hampshire during the previous quarter.
(j) Total number of federal deportations from New Hampshire during the previous quarter.
II. Privacy and data protection.
(a) The data collected under this section shall only be published in aggregated, anonymized form. No personal information or specific location data shall be collected or disclosed.
(b) Only data pertaining to completed operations shall be requested and published to ensure no interference with ongoing activities.
III. The attorney general shall maintain a public website displaying a searchable database of the metrics listed in paragraph I. The website shall also indicate:
(a) Agencies that voluntarily provided data.
(b) Agencies that did not provide data.
(c) Agencies not present or operational in New Hampshire.
IV. To increase transparency, the attorney general shall compile and publish a quarterly summary showing which federal agencies cooperated with the data request and which did not. This information shall also be shared with New Hampshire’s congressional delegation to encourage federal action on transparency.
V. The attorney general shall submit an annual report to the state-federal relations and veterans affairs committee detailing:
(a) Federal agency participation rates.
(b) The effectiveness of the transparency initiative.
(c) Recommendations for improving the act or addressing challenges.
2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect January 1, 2026.
25-0691
1/6/25
HB 640-FN- FISCAL NOTE
AS INTRODUCED
AN ACT relative to the transparency of federal agency operations within New Hampshire.
FISCAL IMPACT: This bill does not provide funding, nor does it authorize new positions.
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Estimated State Impact | ||||||
| FY 2025 | FY 2026 | FY 2027 | FY 2028 | ||
Revenue | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | ||
Revenue Fund(s) | None | |||||
Expenditures* | $0 | $230,750 | $232,750 | $240,000 | ||
Funding Source(s) | General Fund | |||||
Appropriations* | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | ||
Funding Source(s) | None | |||||
*Expenditure = Cost of bill *Appropriation = Authorized funding to cover cost of bill | ||||||
METHODOLOGY:
This bill requires the New Hampshire Attorney General to request data from federal law enforcement agencies operating within the state and publish aggregated information on a publicly accessible, searchable website. Additionally, the Attorney General must issue quarterly summaries identifying federal agency compliance and notify the state's congressional delegation of non-compliance. An annual report to the State-Federal Relations and Veterans Affairs Committee is also required, detailing participation rates, program effectiveness, and recommendations for improvement.
The Department of Justice states this bill establishes new data collection, reporting, and publication responsibilities that cannot be managed with current staffing levels. To fulfill these duties, the Department of Justice anticipates the need for one investigative paralegal, one legal assistant, and one part-time attorney. The estimated fiscal impact is $230,750 in FY 2026, $232,750 in FY 2027, and $240,000 in FY 2028 to cover salaries, benefits, and operational costs associated with these positions and the ongoing maintenance of the searchable website.
Estimated Start Date July 1, 2025 | FY 2026 | FY 2027 | FY 2028 |
Investigative Paralegal Soc 23 - Band 05 Step 1 | $90,000 | $91,000 | $94,000 |
Legal Assistant Soc 21 - Band 04 Step 1 | $83,000 | $84,000 | $86,000 |
Attorney IV - Part Time Soc 21 - Band 08 Step 1 | $57,750 | $57,750 | $60,000 |
Total | $230,750 | $232,750 | $240,000 |
Though this bill is effective January 1, 2026, the Department assumes a start date for the new positions of July 1, 2025 to get staff trained and operational in time for the new requirements.
Department of Justice