CHAPTER 236
SB 145-FN - FINAL VERSION
03/06/2025 0397s
5Jun2025... 2301h
2025 SESSION
25-1120
11/09
SENATE BILL 145-FN
AN ACT establishing an evidence shipping pilot program.
SPONSORS: Sen. Altschiller, Dist 24
COMMITTEE: Judiciary
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AMENDED ANALYSIS
This bill enables the department of safety to develop an evidence shipping pilot program.
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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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
03/06/2025 0397s
5Jun2025... 2301h 25-1120
11/09
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Five
AN ACT establishing an evidence shipping pilot program.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
236:1 Findings and Purpose. The general court finds:
I. The state of New Hampshire has effectively worked to reduce the backlog of sexual assault evidence collection kits by ensuring that evidence is analyzed in a timely manner. The state has implemented a kit tracking system that allows the department of justice and the state forensic laboratory to monitor the location and chain of custody as that evidence moves through the system for analysis.
II. One in 4 women and one in 20 men experience sexual violence in New Hampshire, with nearly half of all reported sexual assaults occurring before the victim is 18. On average, 25 kits are collected in New Hampshire each month, which equates to 300 kits annually. It can take years before a sexual assault case is resolved through the criminal justice system.
III. Recognizing the critical work that has been done, the state can expand its efforts to further reduce the time it takes for sexual assault evidence to move from a law enforcement agency to the state forensic laboratory by establishing a mobile forensic evidence collection pilot program.
236:2 New Subdivision; Evidence Shipping Pilot Program. Amend RSA 21-P by inserting after section 70 the following new subdivision:
Evidence Shipping Pilot Program
21-P:71 Evidence Shipping Pilot Program.
I. The department of safety may develop an evidence shipping pilot program to alleviate long waiting periods for evidence to be safely delivered to the state forensic laboratory, where it can be properly stored pending analysis. A special emphasis shall be placed on supporting law enforcement in rural communities where resources are limited.
II. In this pilot program, all evidence collected by medical personnel in a sexual assault case occurring in the state of New Hampshire shall be transferred to the state forensic laboratory within 7 business days of collection. If a law enforcement agency cannot deliver the evidence in person to the state forensic laboratory, which shall be the preferred method of delivery, the agency may use a common carrier that provides readily accessible package tracking to send the evidence to the state forensic laboratory for delivery within 7 business days of collection. Law enforcement must have a good faith basis to believe that the common carrier will accomplish delivery in 7 business days prior to choosing the common carrier. When utilizing delivery by a common carrier, law enforcement shall deliver the packaged evidence in-hand to an agent of the carrier, and not by drop box or other drop off, and keep track of the package's routing and delivery by tracking number assigned by the carrier. III. The department of safety shall adopt rules under RSA 541-A for the design, administration, and reporting requirements of the program.
236:3 Effective Date. This act shall take effect July 1, 2025.
Approved: July 15, 2025
Effective Date: July 01, 2025
| Date | Amendment |
|---|---|
| Feb. 12, 2025 | 2025-0397s |
| May 28, 2025 | 2025-2301h |
| Date | Body | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Feb. 6, 2025 | Senate | Hearing |
| Feb. 11, 2025 | Senate | Hearing |
| Senate | Floor Vote | |
| March 20, 2025 | Senate | Floor Vote |
| April 11, 2025 | House | Hearing |
| April 23, 2025 | House | Exec Session |
| April 25, 2025 | House | Exec Session |
| April 23, 2025 | House | Floor Vote |
| May 28, 2025 | House | Exec Session |
| May 28, 2025 | House | Floor Vote |
July 22, 2025: Signed by the Governor on 07/15/2025; Chapter 0236; Effective 07/01/2025
July 8, 2025: Enrolled Adopted, VV, (In recess 06/26/2025); SJ 17
July 8, 2025: Enrolled (in recess of) 06/26/2025 HJ 18
June 12, 2025: Sen. Gannon Moved to Concur with the House Amendment, MA, VV; 06/12/2025; SJ 16
June 5, 2025: Ought to Pass with Amendment 2025-2301h: MA VV 06/05/2025 HJ 16 P. 26
June 5, 2025: Amendment # 2025-2301h (NT): AA VV 06/05/2025 HJ 16 P. 26
May 28, 2025: Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2025-2301h (NT) 05/28/2025 (Vote 25-0; CC) HC 27 P. 11
May 20, 2025: Executive Session: 05/28/2025 10:00 am LOB 210-211
May 19, 2025: Division II Work Session: 05/23/2025 10:00 am LOB 209
May 8, 2025: Referred to Finance 05/08/2025 HJ 14 P. 4
May 8, 2025: Ought to Pass: MA VV 05/08/2025 HJ 14 P. 4
April 30, 2025: Committee Report: Ought to Pass 04/23/2025 (Vote 16-0; CC) HC 23 P. 7
April 14, 2025: ==CANCELLED== Executive Session: 04/25/2025 10:00 am LOB 202-204
April 14, 2025: Executive Session: 04/23/2025 11:00 am LOB 202-204
April 1, 2025: Public Hearing: 04/11/2025 10:30 am LOB 202-204
March 28, 2025: Introduced (in recess of) 03/27/2025 and referred to Criminal Justice and Public Safety HJ 11 P. 111
March 20, 2025: Ought to Pass: MA, VV; OT3rdg; 03/20/2025; SJ 8
March 12, 2025: Committee Report: Ought to Pass, 03/20/2025; Vote 6-0; CC; SC 13
March 6, 2025: Ought to Pass with Amendment #2025-0397s, MA, VV; Refer to Finance Rule 4-5; 03/06/2025; SJ 6
March 6, 2025: Committee Amendment # 2025-0397s, AA, VV; 03/06/2025; SJ 6
Feb. 13, 2025: Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2025-0397s, 03/06/2025; Vote 4-0; CC; SC 11
Feb. 5, 2025: Hearing: 02/11/2025, Room 100, SH, 01:45 pm; SC 9
Jan. 29, 2025: Hearing: 02/06/2025, Room 100, SH, 01:45 pm; SC 8
Feb. 5, 2025: ==CANCELLED== Hearing: 02/06/2025, Room 100, SH, 01:45 pm; SC 8
Feb. 5, 2025: ==CANCELLED== Hearing: 02/06/2025, Room 100, SH, 01:45 pm; SC 8
Jan. 22, 2025: Introduced 01/09/2025 and Referred to Judiciary; SJ 3