HB 1085 - AS INTRODUCED
2026 SESSION
26-2578
09/05
HOUSE BILL 1085
AN ACT relative to the authority of police commissions.
SPONSORS: Rep. Guzofski, Rock. 1; Rep. D. Murphy, Ches. 11; Rep. Tudor, Rock. 1
COMMITTEE: Municipal and County Government
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ANALYSIS
This bill redefines and limits the authority of police commissions.
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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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
26-2578
09/05
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty-Six
AN ACT relative to the authority of police commissions.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 Police Commissions; Duties; Powers. RSA 105-C:4 is repealed and reenacted to read as follows:
105-C:4 Duties; Powers. For the purpose of this section, the police commission shall not be deemed a governing body under RSA 32. The duties and powers of the police commission shall be limited to the following powers exclusively.
I. It shall be the duty of the police commissioners to appoint such police personnel, including police officers, staff, constables, and superior officers, as they deem necessary and to establish pay scales, step systems, or rate schedules as necessary to fix compensation of such police personnel.
II. The commissioners shall make and enforce all rules necessary for the operation of the police force in the manner most beneficial to the public interest.
III. The commissioners may at any time remove police personnel for just cause and after a hearing satisfying the requirements of due process, which cause shall be specified in an order of removal except that special police officers appointed and designated as such shall serve at the pleasure of the commission and may be removed for other than just cause.
IV. No police commission shall authorize the expenditure of unused or unencumbered funds in the police department budget for the purpose of granting salary increases or other compensation in excess of the step raises based upon years of service and position rank as established by the police commissioners. Funds appropriated in the police department budget for vacant positions may be expended only to support those positions once filled. Any unexpended funds for such vacant positions shall not be used to fund other personnel or purposes. Any unused or unencumbered funds in the police department budget shall lapse to the unreserved fund balance at the close of the fiscal year.
2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.
Dec. 1, 2025: Introduced 01/07/2026 and referred to Municipal and County Government