HB 1172 - AS INTRODUCED
2026 SESSION
26-2469
06/05
HOUSE BILL 1172
SPONSORS: Rep. Moffett, Merr. 4; Rep. Creighton, Hills. 30; Rep. Foss, Hills. 41; Rep. Mandelbaum, Rock. 21; Rep. Roy, Rock. 31; Rep. Seibert, Hills. 21; Sen. Birdsell, Dist 19; Sen. Lang, Dist 2; Sen. Pearl, Dist 17; Sen. Sullivan, Dist 18
COMMITTEE: State-Federal Relations and Veterans Affairs
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ANALYSIS
This bill expands the definition of sexual assault counselor under state law to include military and civilian sexual assault prevention and response personnel, thereby extending to them the confidentiality protections of the military rules of evidence.
This bill is a request of the department of military affairs and veteran services.
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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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
26-2469
06/05
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty-Six
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 Definitions; Confidential Communications Between Victims and Counselors. Amend RSA 173-C:1, V to read as follows:
V. "Sexual assault counselor" means:
(a) Any person who is employed or appointed or who volunteers in a rape crisis center who renders support, counseling, or assistance to victims of sexual assault or attempted sexual assault, who has satisfactorily completed 30 hours of training in a bona fide program which has been developed by a rape crisis center as defined in RSA 173-C:1, IV[.]; or
(b) Sexual assault prevention response (SAPR) military and civilian personnel, including, but not limited to, the principal sexual assault response coordinator, sexual assault response coordinators, and victim advocates, who render or have rendered support, or assistance to victims of sexual assault or attempted sexual assault, and are certified by the department of defense sexual assault advocate certification program or who were certified by the department of defense sexual assault advocate certification program at the time of the support or assistance.
| Date | Body | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Jan. 16, 2026 | House | Hearing |
| Jan. 16, 2026 | House | Exec Session |
| Jan. 16, 2026 | House | Floor Vote |
Feb. 5, 2026: Ought to Pass: MA VV 02/05/2026 HJ 3
Jan. 22, 2026: Committee Report: Ought to Pass 01/16/2026 (Vote 14-0; CC) HC 5 P. 17
Jan. 8, 2026: Executive Session: 01/16/2026 02:00 pm GP 228
Jan. 8, 2026: Public Hearing: 01/16/2026 10:00 am GP 228
Dec. 1, 2025: Introduced 01/07/2026 and referred to State-Federal Relations and Veterans Affairs