HB 1675 - AS INTRODUCED
2026 SESSION
26-3062
09/08
HOUSE BILL 1675
SPONSORS: Rep. Read, Rock. 10; Rep. Wheeler, Hills. 33; Rep. D. Kelley, Hills. 32; Rep. Sabourin dit Choiniere, Rock. 30; Rep. DeRoy, Straf. 3; Rep. Flanagan, Hills. 45
COMMITTEE: Executive Departments and Administration
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ANALYSIS
This bill establishes a commission to investigate the New Hampshire Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence, subjects the coalition to annual audits, requiring funding only be provided to the coalition for services materially benefitting survivors of sexual and domestic assault, and removes the coalition's membership on any state 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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
26-3062
09/08
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 New Subdivision; Commission to Investigate the New Hampshire Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence. Amend RSA 21-M by inserting after section 19 the following new subdivision:
Commission to Investigate the New Hampshire Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence
21-M:20 Commission to Investigate the New Hampshire Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence.
I. There is established a commission to investigate the New Hampshire Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence.
II. The members of the commission shall be as follows:
(a) Six members of the house of representatives, appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives.
(b) One member of the senate, appointed by the president of the senate.
III. Members of the commission shall receive mileage at the legislative rate when attending to the duties of the commission.
IV. The commission's study shall include, but not be limited to, investigation of the following concerning the New Hampshire Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence:
(a) Whether discrepancies between IRS 990 forms and observed or reported actions taken by coalition or its employees, including but not limited to lobbying or electioneering activities, constitute violations of state or federal law, violations of the terms of federal grant or state fund recipients, or violations of IRS 501(c)(3) nonpartisan charitable nonprofit tax status, and whether there was intent to circumvent such laws and terms.
(b) Whether lobbying efforts undertaken in 2017-2018 in support of “Marsy’s Law” legislation, by individuals in the employ of the coalition, while using coalition titles, auspices, and resources, and the discrepancies in required reporting payment for said lobbying efforts, constituted violations of state or federal law including RSA 15-A, violations of the terms of federal grant or state fund recipients, or violations of IRS 501(c)(3) nonpartisan charitable nonprofit tax status, and whether there was intent to circumvent such laws and terms.
(c) Whether undue influence over the attorney general's officials or Concord city officials was used to circumvent lobbying restrictions in 2017-2018 regarding “Marsy’s Law” legislation.
(d) Whether “fraud and abuse” of federal grant funds including but not limited to the Violence Against Women Act, Victims of Crime Act, Prison Rape Elimination Act, and other grants have arisen, as indicated by federal audit, due to improper actions of the coalition or its employees.
(e) Whether the coalition has engaged in unlawful discrimination against male victims of sexual and domestic violence, or unlawful discrimination benefiting female perpetrators of sexual and domestic violence.
(f) Whether the coalition has operated with conflicts of interest with respect to its role in the Youth Detention Center (YDC) cases between its ties with the attorney general's office and its representation of victims, with respect to legal staff potentially violating the American Bar Association's code of ethical conduct rule 1.11, and with respect to its role as a private nonprofit regarding work with governmental agencies such as the attorney general, prosecutors, law enforcement agencies, division of children, youth and families, and the YDC.
(g) If improper influence was used to persuade courts to approve restriction of public access to court proceedings and ensuing violations of the terms of restricted access by the media outlets granted access.
(h) Whether the coalition or its employees have improperly violated confidentiality of victims or grand jury investigations.
(i) Whether improper “kickback schemes” were used by the coalition or its employees in cases including but not limited to litigation against St. Paul's School, Dartmouth College, and Philips Exeter Academy, where the coalition or employees used undue influence to receive improper monetary awards and contracts from the settlements in those cases.
(j) Whether the coalition or its employees violated their stated nonprofit mission and the intent of state and federal funds awarded to it in good faith, by lobbying for policy positions counter to their mission and instead in favor of policy positions that benefited the organization or its employees at the expense of survivors of domestic and sexual assault or the constitutional rights of defendants.
V. The members of the commission shall elect a chairperson from among the members. The first meeting of the commission shall be called by the first-named house member. The first meeting of the commission shall be held within 45 days of the effective date of this section. Four members of the commission shall constitute a quorum.
VI. For the purposes of making such an investigation, the commission is authorized to compel by subpoena the attendance and giving of testimony by any person, and the commission is further authorized to compel the production of such things as it deems necessary. Such testimony may be taken under oath, either in the form of interrogatory, deposition, or by oral testimony at a hearing.
VII. The commission shall report its findings and any recommendations to the speaker of the house of representatives, the president of the senate, the house clerk, the senate clerk, the governor, and the state library on or before November 1, 2027. The commission shall include in its recommendations whether it believes that any of the statutory positions eliminated by this act should be reinstated and also whether the commission believes that the state should appoint an independent special prosecutor or investigator to pursue criminal charges or damages against the coalition or any individuals employed by the coalition.
21-M:21 Audit of the Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence.
During any fiscal year in which the Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence has received any state funding or grants, the coalition shall submit to an annual audit by the office of the legislative budget assistant to ensure compliance with the terms of the awarding of such public monies.
2 Directive; Executive Council. The executive council shall only approve funding or grants that provide funds to the New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence that materially benefit survivors of sexual and domestic assault, such as for shelter, food, or medicine.
3 Task Force on Sexual Misconduct. Amend RSA 188-H:5, I(h) to read as follows:
(h) The following members, who shall be appointed by the governor, one of whom shall be a student attending a public institution of higher education in this state; one of whom shall be a student attending a private institution of higher education in this state; one of whom shall be a student attending an institution in the community college system of New Hampshire; one of whom shall be a representative of the university of New Hampshire recommended by the president of the university; [3 of whom shall be representatives recommended by the New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence;] one of whom shall be a representative recommended by the New Hampshire Campus Consortium Against Sexual and Interpersonal Violence; one of whom shall be a researcher with experience in the development and design of sexual misconduct climate surveys; one of whom shall be a researcher of statistics, data analytics, or econometrics with experience in higher education survey analysis; one of whom shall be a representative of the Prevention Innovations Research Center at the University of New Hampshire; and one of whom shall represent Every Voice New Hampshire.
4 Repeal. The following are repealed:
I. RSA 4-H:2, I(q), relative to coalition membership on the state council on housing stability.
II. RSA 21-M:16-a, III(j), relative to coalition membership on the domestic violence fatality review committee.
III. RSA 21-V:10, I(l), relative to coalition membership on the oversight commission on children's services.
IV. RSA 126-M:3, I(k), relative to coalition membership on the wellness and primary prevention council.
V. RSA 132:41, III(bb), relative to coalition membership on the child fatality review committee.
VI. RSA 633:12, I(i), relative to coalition membership on the commission to study human trafficking within illicit massage businesses.
VII. RSA 651-E:2, I(y), relative to coalition membership on the interbranch criminal and juvenile justice council.
I. Sections 2-4 of this act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.
II. The remainder of this act shall take effect upon its passage.
Dec. 12, 2025: Introduced 01/07/2026 and referred to Executive Departments and Administration HJ 1