CHAPTER 79
HB 59-FN - FINAL VERSION
13Mar2025... 0590h
01/07/2026 3083s
23Apr2026... 1557EBA
2026 SESSION
25-0026
09/08
HOUSE BILL 59-FN
SPONSORS: Rep. D. Mannion, Rock. 25; Rep. S. Pearson, Rock. 13; Rep. Proulx, Hills. 15; Rep. Roy, Rock. 31; Rep. Seidel, Hills. 29; Sen. Abbas, Dist 22
COMMITTEE: Criminal Justice and Public Safety
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ANALYSIS
This bill establishes felony-level offenses for assaults on firefighters, emergency medical care providers, and law enforcement and for assaults specifically targeting law enforcement officers.
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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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
13Mar2025... 0590h
01/07/2026 3083s
23Apr2026... 1557EBA 25-0026
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:
79:1 New Subparagraph; Criminal Code; First Degree Assault; Elements of Offense. Amend RSA 631:1, I by inserting after subparagraph (d) the following new subparagraph:
(e) Knowingly causes serious bodily injury to a law enforcement officer, a paid firefighter, volunteer firefighter, on-call firefighter, or licensed emergency medical care provider as defined in RSA 153-A:2, V, acting in the line of duty; or commits such an act against a law enforcement officer whether or not the officer is on duty, where the purpose was to harm the officer because of his or her present or previous employment as a law enforcement officer.
79:2 New Subparagraph; Criminal Code; Second Degree Assault; Elements of Offense. Amend RSA 631:2, I by inserting after subparagraph (f) the following new subparagraph:
(g) Knowingly causes bodily injury to a law enforcement officer, a paid firefighter, volunteer firefighter, on-call firefighter, or licensed emergency medical care provider as defined in RSA 153-A:2, V, acting in the line of duty; or commits such an act against a law enforcement officer whether or not the officer is on duty, where the purpose was to harm the officer because of his or her present or previous employment as a law enforcement officer.
79:3 Extended Term of Imprisonment. Amend RSA 651:6, I(g) to read as follows:
(g) Has knowingly committed or attempted to commit any of the crimes defined in RSA 631, other than a violation of RSA 631:1, I(e) or RSA 631:2, I(g), where he or she knows the victim was, at the time of the commission of the crime, a law enforcement officer, a paid firefighter, volunteer firefighter, on-call firefighter, or licensed emergency medical care provider as defined in RSA 153-A:2, V acting in the line of duty;
79:4 First Degree Assault; Elements. Amend RSA 631:1, I(d) to read as follows:
(d) Knowingly or recklessly causes serious bodily injury to a person under 13 years of age[.]; or
79:5 Second Degree Assault; Elements. Amend RSA 631:2, I(f) to read as follows:
(f) Purposely or knowingly engages in the strangulation of another[.]; or
79:6 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage
Approved: May 22, 2026
Effective Date: July 21, 2026
| Date | Amendment |
|---|---|
| Feb. 27, 2025 | 2025-0590h |
| Oct. 28, 2025 | 2025-2961s |
| Nov. 6, 2025 | 2025-3083s |
| April 29, 2026 | 2026-1557EBA |
| Date | Body | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Jan. 31, 2025 | House | Hearing |
| Feb. 21, 2025 | House | Exec Session |
| Feb. 26, 2025 | House | Exec Session |
| House | Floor Vote | |
| April 3, 2025 | Senate | Hearing |
| Jan. 7, 2026 | Senate | Floor Vote |
May 28, 2026: Signed by Governor Ayotte 05/22/2026; Chapter 79; eff.07/21/2026
May 12, 2026: Enrolled (in recess of) 05/07/2026 HJ 12
May 11, 2026: Enrolled Adopted, VV, (In recess 05/07/2026); SJ 12
May 6, 2026: Enrolled Bill Amendment # 2026-1557e: AA VV (in recess of) 04/23/2026 HJ 11
April 30, 2026: Enrolled Bill Amendment # 2026-1557e Adopted, VV, (In recess of 04/23/2026); SJ 11
April 9, 2026: House Concurs with Senate Amendment 2026-3083s (Rep. Roy): MA DV 199-155 04/09/2026 HJ 10 P. 8
Jan. 7, 2026: Ought to Pass with Amendment #2025-3083s, MA, VV; OT3rdg; 01/07/2026; SJ 1
Jan. 9, 2026: Committee Amendment # 2025-3083s, AA, VV; 01/07/2026; SJ 1
Jan. 7, 2026: Ought to Pass with Amendment #2025-3083s, MA, VV; OT3rdg; 01/07/2026; SJ 1
Jan. 7, 2026: Committee Amendment # 2025-3083s, AA, VV; 01/07/2026; SJ 1
Nov. 3, 2025: Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2025-3083s, 01/07/2026, Vote 3-2; SC 46
May 1, 2025: Rereferred to Committee, MA, VV; 05/01/2025; SJ 11
April 23, 2025: Committee Report: Rereferred to Committee, 05/01/2025; Vote 5-0; CC; SC 19
March 27, 2025: Hearing: 04/03/2025, Room 100, SH, 01:45 pm; SC 15
March 19, 2025: Introduced 03/13/2025 and Referred to Judiciary; SJ 8
March 13, 2025: Ought to Pass with Amendment 2025-0590h: MA RC 196-179 03/13/2025 HJ 8 P. 20
March 13, 2025: Amendment # 2025-0590h: AA DV 190-172 03/13/2025 HJ 8 P. 20
March 3, 2025: Minority Committee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate
March 3, 2025: Majority Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2025-0590h (Vote 9-7; RC)
Feb. 20, 2025: ==CONTINUED== Executive Session: 02/26/2025 10:00 am LOB 202-204
Feb. 12, 2025: ==RECESSED== Executive Session: 02/21/2025 10:00 am LOB 202-204
Jan. 22, 2025: Public Hearing: 01/31/2025 10:00 am LOB 202-204
Dec. 23, 2024: Introduced 01/08/2025 and referred to Criminal Justice and Public Safety HJ 2 P. 4