Relative to providing victims of crime with a free police report of the investigation.
Summary
HB 218 amends New Hampshire’s crime victims’ rights law to require law enforcement agencies to promptly inform victims, after initial contact, that they may request copies of law-enforcement reports and related case documents. The bill specifically guarantees a victim the right to receive a free copy of the initial incident report. It also provides that, after an investigation or case concludes, victims may receive a free copy of the complete case file.
The bill preserves agency discretion over the release of documents during an active investigation. Under the amended language, law enforcement may decide what additional documents to release based on the status of the case, which limits the free-access right to the initial report and post-case file access rather than creating an unrestricted disclosure requirement.
Impact
The bill updates RSA 21-M:8-k, II(i), expanding the statutory list of information and rights that law enforcement must provide to crime victims. It creates a new entitlement to a free initial incident report and a free complete case file after the investigation or case ends, while leaving confidentiality and investigative-release decisions to the agency. The fiscal note indicates no new funding or positions are authorized, but it may create minor, indeterminable administrative costs for state, county, and local law enforcement agencies to copy, review, and redact records.
Sentiment
The available materials suggest generally favorable treatment of the bill, with no recorded votes or committee transcript opposition in the provided context. The bill advanced in amended form, and the fiscal note frames the expected costs as minor or de minimis rather than significant. Overall, the measure appears to have been viewed as a victim-services improvement with limited operational impact.
Contention
The main point of potential contention is the balance between victim access to records and law enforcement control over sensitive investigative materials. The bill requires free access to the initial report and later the complete case file, but it also preserves agency discretion to withhold or delay release of documents while a case is active. Another possible concern is administrative burden on municipalities and counties, since agencies may need staff time to review and redact reports, though the fiscal note says these costs are expected to be small.
Removing fees and charges for governmental records under the right-to-know law and reinstating potential liability for disclosure of information exempt from disclosure.