New Hampshire House Bill HB762

New Hampshire 2025 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/23/25
• Refer: 1/23/25
• Report DNP: 3/5/25
• Report Pass: 3/5/25

Caption

Appropriating $30,000 to the judicial branch for the purpose of hiring a contractor to conduct a manual review of domestic violence and stalking cases and related criminal cases.

Summary

HB 762 appropriates $30,000 from the state general fund to the judicial branch for the biennium ending June 30, 2027, to hire an independent contractor to manually review domestic violence and stalking cases, along with related criminal cases. The contractor’s job is to compile and organize case data for statistical analysis to be used by the judicial branch, the Governor’s Commission on Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking, and other interested persons or organizations. The bill also creates a new independent contractor position within the judicial branch for this limited purpose. It specifies that the contractor may not gather, record, or compile any personal information that identifies any party, and it directs the judicial branch to use any available outside funding, such as grants or matching funds, before spending the appropriated state money. The act would take effect July 1, 2025.

Impact

HB 762 would amend state spending law by adding a $30,000 general fund appropriation to the judicial branch for a one-time data review project. It does not change criminal penalties or substantive domestic violence or stalking law, but it does create a new funded contractor role and authorizes the judicial branch to expend the money for case-review and statistical-analysis work. The bill’s practical effect would be to support data collection and analysis on domestic violence, stalking, and related criminal cases, while limiting the handling of personally identifying information.

Sentiment

Based on the bill text and available context, the measure appears to have a generally supportive and policy-oriented purpose, focused on improving data quality and informing domestic violence and stalking policy. The sponsors from both chambers suggest bipartisan interest, and the bill is framed as a modest appropriation for analytical work rather than a controversial policy change. No committee transcript or recorded vote information was provided, so there is no evidence in the available record of organized opposition or strong floor debate.

Contention

The main potential point of contention is the use of state general funds for a contractor position, especially given that the fiscal note says the timing of the expenditure is uncertain and the full appropriation may not be used. Another possible concern is whether a manual review is the most efficient use of limited resources, though the bill attempts to address cost concerns by requiring the judicial branch to use other available funding sources first. Privacy protections are also central to the bill, since it expressly prohibits collecting identifying personal information, which may have been intended to reduce concerns about confidentiality in sensitive domestic violence and stalking cases.