HB59: relative to the assault of a firefighter, emergency medical care provider, or law enforcement officer.

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

AN ACT relative to the assault of a firefighter, emergency medical care provider, or law enforcement officer.

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

─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────

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.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.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

AN ACT relative to the assault of a firefighter, emergency medical care provider, or law enforcement officer.

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