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RSA 644:4 · Harassment

Title
LXII: CRIMINAL CODE
Chapter
644 · BREACHES OF THE PEACE AND RELATED OFFENSES
Status
current
Official source linked
Yes
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644:4 Harassment. –

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I.

A person is guilty of a misdemeanor, and subject to prosecution in the jurisdiction where the communication originated or was received, if such person:

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(a)

Makes a telephone call, whether or not a conversation ensues, with no legitimate communicative purpose or without disclosing his or her identity and with a purpose to annoy, abuse, threaten, or alarm another; or

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(b)

Makes repeated communications at extremely inconvenient hours or in offensively coarse language with a purpose to annoy or alarm another; or

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(c)

Insults, taunts, or challenges another in a manner likely to provoke a violent or disorderly response; or

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(d)

Knowingly communicates any matter of a character tending to incite murder, assault, or arson; or

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(e)

With the purpose to annoy or alarm another, communicates any matter containing any threat to kidnap any person or to commit a violation of RSA 633:4; or a threat to the life or safety of another.

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(f)

[Repealed.]

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II.

As used in paragraph I, "communicates" means to impart a message by any method of transmission, including but not limited to telephoning or personally delivering or sending or having delivered any information or material by written or printed note or letter, package, mail, courier service or electronic transmission, including electronic transmissions generated or communicated via a computer. For purposes of this section, "computer" means a programmable, electronic device capable of accepting and processing data.

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III.

[Repealed.]

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IV.

A person shall be guilty of a class B felony if the person violates RSA 644:4, I(a) under circumstances involving making telephone calls to a telephone number that he or she knows is being used, at the time of the calls, to facilitate the transportation of voters to polling places or otherwise to support voting or registering to vote. Source. 1971, 518:1. 1994, 354:1. 1999, 141:1. 2005, 138:1. 2009, 320:1, eff. Aug. 7, 2009. 2016, 136:1, 2, I, II, eff. July 26, 2016.

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Source note

Source. 1971, 518:1. 1994, 354:1. 1999, 141:1. 2005, 138:1. 2009, 320:1, eff. Aug. 7, 2009. 2016, 136:1, 2, I, II, eff. July 26, 2016.

Source history

  • 1971, 518:1
  • 1994, 354:1
  • 1999, 141:1
  • 2005, 138:1
  • 2009, 320:1, eff. Aug. 7, 2009
  • 2016, 136:1, 2, I, II, eff. July 26, 2016

Related materials

Bill relationships

  • 2026 HB1013 amend

    wherein the object is to capture a pig. Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened: 1 New Section; Contests Involving Pigs. Amend RSA 644 by inserting after section 8-g the following new section: 644:8-h Contests Involving Pigs. In order to promote an educational, humane, and safe event for contestants, livestock, and viewers, and in consultation with l

  • 2026 HB1013-FN amend

    wherein the object is to capture a pig. Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened: 1 New Section; Contests Involving Pigs. Amend RSA 644 by inserting after section 8-g the following new section: 644:8-h Contests Involving Pigs. In order to promote an educational, humane, and safe event for contestants, livestock, and viewers, and in consultation with l

  • 2026 HB1154 amend · effective 2027-07-01

    t Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened: 1 New Paragraph; Criminal Code; Breaches of the Peace and Related Offenses; Harassment. Amend RSA 644:4 by inserting after paragraph IV the following new paragraphs: V. As used in paragraphs VI-VIII: (a) "Unsolicited advertisement" means any material advertising the commercial availability or quality of any proper

  • 2026 HB1154-FN amend · effective 2027-07-01

    t Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened: 1 New Paragraph; Criminal Code; Breaches of the Peace and Related Offenses; Harassment. Amend RSA 644:4 by inserting after paragraph IV the following new paragraphs: V. As used in paragraphs VI-VIII: (a) "Unsolicited advertisement" means any material advertising the commercial availability or quality of any proper

  • 2026 HB1464 amend · effective 2027-01-01

    , intimidate, or cause economic harm based on an individual's political affiliation or opinion shall be guilty of a class A misdemeanor. 5 New Subparagraph; Harassment. Amend RSA 644:4, I by inserting after subparagraph (f) the following new subparagraph: (g) With the purpose to harass, annoy, or alarm another based on the person's political affiliation or opinion as defined in RSA 21:56, engages

  • 2026 HB1464-FN amend · effective 2027-01-01

    , intimidate, or cause economic harm based on an individual's political affiliation or opinion shall be guilty of a class A misdemeanor. 5 New Subparagraph; Harassment. Amend RSA 644:4, I by inserting after subparagraph (f) the following new subparagraph: (g) With the purpose to harass, annoy, or alarm another based on the person's political affiliation or opinion as defined in RSA 21:56, engages

  • 2026 HB1522 reference

    gh RSA 633:3-a. (e) Destruction of property as defined in RSA 634:1 and RSA 634:2. (f) Unauthorized entry as defined in RSA 635:1 and RSA 635:2. (g) Harassment as defined in RSA 644:4. (h) Cruelty to animals as defined in RSA 644:8. (i) Nonconsensual dissemination of private sexual images as defined in RSA 644:9-a. 2 New Paragraph; Protection of Persons from Domestic Violence; Definitions. Amen

  • 2026 HB1522-FN reference

    gh RSA 633:3-a. (e) Destruction of property as defined in RSA 634:1 and RSA 634:2. (f) Unauthorized entry as defined in RSA 635:1 and RSA 635:2. (g) Harassment as defined in RSA 644:4. (h) Cruelty to animals as defined in RSA 644:8. (i) Nonconsensual dissemination of private sexual images as defined in RSA 644:9-a. 2 New Paragraph; Protection of Persons from Domestic Violence; Definitions. Amen

  • 2026 HB1740 reference · effective 2027-01-01

    rough 633:3-a); (e) Interference with custody (RSA 633:4); (f) Destruction of property (RSA 634:1 and 634:2); (g) Unauthorized entry (RSA 635:1 and 635:2); (h) Harassment (RSA 644:4); (i) Cruelty to animals (RSA 644:8). II. “Contact” means any action to communicate directly or indirectly with another person, including, but not limited to, electronic communication, leaving items, or causing a th

  • 2026 HB1740-FN reference · effective 2027-01-01

    rough 633:3-a); (e) Interference with custody (RSA 633:4); (f) Destruction of property (RSA 634:1 and 634:2); (g) Unauthorized entry (RSA 635:1 and 635:2); (h) Harassment (RSA 644:4); (i) Cruelty to animals (RSA 644:8). II. “Contact” means any action to communicate directly or indirectly with another person, including, but not limited to, electronic communication, leaving items, or causing a th

  • 2026 HB293 amend · effective 2026-01-01

    son who disables a filter may be subject to criminal prosecution under RSA 644:9-b. 3 New Section; Disabling an Electronic Device Filter for the Purpose of Allowing Access to Obscene Material by a Minor. Amend RSA 644 by inserting after section 9-a the following new section: 644:9-b Disabling an Electronic Device Filter for the Purpose of Allowing Access to Obscene Material by a Minor. I. The terms "device", "filter", "manu

  • 2026 HB293-FN amend · effective 2026-01-01

    subject to criminal prosecution under RSA 644:9-b. 3 New Section; Disabling an Electronic Device Filter for the Purpose of Allowing Access to Obscene Material by a Minor. Amend RSA 644 by inserting after section 9-a the following new section: 644:9-b Disabling an Electronic Device Filter for the Purpose of Allowing Access to Obscene Material by a Minor. I. The terms "device", "filter", "manufactur

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