RSA 651-B:1 · Definitions

651-B:1 Definitions. – In this chapter:

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I.

"Department" means the department of safety.

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II.

"Division" means the division of state police, department of safety.

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III.

"Local law enforcement agency" means the chief of police in the city or town where the person resides or is temporarily domiciled, or, if the municipality has no police chief or if the person resides in an unincorporated place, the division.

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IV.

"Sexual offender" means a person who is required to register for any sexual offense.

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V.

"Sexual offense" means the following offenses, including an accomplice to, or an attempt, conspiracy, or solicitation to commit, any of the following offenses, where the victim was 18 years of age or older at the time of the offense:

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(a)

Capital murder, RSA 630:1, I(e); first degree murder, RSA 630:1-a, I(b)(1); aggravated felonious sexual assault, RSA 632-A:2; felonious sexual assault, 632-A:3; sexual assault, 632-A:4, I(a) or RSA 632-A:4, III; violation of privacy, RSA 644:9, I(a) or RSA 644:9, III-a; or a second or subsequent offense within a 5-year period for indecent exposure and lewdness, RSA 645:1, I.

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(b)

A law of another state, country, territory, tribal territory, or the federal government reasonably equivalent to a violation listed in subparagraph (a). For purposes of this section, the term "country" refers to Canada, Great Britain, Australia, and New Zealand, as well as any other country that the United States State Department has determined has an independent judiciary that generally enforces the right to a fair trial.

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(c)

Any offense for which the offender is required to register pursuant to the law in the jurisdiction where the conviction occurred.

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(d)

Any other criminal offense which is not specifically listed in subparagraph (a) if the court finds by clear and convincing evidence at the time of conviction or sentencing that the person committed the offense as a result of sexual compulsion or for purposes of sexual gratification and protection of the public would be furthered by requiring the person to register. In determining whether the offender should be required to register, the court may consider the offender's prior criminal history and any other relevant information. If the court determines that the offender should be required to register, the court shall determine whether the offender should be required to register pursuant to the requirements of a tier I, tier II, or tier III offender. In determining in which tier the offender should register, the court shall consider the nature of other offenses that are currently listed in each tier; the extent to which public safety would be furthered; whether the victim was a minor when the offense occurred; and any other relevant factors. The hearing at which such a determination is made shall comply with due process requirements, including a right to appeal the finding. The court shall provide the defendant an opportunity to be heard on the issue prior to the imposition of the registration requirement and shall state on the record the reasons for its findings and the reasons for requiring registration.

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VI.

"Offender against children" means a person who is required to register for an offense against a child.

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VII.

"Offense against a child" means the following offenses, including an accomplice to, or an attempt, conspiracy, or solicitation to commit, any of the following offenses:

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(a)

Any of the following offenses, where the victim was under the age of 18 at the time of the offense: capital murder, RSA 630:1, I(e); first degree murder, RSA 630:1-a, 1(b)(1); aggravated felonious sexual assault, RSA 632-A:2; felonious sexual assault, RSA 632-A:3; sexual assault, RSA 632-A:4, I(a) or RSA 632-A:4, III; kidnapping, RSA 633:1; criminal restraint, RSA 633:2; false imprisonment, RSA 633:3; incest, RSA 639:2; violation of privacy, RSA 644:9, I(a) or RSA 644:9, III-a; a second or subsequent offense within a 5-year period for indecent exposure and lewdness, RSA 645:1, I; indecent exposure and lewdness, RSA 645:1, II and RSA 645:1, III; or prostitution, RSA 645:2.

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(b)

Intentional contribution to the delinquency of a minor, RSA 169-B:41, II; sexual assault, RSA 632-A:4, I(b) if the actor was 18 years of age or older at the time of the offense; endangering the welfare of a child, RSA 639:3, III; possession of child sexual abuse images, RSA 649-A:3; distribution of child sexual abuse images, RSA 649-A:3-a; manufacture of child sexual abuse images, RSA 649-A:3-b; creation of a child intimate visual representation, RSA 649-A:3-c; computer pornography, RSA 649-B:3; certain uses of computer services prohibited, RSA 649-B:4; or obscene matters, RSA 650:2, II.

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(c)

A law of another state, country, territory, tribal territory, or the federal government reasonably equivalent to a violation listed in subparagraph (a) or (b). For purposes of this section, the term "country" refers to Canada, Great Britain, Australia, and New Zealand, as well as any other country that the United States State Department has determined has an independent judiciary that generally enforces the right to a fair trial.

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(d)

Any offense involving a victim under the age of 18 for which the offender is required to register pursuant to the law in the jurisdiction where the conviction occurred.

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(e)

Any other criminal offense which is not specifically listed in subparagraph (a) if the court finds by clear and convincing evidence at the time of conviction or sentencing that the person committed the offense as a result of sexual compulsion or for purposes of sexual gratification and protection of the public would be furthered by requiring the person to register. In determining whether the offender is required to register, the court may consider the offender's prior criminal history and any other relevant information. If the court determines that the offender is required to register, the court shall determine if the offender shall register as a tier I, tier II, or tier III offender. In determining the tier in which the offender is to be registered, the court shall consider the nature of other offenses that are currently listed in each tier, the extent to which public safety would be furthered, whether the victim was a minor when the offense occurred, and any other relevant factors. The hearing at which such a determination is made shall comply with due process requirements, including a right to appeal the findings. The defendant shall have the opportunity to be heard prior to the imposition of the registration requirement, and the court shall state on the record the reasons for its findings and the reasons for requiring registration.

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VIII.

"Tier I offender" means a sexual offender or offender against children who is required to register pursuant to RSA 651-B:1, V(d) or RSA 651-B:1, VII(e), or is required to register as a result of any of the following offenses:

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(a)

RSA 632-A:4, I(a); RSA 632-A:4, I(b); RSA 632-A:4, III; RSA 644:9, I(a); RSA 644:9, III-a; or a second or subsequent offense within a 5-year period for indecent exposure and lewdness, RSA 645:1, I.

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(b)

A law of another state, territory, tribal territory, or the federal government reasonably equivalent to a violation listed in subparagraph (a).

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(c)

Any out-of-state offense for which the offender is required to register in the state where the conviction occurred and the division determines the offender is a tier I offender.

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(d)

Any offense not listed in subparagraph (a) where the court determined the offender is a tier I offender and required the offender to register.

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IX.

"Tier II offender" means a sexual offender or offender against children who is required to register pursuant to RSA 651-B:1, V(d) or RSA 651-B:1, VII(e), or is required to register as a result of any of the following offenses:

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(a)

RSA 169-B:41, II; RSA 632-A:3, I; RSA 632-A:3, II; RSA 632-A:3, IV if the victim was 13 years of age or older but less than 18 years of age; RSA 633:2; RSA 633:3; RSA 633:7; RSA 639:3, III; RSA 645:1, II; RSA 645:1, III; RSA 645:2; RSA 649-A:3; RSA 649-A:3-a; RSA 649-A:3-b; RSA 649-A:3-c; RSA 649-B:3; RSA 649-B:4; RSA 650:2, II; or RSA 644:8-g.

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(b)

A law of another state, territory, tribal territory, or the federal government reasonably equivalent to a violation listed in subparagraph (a).

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(c)

Any out-of-state offense for which the offender is required to register in the state where the conviction occurred and the division determines the offender is a tier II offender.

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(d)

The offender is required to register as a result of more than one sexual offense or offense against a child.

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(e)

Any offense not listed in subparagraph (a) where the court determined the offender is a tier II offender and required the offender to register.

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X.

"Tier III offender" means a sexual offender or offender against children who is required to register pursuant to RSA 651-B:1, V(d) or RSA 651-B:I, VII(e), or is required to register as a result of any of the following:

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(a)

RSA 630:1, I(e), RSA 630:1-a, I(b)(1), RSA 632-A:2, RSA 632-A:3, III, RSA 632-A:3, IV if the victim was under the age of 13, RSA 633:1; or RSA 639:2.

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(b)

Any sexual offense or offense against a child if the offender was sentenced to an extended term of imprisonment pursuant to RSA 651:6.

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(c)

Any person civilly committed as a sexually violent predator pursuant to RSA 135-E.

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(d)

A law of another state, territory, tribal territory, or the federal government reasonably equivalent to a violation listed in subparagraph (a).

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(e)

Any out-of-state offense for which the offender is required to register in the state where the conviction occurred, and the division determines the offender is a tier III offender.

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(f)

The offender is required to register as a result of more than 2 sexual offenses or offenses against a child.

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(g)

Any offense not listed in subparagraph (a) where the court determined the offender is a tier III offender and required the offender to register.

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XI.

(a) "Required to register" means that a sexual offender or offender against children was charged with an offense or an attempt, conspiracy, solicitation, or as an accomplice to commit a sexual offense or offense against a child that resulted in one of the following outcomes:

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(1)

Conviction.

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(2)

A finding of not guilty by reason of insanity.

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(3)

An adjudication as a juvenile delinquent and the court at the time of the dispositional hearing finds, pursuant to RSA 169-B:19, that the juvenile is required to register.

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(4)

An adjudication of juvenile delinquency or its equivalent in another state or territory of the United States if the juvenile is required to register under the laws of that jurisdiction.

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(5)

An order committing the person as a sexually violent predator pursuant to RSA 135-E.

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(b)

A juvenile certified to stand trial as an adult, who is convicted, found not guilty by reason of insanity, or committed as a sexually violent predator, shall be treated as an adult for all purposes under this chapter.

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XII.

"SOR system" means the division of state police sex offender registry system.

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XIII.

Notwithstanding RSA 21:6-a, "residence" means a place where a person is living or temporarily staying for more than a total of 5 days during a one-month period, such as a shelter or structure that can be located by a street address, including, but not limited to, houses, apartment buildings, motels, hotels, homeless shelters, and recreational and other vehicles. Source. 1996, 293:1. 1999, 177:3; 321:2. 2003, 316:8. 2004, 69:1. 2005, 214:1-3; 290:2. 2006, 162:4; 327:1-4. 2008, 323:9; 334:1. 2009, 306:1-4. 2010, 78:1-6, eff. Jan. 1, 2011. 2016, 215:2, eff. Jan. 1, 2017; 321:2, eff. Jan. 1, 2017 at 12:01 a.m. 2025, 259:2, 3, eff. Jan. 1, 2026.

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