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HB 369 · 2025 · House · Judiciary Committee

Misdemeanor sexual assault trial procedures

AI-generated

(New Title) relative to misdemeanor sexual assault prosecutions and relative to the duty to report for sexual offenders and offenders against children.

Requires defendants charged with misdemeanor sexual assault of a minor to elect between a jury-waived circuit court trial or an appeal to superior court, and clarifies sexual offenders' duty to report to local law enforcement.AI-generated

Status

Signed into law · July 22, 2025
  1. ✓Introduced
  2. ✓House
  3. ✓Senate
  4. ✓Governor
  5. ✓Law

Analysis

This bill: I. Requires a defendant charged with a misdemeanor sexual assault of a minor under the age of 18 to elect whether to proceed in circuit court and waive his or her right to a jury trial or to immediately appeal to superior court for a jury trial. II. Clarifies a sexual offender or offender against children's duty to report to local law enforcement.

From the bill's official ANALYSIS section.

In the bill's words

Quoted verbatim from the bill as enacted. Passages chosen from the operative text.Computed by this site

“Except as provided in RSA 632-A:9-a, a person convicted by a circuit court of a class A misdemeanor, at the time the sentence is declared, may appeal therefrom to obtain a de novo jury trial in the superior court, which shall hear the appeal.”
RSA 599:1
“In any prosecution for a violation of RSA 632-A:4 involving a victim less than 18 years of age at the time the prosecution is commenced, and which is brought in the circuit court, the defendant may elect to either:”
RSA 632-A:9-a
“The appeal shall be entered by the defendant at the next return day unless for good cause shown the time is extended by the superior court.”
RSA 599:1
“If, after a jury trial in the superior court, the defendant is found guilty, the superior court shall sentence the defendant, and the defendant may appeal questions of law arising therefrom to the supreme court.”
RSA 599:1

Official record

Bill page — docket & status

gc.nh.gov · the authoritative source

Sponsors

Rep. Kelley PotenzaRPrime
  • Rep. Marie Louise BjelobrkRClerk· Municipal and County Government
  • Rep. Katelyn KuttabRClerk· Judiciary
  • Rep. Bob LynnRChair· Judiciary
  • Rep. Claudine BurnhamRDeputy Majority Whip
  • Sen. Denise RicciardiRDeputy Majority Leader
  • Sen. Victoria SullivanRVice Chair· Education

Also: Rep. Matt Sabourin dit ChoinièreR

Public testimony

8 signed in online · 4 wrote testimony

25% support38% oppose38% neutral

In their wordsVerbatim, exactly as submitted

“Please do not pass this bill. People are not animals to be “put down” when they are no longer healthy or well. Life is a gift from God, and the time and place of death is in His hands.…”
— Maryanne McAden, ROLLINSFORDopposes

Verbatim excerpts of submitted testimony, quoted from the testimony tool.

Read the testimony · as of Aug 12, 2026

Votes

yeanay
Starting text: Bill as introduced

Hearings and debates

  • Jan 29, 2025Public hearingHouse Judiciary1:44:20–1:48:474m 27slocated in the stream transcriptPublic Hearing; Executive Session
  • Feb 13, 2025Floor debateHouse floor4:12:59–4:14:071m 8slocated in the stream transcriptOught to Pass with Amendment 2025-0167h — adopted, voice vote; Amendment # 2025-0167h — adopted, voice vote; Referred to Criminal Justice and Public Safety
  • Mar 19, 2025Public hearingHouse Criminal Justice and Public Safety11:01–18:037m 2slocated in the stream transcriptCommittee Report: Ought to Pass; Executive Session
  • Mar 26, 2025Floor debateHouse floorWatchnot located in the transcript — opens the full streamOught to Pass — adopted, voice vote
  • Apr 17, 2025Public hearingSenate Judiciary25:17–26:241m 7slocated in the stream transcriptHearing
  • May 13, 2025Public hearingSenate Judiciary1:40:06–1:44:464m 40slocated in the stream transcriptHearing
  • May 22, 2025Floor debateSenate floorWatchnot located in the transcript — opens the full streamCommittee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2025-2168s; Ought to Pass with Amendment #2025-2168s — adopted, voice vote; Committee Amendment # 2025-2168s — adopted, voice vote
  • Jun 12, 2025Floor debateHouse floor2:01:27–2:02:351m 8slocated in the stream transcriptHouse Concurs with Senate Amendment 2025-2168s (Rep. Lynn) — adopted, voice vote
  • Jun 26, 2025Floor debateSenate floorWatchnot located in the transcript — opens the full streamEnrolled Adopted — voice vote

Timestamps locate where this bill is taken up in the chamber's YouTube stream.

Legislative history

  1. Jan 8, 2025HouseIntroduced 01/08/2025 and referred to Judiciary HJ 2 P. 17
  2. Jan 29, 2025HousePublic Hearing: 01/29/2025 11:00 am LOB 206-208
  3. Jan 29, 2025HouseExecutive Session: 01/29/2025 11:00 am LOB 206-208
  4. Feb 3, 2025House: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2025-0167h 02/03/2025 (Vote 11-1; RC) HC 11 P. 15
  5. Feb 13, 2025HouseAmendment # 2025-0167h: AA VV 02/13/2025 HJ 5 P. 38
  6. Feb 13, 2025HouseOught to Pass with Amendment 2025-0167h: MA VV 02/13/2025 HJ 5 P. 38
  7. Feb 13, 2025HouseReferred to Criminal Justice and Public Safety 02/13/2025 HJ 5 P. 39
  8. Mar 14, 2025House==CANCELLED== Executive Session: 03/14/2025 10:00 am LOB 202-204
  9. Mar 19, 2025HouseExecutive Session: 03/19/2025 10:00 am LOB 202-204
  10. Mar 19, 2025House: Ought to Pass 03/19/2025 (Vote 14-1; CC) HC 17 P. 9
  11. Mar 26, 2025HouseOught to Pass: MA VV 03/26/2025 HJ 10 P. 11
  12. Mar 27, 2025SenIntroduced 03/27/2025 and Referred to Judiciary; SJ 10
  13. Apr 17, 2025SenHearing: 04/17/2025, Room 100, SH, 01:10 pm; SC 17
  14. May 13, 2025SenHearing: 05/13/2025, Room 100, SH, 02:30 pm, on proposed amendment #2025-1875s; SC 21
  15. May 22, 2025Sen: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2025-2168s, 05/22/2025; Vote 3-0; CC; SC 22
  16. May 22, 2025SenCommittee Amendment # 2025-2168s, AA, VV; 05/22/2025; SJ 14
  17. May 22, 2025SenOught to Pass with Amendment #2025-2168s, MA, VV; OT3rdg; 05/22/2025; SJ 14
  18. Jun 12, 2025HouseHouse Concurs with Senate Amendment 2025-2168s (Rep. Lynn): MA VV 06/12/2025 HJ 17 P. 14
  19. Jun 26, 2025SenEnrolled Adopted, VV, (In recess 06/26/2025); SJ 18
  20. Jun 26, 2025HouseEnrolled (in recess of) 06/26/2025 HJ 18 P. 59
  21. Jul 15, 2025HouseSigned by Governor Ayotte 07/15/2025; Chapter 182; eff. 01/01/2026 HJ 18

Coverage

No reporting linked yet.

Documents (PDF)

Bill text & amendments link direct to gc.nh.gov; committee reports stream from the state record.