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SB 148 · 2025 · Senate · Judiciary Committee

Barring murderers from profiting financially

AI-generated

prohibiting those convicted of murder from financially profiting from the death of the victim.

Prohibits a person convicted of murder from receiving financial benefits from the victim's estate or related contracts and requires notice to the department of justice when entities contract with a convicted murderer for crime-related payments.AI-generated

Status

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

Analysis

This bill enacts a chapter that prohibits a person who intentionally and feloniously kills another person from certain financial benefits from the estate of the decedent or other contractual provisions, and enacts provisions governing the disposition of the estate in such instances. This bill also requires any entity that contracts with someone convicted of a homicide crime for certain payments related to the commission of the crime to notify the department of justice and for the department of justice to notify the estate or immediate family of the decedent to allow for suit to recover any money owed.

From the bill's official ANALYSIS section.

In the bill's words

Quoted verbatim from the bill as enacted.

““Murder” means murder in the first degree as defined under RSA 630:1-a or murder in the second degree committed knowingly as defined under RSA 630:1-b, I(a) or a reasonably equivalent offense under federal law, the law of another state, or the law of a foreign country if the legal system of such country affords sufficient due process protections that a conviction thereunder can be deemed just and reliable.”
RSA 562-A:1, III

Defines which killings trigger the chapter's forfeiture rules, setting the scope of who counts as a murderer under the new law.AI-generated

“An individual who murders the decedent forfeits all benefits under this title with respect to the decedent's estate. If the decedent died intestate, the decedent's intestate estate passes as if the killer predeceased the decedent.”
RSA 562-A:2

Establishes the core rule barring a murderer from inheriting from the victim and treating the killer as having died first.AI-generated

“Severs the interests of the decedent and killer in property held by them at the time of the murder as joint tenants with the right of survivorship, transforming the interests of the decedent and killer into equal tenancies in common.”
RSA 562-A:3, II

Prevents a killer from automatically taking jointly held property through survivorship by converting it to a tenancy in common.AI-generated

““Profits from a murder” means any property which the individual who committed the murder obtained, or income generated, as a result of having committed the crime, including any property or income obtained through the use of unique knowledge gained or learned during the commission of, or in preparation for the commission of, the crime”
RSA 507-I:1, II

Defines the proceeds, such as book or media deals drawing on the crime, that the bill subjects to notice and recovery by victims.AI-generated

Official record

Bill page — docket & status

gc.nh.gov · the authoritative source

Sponsors

Sen. Victoria SullivanRPrimeVice Chair· Education
  • Sen. Keith MurphyRDeputy President Pro Tempore
  • Sen. Sharon CarsonRPresident of the Senate
  • Rep. Kimberly RiceRVice Chair· Children and Family Law
  • Rep. Matthew WilhelmDDemocratic Caucus Chair

Also: Rep. Kathleen PaquetteR, Rep. Mary GeorgesD

Public testimony

5 signed in online · 1 wrote testimony

60% support40% oppose0% neutral

In their wordsVerbatim, exactly as submitted

“This is a ridiculous overreach of the government. What business is it of the state what bathroooms people choose to use? As a cisgender woman, I am appalled that such bills are being proposed, often with my safety cited as a concern.…”
— Emily Buehne, Brookfieldopposes

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

Read the testimony · as of Aug 12, 2026

Hearings

  • 2025-02-201:00 pmSenate JudiciarySH 100Public hearing
  • 2025-04-0910:00 amHouse JudiciaryLOB 206-208Public hearingrescheduled
  • 2025-04-161:00 pmHouse JudiciaryLOB 206-208Public hearing
  • 2025-04-229:00 amHouse JudiciaryLOB 206-208Public hearing
  • 2025-04-2310:00 amHouse JudiciaryLOB 206-208Public hearingrescheduled
  • 2025-04-231:00 pmHouse JudiciaryLOB 206-208Public hearingcancelled
  • 2025-05-0710:00 amHouse JudiciaryLOB 206-208Public hearing

Legislative history

  1. Jan 9, 2025SenIntroduced 01/09/2025 and Referred to Judiciary; SJ 3
  2. Feb 20, 2025SenHearing: 02/20/2025, Room 100, SH, 01:30 pm; SC 10
  3. Mar 13, 2025SenCommittee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2025-0746s, 03/13/2025; Vote 4-0; CC; SC 12
  4. Mar 13, 2025SenCommittee Amendment # 2025-0746s, AA, VV; 03/13/2025; SJ 7
  5. Mar 13, 2025SenOught to Pass with Amendment #2025-0746s, MA, VV; OT3rdg; 03/13/2025; SJ 7
  6. Mar 27, 2025HouseIntroduced (in recess of) 03/27/2025 and referred to Judiciary HJ 11 P. 111
  7. Apr 9, 2025HousePublic Hearing: 04/09/2025 11:00 am LOB 206-208
  8. Apr 16, 2025HouseSubcommittee Work Session: 04/16/2025 01:00 pm 206-208
  9. Apr 22, 2025HouseSubcommittee Work Session: 04/22/2025 09:00 am LOB 206-208
  10. Apr 23, 2025House==RECESSED== Executive Session: 04/23/2025 10:00 am LOB 206-208
  11. May 7, 2025House==CONTINUED== Executive Session: 05/07/2025 10:00 am LOB 206-208
  12. May 7, 2025House: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2025-1922h 05/07/2025 (Vote 17-0; RC)
  13. May 22, 2025HouseAmendment # 2025-1922h: AA VV 05/22/2025 HJ 15 P. 27
  14. May 22, 2025HouseFLAM # 2025-2207h (Rep. Lynn): AA VV 05/22/2025 HJ 15 P. 30
  15. May 22, 2025HouseOught to Pass with Amendment 2025-1922h and 2025-2207h: MA VV 05/22/2025 HJ 15 P. 30
  16. Jun 12, 2025SenSen. Gannon Moved to Concur with the House Amendment, MA, VV; 06/12/2025; SJ 16
  17. Jun 26, 2025HouseEnrolled (in recess of) 06/26/2025 HJ 18 P. 60
  18. Jun 26, 2025SenEnrolled Adopted, VV, (In recess 06/26/2025); SJ 18
  19. Jul 15, 2025SenSigned by the Governor on 07/15/2025; Chapter 0237; Effective 07/15/2025

Coverage

No reporting linked yet.

Documents (PDF)

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