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HB 391 · 2025 · House · Judiciary Committee

Anti-SLAPP lawsuit protections

AI-generated

relative to preventing strategic lawsuits against public participation.

Establishes a legal process granting qualified immunity from suit, prosecution, and liability to defendants and counter-defendants in legal proceedings that impact their First Amendment rights, to prevent strategic lawsuits against public participation.AI-generated

Status

Killed in the House — Inexpedient to Legislate · May 13, 2025
  1. ✓Introduced
  2. ✕House
  3. Senate
  4. Governor
  5. Law

Analysis

This bill establishes a legal process for preventing strategic lawsuits against public participation (anti-SLAPP) by granting qualified immunity from suit, prosecution, and from liability for any defendant or counter-defendant in any action, case, claim, administrative proceeding, arbitration, or any other legal process that impacts their First Amendment rights.

From the bill's official ANALYSIS section.

In the bill's words

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

“All laws of this state shall be construed to afford qualified immunity from suit, prosecution, and from liability for any defendant or counter-defendant in any action, case, claim, administrative proceeding, arbitration, or any other legal process that impacts their First Amendment rights.”
RSA 507-I:1
“In New Hampshire state courts, and wherever these rules are not in conflict with those of the tribunal, if an action is brought against a person in violation of the substantive immunity from anti-SLAPP litigation, the person against whom the action is brought may bring a special motion to dismiss or an anti-SLAPP counterclaim, or both.”
RSA 507-I:2
“If any claim, action, administrative proceeding, arbitration, or any similar process of any kind is brought against a party, and that party wishes to invoke the anti-SLAPP law by way of separate action or counterclaim rather than by separate motion, they may do so.”
RSA 507-I:3
“The provisions of this chapter shall apply to all actions pending in the state of New Hampshire on the effective date of this chapter and, to the fullest extent permissible, to actions pending in federal courts and foreign jurisdictions.”
RSA 507-I:4

Official record

Bill page — docket & status

gc.nh.gov · the authoritative source

Sponsors

Rep. Travis CorcoranRPrime
  • Rep. Jason OsborneRMajority Leader

Public testimony

15 signed in online · 2 wrote testimony

73% support27% oppose0% neutral

In their wordsVerbatim, exactly as submitted

“We are one of the few states without anti-SLAPP laws. This is not a partisan issue, and it is one of the most basic things we can do to protect freedom of speech and freedom of the press in New Hampshire.…”
— Andrew Horn, Amherstsupports

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
  • Mar 10, 2025HouseCommittee report· consent calendar: Inexpedient to Legislate18–0
    Overall
    100% yea
  • Mar 26, 2025HouseVoice voteInexpedient to Legislateadopted

Hearings and debates

  • Feb 5, 2025Public hearingHouse Judiciary3:34:29–3:35:371m 8slocated in the stream transcriptPublic Hearing
  • Mar 10, 2025Public hearingHouse JudiciaryWatchnot located in the transcript — opens the full streamCommittee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate; Executive Session
  • Mar 26, 2025Floor debateHouse floorWatchnot located in the transcript — opens the full streamInexpedient to Legislate — adopted, voice vote

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

Legislative history

  1. Jan 9, 2025HouseIntroduced (in recess of) 01/09/2025 and referred to Judiciary HJ 3 P. 7
  2. Feb 5, 2025HousePublic Hearing: 02/05/2025 01:00 pm LOB 206-208
  3. Mar 7, 2025House==CANCELLED== Executive Session: 03/07/2025 10:00 am LOB 206-208
  4. Mar 10, 2025HouseExecutive Session: 03/10/2025 01:00 pm LOB 206-208
  5. Mar 10, 2025HouseCommittee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate 03/10/2025 (Vote 18-0; CC) HC 17 P. 20
  6. Mar 26, 2025HouseInexpedient to Legislate: MA VV 03/26/2025 HJ 10 P. 37

Coverage

No reporting linked yet.

Documents (PDF)

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