SB 141 · 2025 · Senate · Judiciary Committee

New trial petitions and library privacy

(New Title) extending the time to petition for a new trial in certain cases and relative to adding library cards and membership status to the list of confidential library user records.

Creates an exception to the 3-year timeframe for petitioning for a new trial and expands the confidentiality of library user records to include library cards and membership status.AI-generated

Status

Died — the House and Senate did not agree · June 11, 2025

✓Introduced
✕Senate
House
Governor
Law

Analysis

This bill creates an exception to the 3-year timeframe to petition for a new trial. This bill further expands the confidentiality of the library user records to include library cards and membership status.

From the bill's official ANALYSIS section.

In the bill's words

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

“A new trial shall not be granted unless the petition is filed within [three] 3 years after the rendition of the judgment complained of, or the failure of the suit.”

RSA 526:4

Official record

Bill page — docket & status

gc.nh.gov · the authoritative source

Public testimony

13 signed in online · 1 wrote testimony

92% support8% oppose0% neutral

In their wordsVerbatim, exactly as submitted

“Sometimes it takes many years for new evidence to surface - wrongfully convicted persons should be given the time necessary to exonerate themselves. It's already a travesty that they are being wrongfully incarcerated, we should at least keep the door open to rectify the mistake.”

— Sunish Oturkar, Doversupports

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 6, 2025SenateCommittee reportCommittee report: Ought to Pass3–1
Overall
75% yea
Mar 6, 2025SenateVoice voteOught to Passadopted
Apr 23, 2025HouseCommittee report· regular calendar: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2025-1654h (NT)10–8
Overall
56% yea
May 8, 2025HouseDivisionAmendment 2025-1654hFailed172–191
Overall
47% yea
May 8, 2025HouseRoll callFloor amendment 2025-1997h (Rep. Alexander Jr.)Adopted192–170How they voted
Overall
53% yea
Party-line vote
Republicans
189–1294% yea
Democrats
3–1582% yea
May 8, 2025HouseDivisionOught to Pass with Amendment 2025-1997hAdopted343–19
Overall
95% yea
Resulting text: Bill as amended by the House
Jun 5, 2025SenateVoice voteSen. Gannon Moved Nonconcur with the House Amendment; Requests C of Cadopted
Jun 5, 2025HouseVoice voteHouse Accedes to Senate Request for CofC (Rep. Kofalt)adopted

Hearings and debates

Feb 4, 2025Public hearingSenate Judiciary1:10:46–1:15:134m 27slocated in the stream transcriptHearing
Mar 6, 2025Floor debateSenate floor4:20:25–4:22:362m 11slocated in the stream transcriptCommittee Report: Ought to Pass; Ought to Pass — adopted, voice vote
Apr 16, 2025Public hearingHouse Judiciary1:12:25–1:19:477m 22slocated in the stream transcriptPublic Hearing
Apr 23, 2025Public hearingHouse Judiciary54:32–56:492m 17slocated in the stream transcriptMajority Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2025-1654h (NT) — roll call; Executive Session
May 8, 2025Floor debateHouse floor2:09:18–2:10:591m 41slocated in the stream transcriptOught to Pass with Amendment 2025-1997h — adopted, division 343-19; Amendment # 2025-1654h — failed, division 172-191; FLAM # 2025-1997h(NT) (Rep. Alexander Jr.) — adopted, roll call 192-170
Jun 5, 2025Floor debateSenate floorWatchnot located in the transcript — opens the full streamSen. Gannon Moved Nonconcur with the House Amendment; Requests C of C — adopted, voice vote; President Appoints: Senators Gannon, Abbas, Altschiller; (In Recess
Jun 5, 2025Floor debateHouse floorWatchnot located in the transcript — opens the full streamHouse Accedes to Senate Request for CofC (Rep. Kofalt) — adopted, voice vote; Speaker Appoints: Reps. Lynn, Alexander Jr., Kuttab, Berch

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

Legislative history

Jan 9, 2025SenIntroduced 01/09/2025 and Referred to Judiciary; SJ 3
Feb 4, 2025SenHearing: 02/04/2025, Room 100, SH, 01:30 pm; SC 8
Mar 6, 2025SenCommittee Report: Ought to Pass, 03/06/2025, Vote 3-1; SC 11
Mar 6, 2025SenOught to Pass: MA, VV; OT3rdg; 03/06/2025; SJ 6
Mar 27, 2025HouseIntroduced (in recess of) 03/27/2025 and referred to Judiciary HJ 11 P. 111
Apr 16, 2025HousePublic Hearing: 04/16/2025 10:00 am LOB 206-208
Apr 23, 2025HouseExecutive Session: 04/23/2025 10:00 am LOB 206-208
Apr 23, 2025HouseMajority : Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2025-1654h (NT) 04/23/2025 (Vote 10-8; RC) HC 23 P. 14
Apr 30, 2025HouseMinority : Ought to Pass
May 8, 2025HouseAmendment # 2025-1654h: AF DV 172-191 05/08/2025 HJ 14 P. 43
May 8, 2025HouseFLAM # 2025-1997h(NT) (Rep. Alexander Jr.): AA RC 192-170 05/08/2025 HJ 14 P. 46
May 8, 2025HouseOught to Pass with Amendment 2025-1997h: MA DV 343-19 05/08/2025 HJ 14 P. 48
Jun 5, 2025SenSen. Gannon Moved Nonconcur with the House Amendment; Requests C of C, MA, VV; (In Recess 06/05/2025); SJ 16
Jun 5, 2025SenPresident Appoints: Senators Gannon, Abbas, Altschiller; (In Recess 06/05/2025); SJ 16
Jun 5, 2025HouseHouse Accedes to Senate Request for CofC (Rep. Kofalt): MA VV 06/05/2025 HJ 16 P. 171
Jun 5, 2025HouseSpeaker Appoints: Reps. Lynn, Alexander Jr., Kuttab, Berch 06/05/2025 HJ 16 P. 171
Jun 16, 2025SenCommittee of Conference Meeting: 06/16/2025, 03:15 pm, Room 100, SH
Jun 20, 2025HouseConference Committee Report: Not Filed HJ 17
Jun 19, 2025SenConference Committee Report; Not Signed Off; SJ 16

Coverage

No reporting linked yet.

Background reading

Evergreen reading on the policy area — spanning perspectives — not coverage of this specific bill.

The National Registry of ExonerationsExplainer
National Registry of Exonerations — A university-run database tracking U.S. exonerations, including how long wrongful convictions typically take to overturn.AI-generated
Transforming SystemsReform
Innocence Project — The Innocence Project outlines the legal reforms it seeks, including easing time limits on introducing new evidence after conviction.AI-generated
Advocacy Update: Expanding the Time to Petition for a New Trial in N.H.Reform — NH
New England Innocence Project — An advocacy group explains its push to extend New Hampshire's deadline for petitioning for a new trial based on new evidence.AI-generated
Lawmakers again consider giving convicts more time to prove their innocenceNH context
New Hampshire Bulletin — Reports on HB 1422 and the debate between supporters and prosecutors who warn about finality and frivolous filings.AI-generated
When the system gets it wrong, justice demands a second lookNH — sponsors
New Hampshire Union Leader — An op-ed by two state representatives arguing for extending the new-trial petition deadline.AI-generated
HB 1422 (2026) | NH LegislationNH context — nonpartisan
Citizens Count — A nonpartisan summary of HB 1422 with arguments listed for and against the change.AI-generated

Documents (PDF)

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