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HB 1715 · 2026 · House · Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee

Electronic filing for domestic violence cases

AI-generated

relative to the electronic filing of domestic violence and stalking petition case documents.

Requires filings in domestic violence and stalking petition cases to be submitted electronically, subject to a court-granted exception in extraordinary circumstances.AI-generated

Status

Killed in the House — Inexpedient to Legislate · February 12, 2026
  1. ✓Introduced
  2. ✕House
  3. Senate
  4. Governor
  5. Law

Analysis

This bill requires filings in cases concerning domestic violence and stalking petitions to be filed electronically subject to the court granting an exception in extraordinary circumstances.

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

“For all petitions filed on or after October 1, 2026, filings in cases commenced under this section shall be filed using the court’s electronic filing system.”
Section 1
“A person who has been the victim of stalking as defined in this section may seek relief by filing a civil petition in the district court in the district where the plaintiff or defendant resides.”
Section 2
“The court may fully excuse a party from electronic filing if extraordinary circumstances would render electronic filing such a hardship that the party would be denied access to the court.”
Section 1
“No filing fee or fee for service of process shall be charged for a petition or response under this section, and the plaintiff or defendant may proceed without legal counsel.”
Section 1

Official record

Bill page — docket & status

gc.nh.gov · the authoritative source

Sponsors

Rep. Zoe ManosDPrime
  • Rep. David MeuseDDeputy Ranking Member· Criminal Justice and Public Safety
  • Rep. Marjorie SmithDRanking Member· Judiciary
  • Sen. Suzanne PrentissDAssistant Democratic Leader

Also: Rep. Paige BeaucheminD, Rep. Alicia GreggD, Rep. Erik JohnsonD, Rep. Jodi NewellD, Rep. Loren SeligD, Rep. Efstathia BoorasD, Sen. Debra AltschillerD, Sen. Pat LongD

Public testimony

10 signed in online · 2 wrote testimony

80% support20% oppose0% neutral

In their wordsVerbatim, exactly as submitted

“HB 1715 just updates court filings to use e-filing for domestic violence and stalking cases. There are still no filing fees, and there’s an exception if someone truly can’t file online. It could make the process faster, but access and funding need to be watched.”
— Kathleen Malsbenden, Newmarketsupports

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
  • Jan 22, 2026HouseCommittee report· regular calendar: Inexpedient to Legislate7–6
    Overall
    54% yea
  • Feb 12, 2026HouseVoice voteInexpedient to Legislateadopted

Hearings and debates

  • Jan 16, 2026Public hearingHouse Criminal Justice and Public SafetyWatchnot located in the transcript — opens the full streamPublic Hearing
  • Feb 12, 2026Floor debateHouse floor1:09:38–1:10:441m 6slocated in the stream transcriptInexpedient to Legislate — adopted, voice vote

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

Legislative history

  1. Jan 7, 2026HouseIntroduced 01/07/2026 and referred to Criminal Justice and Public Safety HJ 1 P. 32
  2. Jan 16, 2026HousePublic Hearing: 01/16/2026 01:30 pm GP 159
  3. Jan 22, 2026HouseExecutive Session: 01/22/2026 01:30 pm GP 159
  4. Jan 22, 2026HouseCommittee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate 01/22/2026 (Vote 7-6; RC) HC 6 P. 12
  5. Feb 12, 2026HouseInexpedient to Legislate: MA VV 02/12/2026 HJ 4 P. 23

Coverage

No reporting linked yet.

Documents (PDF)

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