New Hampshire 2026 Session Status: Enacted Bipartisan · 8 R · 5 D cosponsors

HB 1651 — establishing sexual assault orders of protection and relative to sexual assault survivors' rights.

Last action — Signed by Governor Ayotte 07/02/2026; Chapter 238; eff. 1/1/2027

  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. ✓
    In Committee
  3. ✓
    Passed House
  4. ✓
    Passed Senate
  5. ✓
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced December 10, 2025. Enacted.

Signed by Governor Kelly Ayotte (Republican) on July 10, 2026.

Odds of enactment

High chance

Based on the sponsor, cosponsors, and committee posture, this bill has a high chance of becoming law.

Upgrade to see the exact probability and what's driving it.

A statistical estimate from our own model of past outcomes — an insight, not a guarantee. Policymaking is volatile.

Prognosis

Likely to advance 78% · moderate confidence

  • Enacted

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 14 sponsors

    1 primary, 13 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Bipartisan support

    Sponsored across 2 parties (8 R · 5 D) — cross-party backing.

Based on stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes, and cross-state momentum — a description of the observable signals, not a prediction.

In plain language

Establishes sexual assault orders of protection and outlines rights for survivors.

The bill creates specific legal protections for sexual assault survivors and defines their rights. It aims to enhance the support and resources available to those affected by sexual assault.

Summary

establishing sexual assault orders of protection and relative to sexual assault survivors' rights.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

63 added · 96 removed

Plain-language change summary

The revised version of Bill HB 1651 establishes sexual assault orders of protection and updates rights for survivors. Key changes include clarifying that a person can seek a protective order by demonstrating sexual assault and specifying that such orders can initially last for up to one year but may be extended for up to five years if requested. This matters because it strengthens the legal framework for protecting survivors and ensures they can maintain safety for a longer duration if needed.

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Latest
HB 1651-FN - VERSION ADOPTED BY BOTH BODIES 5Mar2026...
CHAPTER 238 HB 1651-FN - FINAL VERSION 5Mar2026...
HB 1651-FN - VERSION ADOPTED BY BOTH BODIES 5Mar2026...
CHAPTER 238 HB 1651-FN - FINAL VERSION 5Mar2026...
1 New Section;
238:1 New Section;
Upon a showing of sexual assault, the court shall grant such relief against the actor as is necessary to protect the physical, psychological or emotional wellbeing of the victim.
Upon a showing of sexual assault, the court shall grant such relief against the actor as is necessary to protect the physical, psychological, or emotional wellbeing of the victim.
acknowledges the existence of the protective HB 1651-FN - VERSION ADOPTED BY BOTH BODIES - Page 2 - order and informs the plaintiff that he or she has no obligation to speak;
acknowledges the existence of the protective order and informs the plaintiff that he or she has no obligation to speak;
(b)  A violation of this paragraph may result in a finding of contempt of court.
CHAPTER 238 HB 1651-FN - FINAL VERSION - Page 2 - (b)  A violation of this paragraph may result in a finding of contempt of court.
2 Sexual Assault Survivors' Rights.
238:2 Sexual Assault Survivors' Rights.
3 Effective Date.
238:3 Effective Date.
LBA 26-3104 05/13/2026 HB 1651-FN- FISCAL NOTE AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE (AMENDMENT # 2026-1814s) AN ACT establishing sexual assault orders of protection and relative to sexual assault survivors' rights.
Approved:
FISCAL IMPACT:
July 02, 2026 Effective Date:
Estimated State Impact FY 2026 FY 2027 FY 2028 FY 2029 Revenue $0 $0 $0 $0 Revenue Fund None Expenditures* Indeterminable Funding Source General Fund Appropriations* $0 $0 $0 $0 Funding Source None *Expenditure = Cost of bill *Appropriation = Authorized funding to cover cost of bill Estimated Political Subdivision Impact FY 2026 FY 2027 FY 2028 FY 2029 County Revenue $0 $0 $0 $0 County Expenditures Indeterminable Local Revenue $0 $0 $0 $0 Local Expenditures Indeterminable   METHODOLOGY:
January 01, 2027
This bill creates a new type of protective order petition in Circuit Court for victims of sexual assault under RSA 632-A.
The Judicial Branch states they would need to modify court forms, their website and systems as well as provide limited training to staff for the new petition type.
The fiscal impact to the Branch would be under $10,000.
Additionally, this bill adds, deletes, or modifies a criminal penalty, or changes statute to which there is a penalty for violation.
Therefore, this bill may have an impact on the judicial and correctional systems, which could affect prosecution, incarceration, probation, and parole costs, for the state, as well as county and local governments.
A summary of such costs can be found at:
https://gencourt.state.nh.us/lba/Budget/Fiscal_Notes/JudicialCorrectionalCosts.pdf AGENCIES CONTACTED:
Judicial Branch, Judicial Council, Department of Justice, Department of Corrections, New Hampshire Association of Counties, and New Hampshire Municipal Association
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Action History

  1. Signed by Governor Ayotte 07/02/2026; Chapter 238; eff. 1/1/2027

  2. Enrolled (in recess of) 06/04/2026 HJ 15

  3. Enrolled Adopted, VV, (In recess 06/04/2026); SJ 14

  4. House Concurs with Senate Amendment 2026-1814s (Rep. Roy): MA VV 05/21/2026 HJ 14 P. 2

  5. Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2026-1814s, MA, VV; OT3rdg; 05/07/2026; SJ 11

  6. Sen. Gannon Floor Amendment # 2026-1814s, AA, VV; 05/07/2026; SJ 11

  7. HB 1651 was Removed from the Consent Calendar; 05/07/2026; SJ 11

  8. Committee Report: Ought to Pass, 05/07/2026; Vote 5-0; CC; SC 17

  9. Hearing: 03/24/2026, Room 100, SH, 01:30 pm; SC 11

  10. Introduced 03/05/2026 and Referred to Judiciary; SJ 6

  11. Ought to Pass with Amendment 2026-0139h: MA VV 03/05/2026 HJ 6 P. 9

  12. Amendment # 2026-0139h: AA VV 03/05/2026 HJ 6 P. 9

  13. Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2026-0139h 02/18/2026 (Vote 12-0; CC) HC 9 P. 8

  14. Executive Session: 02/18/2026 10:00 am GP 159

  15. Public Hearing: 01/16/2026 10:00 am GP 159

  16. Introduced 01/07/2026 and referred to Criminal Justice and Public Safety HJ 1 P. 30

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 13 co-sponsors · 401 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (13)

Not signed on (401)

401 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 401 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Subjects

public-safety civil-rights
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

What does HB 1651 do?
establishing sexual assault orders of protection and relative to sexual assault survivors' rights.
Who sponsors HB 1651?
HB 1651 is sponsored by Alissandra Murray (Democrat), Jodi Nelson (Republican), Rebecca Perkins Kwoka, Denise Ricciardi (Republican), Bill Gannon (Republican), Regina Birdsell (Republican), Alexis Simpson (Democrat), Kimberly Rice (Republican), Nancy Murphy (Democrat), David Meuse (Democrat), Terry Roy (Republican), Eileen Kelly (Democrat), Jennifer Rhodes (Republican), and Katelyn Kuttab (Republican).
What is the current status of HB 1651?
This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced December 10, 2025. Enacted.
Where can I track HB 1651?
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