SB464: Bill Hearings & Public Record
SB464 - “relative to civil rights enforcement.”
Link to bill on General Court: https://gc.nh.gov/bill_status/billinfo.aspx?id=1444&inflect=2
Links to Bill Sponsors on General Court:
(Prime) Abbas (R), http://gencourt.state.nh.us/senate/members/webpages/district22.aspx
Keith Murphy (R), http://gencourt.state.nh.us/senate/members/webpages/district16.aspx
Pearl (R), http://gencourt.state.nh.us/senate/members/webpages/district17.aspx
Victoria Sullivan (R), http://gencourt.state.nh.us/senate/members/webpages/district18.aspx
Gannon (R), http://gencourt.state.nh.us/senate/members/webpages/district23.aspx
Avard (R), http://gencourt.state.nh.us/senate/members/webpages/district12.aspx
Birdsell (R), http://gencourt.state.nh.us/senate/members/webpages/district19.aspx
Innis (R), http://gencourt.state.nh.us/senate/members/webpages/district07.aspx
Ammon (R) http://gencourt.state.nh.us/house/members/member.aspx?pid=836
We define SB464 as a civil rights enforcement rollback. This bill changes the standard for civil rights enforcement, adding language that creates a new threshold of motivation for those committing civil rights infringements. That threshold in turn creates an additional burden on prosecutors pursuing action against those who have committed civil rights offenses. This weakens the ability to apply civil rights protections and enforcement within the state. The legal ramifications of changing this one sentence in existing state statute will have wide-sweeping implications for those seeking justice within one of the protected classes outlined in existing law. This bill works in opposition to two of our policy platform pillars: affirming environments and economic safety.
BILL UPDATE:
Introduced on 01/07/26 and referred to Senate Judiciary Committee
Committee hearing on 02/10/26 (room 100, State House, 01:00 pm; SC 5) with an amendment
Executive Session on 02/11/26 recommended it be referred to Interim Study (5-0) 🎬(lasted 1 minute)
Will go on Senate Consent calendar (03/12/26)
Pulled off Consent calendar and reschedule for 03/26/26
On Regular calendar for 03/26/26
Senate votes OTP (ought to pass) on 03/26/26
Introduced to House on 03/26/26 and referred to House Judiciary Committee
House Judiciary Committee Hearing (04/08/26) at 10:30am at 1 Granite Place, Room 230 🎬(lasted 122 minutes)
Passed the House with an amendment (OTPA) on 04/23/26. The amendment was crafted with the help of the state’s AG, and puts important language into the legislation to mitigate the potential harm caused by the initial bill as written. Headed to the Committee of Conference. The House will need to consent to the amended bill, and then it will go to the Governor.
Total Time spent on SB464 public hearings + votes: still calculating
