Committee Summary for House Judiciary (02/11/2026)

Bill/Time	Type	Title	Sponsor
HB1233 00:05:31.600 - 9:00:17 AM	Public Hearing	relative to the minutes of non-public sessions.	Beaulier, Calvin(R)[A+]2025
HB1260 00:35:39.359 - 9:30:25 AM	Public Hearing	relative to marriage registration forms and delayed certificates of marriage.	Dargie, Paul(D)[F]2025
HB1276 01:06:40.720 - 10:01:26 AM	Public Hearing	relative to the liability for death of a companion animal.	Corcoran, Travis(R)[A-]2025
HB1283 01:35:17.280 - 10:30:03 AM	Public Hearing	relative to the use of face recognition technology.	Scherr, Buzz(D)[D-]2025
HB1292 03:05:07.600 - 11:59:53 AM	Public Hearing	expanding the right to try act to include certain qualifying severe illness and permitting certain regenerative stem cell therapies under the act.	Layon, Erica(R)[A+]2025
HB1297 04:10:18.479 - 1:05:04 PM	Public Hearing	relative to property owned pursuant to the public trust doctrine.	Newsom, James(D)[CT]2025
HB1313 04:13:44.319 - 1:08:30 PM	Public Hearing	repealing buffer zones for reproductive health care facilities.	Aures, Cyril(R)[B+]2025
HB1356 05:07:07.120 - 2:01:53 PM	Public Hearing	relative to the statute of limitations for bringing a private right of action for violation of the statute prohibiting medical procedures and treatments intended to alter a minor's gender.	Wherry, Robert(R)[A-]2025
HR38 05:29:45.600 - 2:24:31 PM	Public Hearing	authorizing and directing the house judiciary committee to investigate whether cause exists for the impeachment of any justice of the New Hampshire supreme court.	Sabourin dit Choinière, Matt(R)[A-]2025

HB1233: Representative Bolier (prime sponsor) Support00:05:31.600 - 9:00:17 AM; Representative Bolier introduced HB1233, a short bill adding one sentence and four words to RSA 91A to clarify that when a body enters non-public session, they must note the motion and discuss only relevant matters. It also requires recording start and end times for non-public sessions to enhance transparency, allowing the public to better understand the duration and purpose without revealing sensitive details.
HB1233: Carla Garrick, Right to Know New Hampshire Support00:10:33.200 - 9:05:19 AM; Carla Garrick testified on behalf of Right to Know New Hampshire, emphasizing the bill's technical changes to promote transparency in non-public sessions under RSA 91-A, which she noted is narrower than constitutional rights under Article 8. She highlighted abuses of non-public sessions for secrecy and how requiring specific motions and times could reveal patterns of misuse, referencing broader issues like redacted information in public records.
HB1233: Lori Ortalano, Nashua resident, Right to Know New Hampshire Support00:19:05.280 - 9:13:51 AM; Lori Ortalano shared personal experience from Nashua, distributing minutes from an August 7 non-public session on a $50 million housing project. She described how improper motions led to the release of 38 pages of detailed minutes after a challenge, showing abuse where public discussions continued privately with minimal redactions. She supported the bill for requiring reasons, start/end times, and better recording to prevent such secrecy and enhance insight into non-public business.
HB1260: Representative Paul Dargy, Milford Support00:35:39.359 - 9:30:25 AM; Representative Dargy introduced HB1260FN, which allows marriage intention worksheets to be completed outside the clerk's presence using fillable PDFs to reduce errors from poor handwriting and allow pre-verification of details. It also adds a $25 fee for rare delayed marriage certificates to cover extra clerical work, noting only 10 such cases annually. He distributed testimony, a sample worksheet, and relevant RSAs.
HB1260: Joanne Dargy, Town Clerk, Milford Support00:43:26.800 - 9:38:12 AM; Joanne Dargy, Milford Town Clerk and past president of NH City and Town Clerks Association, explained the current process requiring in-person handwritten worksheets, causing delays and space issues in small offices. She supported allowing pre-completion with clerk verification signatures to speed up appointments, reduce fraud, and address registrar restrictions on online forms. She also described delayed certificate challenges, like proving 1986 marriages with announcements or documents.
HB1260: Kristen Martino, Registrar and Director of Vital Records Information Only00:52:39.920 - 9:47:25 AM; Kristen Martino stated the Secretary of State's neutral stance on HB1260 but attended to clarify the process. She confirmed current statute requires in-person completion to verify identities, supporting the bill to allow online fillable forms for efficiency while maintaining fraud prevention through clerk signatures.
HB1276: Representative Joe Alexander, Goshen Information Only01:06:40.720 - 10:01:26 AM; Representative Alexander introduced HB1276, noting he just started reading it and has no position, presenting it for absent friends. No further details on the bill were provided.
HB1283: Representative Buzz Sher, Portsmouth Information Only01:35:17.280 - 10:30:03 AM; Representative Sher introduces himself as the prime sponsor from Portsmouth Ward 3 and chair of the Portsmouth Police Commission, stating his testimony is his own. He requests the committee to find the bill inexpedient to legislate (ITL) due to time constraints in the current session, as he serves on two committees. He has discussed tweaks with the chair and ranking member and plans to bring an improved version next biennium.
HB1283: Tamara Hester, New Hampshire State Police Information Only01:37:16.960 - 10:32:02 AM; Tamara Hester appears to provide testimony on the bill but, upon hearing the sponsor's request for ITL, seeks guidance and decides to communicate directly with the sponsor about considerations instead of testifying fully, respecting the committee's time.
HB1283: Neil Kirk, former representative, Ware Support01:38:13.440 - 10:32:59 AM; Neil Kirk testifies in strong support of HB1283, expressing surprise at the sponsor's ITL request but respecting it. He argues the bill furthers New Hampshire's 2018 constitutional privacy amendment by prohibiting government use of facial recognition without a warrant, deeming unrestricted use unconstitutional. He proposes an amendment to clarify the definition of 'state' to include individuals, employees, contractors, agents, and elected officials to ensure comprehensive coverage.
HB1292: Representative Representative Erica Layon Rockingham - District 13 Support03:05:07.600 - 11:59:53 AM; Representative Leon, a former medical device analyst, sponsors HB1292 to allow access to stalled stem cell and tissue therapies due to FDA delays. She discusses her background, examples like transcatheter aortic valves, and contrasts efficient device approvals with biologics' slow paths, costing hundreds of millions. She highlights mesenchymal stem cells stalled for 18 years and platelet-derived growth factors used in some areas but not others, like oral repairs. The bill creates a regulatory sandbox for ethical, mature stem cell use under medical practice, prohibiting embryonic cells with felony penalties for safety and ethical reasons. It expands right-to-try for chronic debilitating illnesses, promotes innovation in New Hampshire to attract biotech, create jobs, and reduce opioid dependency through better wound care and therapies. She addresses questions on protections against false claims via informed consent, FDA biases, preventing quackery through existing laws, ethical sourcing to derisk therapies, broad physician definitions per state licensing, and no conflicts with existing laws.
HB1292: Representative Daniel Papich Support03:37:22.239 - 12:32:08 PM; Co-sponsor Representative Papich supports HB1292, noting FDA approvals take 4-20 years despite best efforts, as seen in his wife's company's fast cancer drug approval. He emphasizes the suffering and deaths during this wait for effective but unapproved treatments in clinical trials. The bill addresses this gray area for desperate patients, allowing access with risks acknowledged, using examples from early cancer trials showing high remission rates.
HB1292: Noah Keading, Director of Strategy at Epibone Support03:42:24.560 - 12:37:10 PM; Noah Keading testified in strong support of HB1292, explaining that Epibone is a regenerative medicine company using stem cells to grow personalized bone and cartilage grafts, manufacturing in Manchester, NH. He highlighted how regulatory barriers nearly forced his company to relocate abroad but the Florida SB1768 law allowed them to return. HB1292 mirrors this framework, emphasizing FDA oversight, adult stem cells from accredited facilities, informed consent, and safety without deregulation. It would attract biotech to NH, spur innovation, and provide patient access, building on Governor Ayotte's expanded right to try law.
HB1292: Ian Huitt, Attorney for Cornerstone Support03:52:15.520 - 12:47:01 PM; Ian Huitt supported HB1292, noting Cornerstone's role in HB701 creating NH's strong right to try protections under 126-Z. He offered expertise on drafting and legal aspects, mentioning consultations with biotech firms like Venture Biosciences intending to operate in NH. The bill copies Florida's law for stem cell definitions and procedures, ensuring safety and no quackery issues in Florida. He explained housekeeping changes to clarify 'eligible patient' definitions from pre-HB701 law to attract business and avoid confusion, such as excluding clinical trials erroneously. NH's proximity to Boston positions it ideally for biotech growth via policy innovation.
HB1292: Jose Navaro, Scientific Director of Quadroscope Ventures Support04:06:23.359 - 1:01:09 PM; Jose Navaro, a physician-scientist and investor, supported HB1292 for accelerating translational medicine by allowing safe access to therapies under physician oversight. It provides early efficacy data for investors without replacing clinical trials, potentially informing them. This attracts big pharma and counters competitive edges in Asia, where Chinese firms signed $70B in deals in 2025's first nine months. NH's proximity to Boston's hub, combined with this innovation-friendly law, offers wins for patients (early access), scientists/investors (real-world evidence), and the state (economic growth via investments in NH-based companies).
HB1297: Representative James Newsome, Merrimack District 9 Support04:10:18.479 - 1:05:04 PM; Representative James Newsome sponsored HB1297 to prevent adverse possession of land owned under the public trust doctrine, including conservation easements and nonprofit properties purchased with donated funds. Adverse possession allows 20-year unauthorized occupation to claim ownership. Currently, state, municipal, school, and church properties are exempt; this expands to protect land trusts and nonprofits from squatters, safeguarding public interest without known court cases but proactive prevention needed.
HB1313: Representative Orus, Merrimack 13 Support04:13:44.319 - 1:08:30 PM; Representative Orus sponsored HB1313 to uphold constitutional free speech by repealing buffer zones at abortion clinics, which limit dialogue and invite legal challenges like the struck-down Massachusetts law (McCullen v. Coakley). The NH law, passed 11 years ago, has never been used or enforced, with no convictions, and a 2017 court challenge dismissed for lack of standing. It promotes open protest like at the State House, without denying others' rights, following Supreme Court precedent against viewpoint discrimination.
HB1313: Caleb Montgomery, Vice President of Public Affairs, Planned Parenthood New Hampshire Action Fund and Planned Parenthood Northern New England Oppose04:24:21.040 - 1:19:07 PM; Caleb Montgomery opposes HB1313, which seeks to repeal the patient safety zone at reproductive health centers. He highlights the history of the law, noting that in 2014, Senate Bill 319 was enacted to address public safety concerns while balancing First Amendment rights, allowing a flexible zone of up to 25 feet. He references Governor Sununu's 2022 veto of a similar repeal, stating no harm had occurred from the zone. Montgomery emphasizes ongoing violence and harassment documented by the National Abortion Federation, including local issues at the Manchester Health Center such as photographing patients, unwanted dialogue, driveway blockages, and minor accidents. Planned Parenthood mitigates these through security, patient preparation, and police collaboration, but argues the zone remains essential for safety and privacy without infringing on free speech. He urges the committee to find the bill inexpedient to legislate (ITL).
HB1313: Sarah Anderson, Practice Manager, Equality Health Center Oppose04:34:08.561 - 1:28:54 PM; Sarah Anderson opposes HB1313, emphasizing safety as a top priority at Equality Health Center. She describes incidents of threats, vandalism, hazardous materials, and increased intimidation, including protesters with visible guns and a recent arrest for criminal threatening. The center invests in security like cameras and escorts who act as human buffers. Anderson stresses that buffer zones are non-mandatory, flexible tools balancing safety and First Amendment rights, supported by national data from the National Abortion Federation showing hundreds of threats. She highlights the vulnerability of patients seeking abortion care, who arrive distressed and face screaming and intimidation, causing emotional trauma that distracts from their medical needs. Enforcement is lacking without city support for signs, and she urges opposition to protect patients and staff.
HB1313: Sam Ferington, representing the city of Rochester Support04:42:29.520 - 1:37:15 PM; Sam Ferington supports HB1313, arguing against limiting free speech. He describes protesters as often praying peacefully or providing sidewalk counseling, offering resources like snacks and brochures to women entering facilities, directing them to pregnancy resource centers. He cites examples from England where a woman was arrested for silent prayer and a beating of a counselor in Baltimore to illustrate risks to free expression. Ferington contends that such activities help mothers explore options and should not be restricted by buffer zones.
HB1313: Beth Scare, NSHA Support04:46:34.240 - 1:41:20 PM; Beth Scare supports HB1313, calling it the Sidewalk Free Speech Act to repeal the unconstitutional buffer zone law. Drawing from her sidewalk experience, she debunks myths: ACLU opposition, Ginsburg's support, financial risks to the state (citing Massachusetts' $1.2M loss), differences from polling place zones, impacts on nearby businesses and homes, blocking non-pro-life individuals, failure to prevent violence, unnecessary for small lots, no physical blocking due to FACE Act, and that zones are not in use. She argues the law intimidates free speech on public sidewalks without providing protection, urging an ought-to-pass vote.
HB1313: Jason Hennessy, President, New Hampshire Right to Life Support04:53:32.718 - 1:48:18 PM; Jason Hennessy supports HB1313 on behalf of New Hampshire Right to Life. He criticizes the law's viewpoint discrimination, allowing employees but restricting opponents, unlike neutral zones at polling places or the Supreme Court. He shares a personal story of intimidation from a post-2014 Massachusetts buffer line during prayer. Hennessy notes no convictions of pro-lifers in 11 years, no buffer zone applications, and sidewalk counseling helping hundreds annually via pregnancy centers. He references a 2022 Senate hearing where a director threatened enforcement, calling it intimidation. Existing laws cover blockages, and past lawsuits show harm from the law's chilling effect; he urges repeal.
HB1313: Representative Mary Hacken Phillips, Hanover and Lyme, Grafton County Oppose04:58:37.200 - 1:53:23 PM; Representative Mary Hacken Phillips opposes HB1313, affirming buffer zones' effectiveness, constitutionality, and flexibility compared to Massachusetts' law. She stresses the balance between First Amendment rights and safe healthcare access, noting similar zones at courthouses and polling places. Phillips warns of risks post-repeal: increased blockades and harassment without a safety plan, potentially deterring OBGYN providers amid shortages and lacking grassroots support from women. She highlights demands for affordability and access over this change, the governor's stance, and her personal stake as a woman of reproductive age fighting for privacy and dignity, urging an ITL vote.
HB1313: Robert Wallace, Pembroke Oppose05:04:52.638 - 1:59:38 PM; Robert Wallace opposes repealing the buffer zone, based on personal observations walking past the health center. He describes protester intimidation, including a gun-carrying individual recently arrested, and notes the current law works without infringing rights—protesters can speak from a distance. Enforcement is minimal, but police handle issues; he argues for public safety and common sense, rejecting extreme free speech like armed confrontations.
HB1313: Representative Robert Wary, Hillsboro District 13, Hudson Support05:07:07.120 - 2:01:53 PM; Representative Robert Wary, the prime sponsor, supports HB1356 to extend the statute of limitations from two to ten years for private rights of action when medical statutes are violated by administering medical treatment. (Note: Testimony appears cut off in the transcript.)
HB1356: Representative Robert Wary, Hillsboro District 13, Hudson Support05:07:07.120 - 2:01:53 PM; As the prime sponsor, Representative Wary introduces HB1356, testifying in support to extend the statute of limitations from two to ten years for bringing private rights of action in court for violations of medical statutes by administering medical treatment.
HB1356: Unnamed Speaker Support05:07:49.440 - 2:02:35 PM; The speaker discusses the necessity of extending the statute of limitations for lawsuits related to gender-altering medical procedures on minors, citing a recent New York malpractice case involving Fox Varian where inadequate informed consent and improper psychological evaluation led to rushed gender-affirming care. They highlight that underlying issues like anxiety, depression, and poor body image were not properly addressed, instead offering a one-size-fits-all transition solution. The speaker notes this is unethical and immoral, with 27 similar cases filed across the US, and argues the extension to 10 years is needed as young people may not recognize harm within the current two-year limit, allowing time for realization of irreversible consequences.
HB1356: Beth Scare from Nashua Support05:12:10.560 - 2:06:56 PM; Beth Scare expresses concern for doctors illegally performing puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, or surgeries on children, stating they have nothing to fear if they comply with the law. She criticizes opponents for only caring about transgender-identifying youth and abandoning detransitioners. She argues kids need time to mature and recognize harms, as many detransitioners express regret in their mid-20s or later, beyond the current age 20 limit for lawsuits. She urges voting ought to pass on HB1356 to protect children.
HB1356: Steven Scar Support05:14:04.480 - 2:08:50 PM; Steven Scar urges voting ought to pass on HB1356, holding physicians financially liable for chemically castrating boys or destroying girls' reproductive systems with testosterone. He asserts there's no such thing as a transgender child, questions definitions of gender identity, and criticizes evaluations and therapies as invalid and affirming delusions under NH's conversion therapy ban. He claims parental consent is coerced by suicide threats, which he calls lies, and notes lack of evidence for these interventions from systematic reviews and medical associations. He argues medical institutions are ideologically captured, and HB1356 discourages harm to children while providing accountability.
HB1356: Simon Amaya Price Support05:18:12.638 - 2:12:58 PM; Simon Amaya Price, a former trans individual, shares experiences with detransitioners facing ongoing pain and medical malpractice from gender procedures, including new side effects discovered years later, as supported by a 2025 paper on cumulative estrogen effects. He notes average transgender identity persistence is 7-10 years, exceeding current statute limits, and treatments are rushed with miscoded diagnoses, delaying harm recognition. He compares denial to opioid addiction or anorexia, states no evidence of long-term benefits but guaranteed harms, and estimates 1,500 young adult detransitioners in NH needing justice via this bill.
HB1356: Claire Abernathy from Texas Support05:22:13.920 - 2:16:59 PM; Claire Abernathy, a 21-year-old detransitioner, recounts starting testosterone at age 14 at Genesis Clinic under Dr. May Laauo, despite distress from identity and mental health issues, without proper exploratory treatment. She was not informed of risks to fertility, sexual function, bone health, and body comfort, assured regret was non-existent and delay dangerous. Years later, she realized the permanent harm and failed safeguards. She notes Dr. Laauo faces a lawsuit for violating Texas's ban, emphasizes harms often apparent years later, and that minors are discouraged from doubt. She urges support for HB1356 to provide justice and enforce NH's ban on these practices for exploited children.
HR38: Representative Kelly Patenza, Strafford District 19 Support05:29:45.600 - 2:24:31 PM; Representative Patenza introduces and supports HR38, addressing the NH Supreme Court's crisis of public trust by authorizing the House Judiciary Committee to investigate potential maladministration, focusing on Chief Justice Gordon McDonald. She details documented contradictions in testimonies, such as Justice Maronei's affidavit vs. McDonald's statements to investigators, and Governor Sununu's denial of related claims, raising perjury or misleading concerns. She covers misuse of power in McDonald's prolonged divorce case with non-compliance to court orders and conflicts, and a $50,000 payout to Diane Martin during a budget crisis, decided by the Supreme Court with ethical lapses. Patenza argues these establish probable cause for inquiry, not conviction, to restore transparency and accountability, urging passage of HR38.
HR38: Representative Patenaude Support05:44:06.718 - 2:38:52 PM; The speaker clarifies that the judiciary committee can investigate broader issues of maladministration beyond the initial trigger. Emphasizes the need to pursue investigation into the situation surrounding Justice McDonald, including the court being held hostage for months, to provide answers for the people of New Hampshire.
HR38: Representative Manos Information Only05:44:58.558 - 2:39:44 PM; Questions whether the underlined items in the document are hyperlinks in a PDF and if the committee will receive the document via email to access the links.
HR38: Representative Patenaude Support05:46:05.120 - 2:40:51 PM; Confirms that the document with hyperlinks will be forwarded to the committee.
HR38: Representative Manos Information Only05:46:05.120 - 2:40:51 PM; Inquires about impeaching a judicial officer no longer on the bench under the Constitution, clarifying this is an investigation, not impeachment, and that findings could clear her name or impact her record.
HR38: Senator Smith Information Only05:47:16.160 - 2:42:02 PM; Notes the analysis in the bill refers only to Justice Anna Barbara Hans Maronei and asks why her name is specifically mentioned.
HR38: Representative Patenaude Support05:48:44.558 - 2:43:30 PM; Explains the bill's narrow focus was due to timing and circumstances around her case, but the top description applies to any justices. Agrees the bottom part specifies her, and suggests word changes for evenhandedness, but the bill was spurred by her situation.
HR38: Representative Mike Belchure Support05:50:33.280 - 2:45:19 PM; Signed on due to serious allegations between judicial and executive branches leading to suspension of a justice, resulting in cases decided by unconfirmed substitutes. Calls for investigation to determine what happened, prevent weaponization of allegations, and uphold legislative powers as the grand inquest to secure constitutional checks and balances.
HR38: Dana Alrech, Nashua, New Hampshire Support05:54:11.600 - 2:48:57 PM; Supports investigation into potential maladministration by any sitting Supreme Court justice, focusing on questions about Justices Maronei and McDonald. Provides documents: memorandum of understanding, interview of Diane Martin, 88-page deposition of Suzanne Galinus detailing HR chaos, and a historical book. Highlights severe HR turnover under Chief Justice McDonald leading to a $400,000 state takeover, deposition revealing institutional chaos, instructions to remove Diane Martin from records attributed to the Chief Justice, and her termination after 5 months, indicating maladministration.
HR38: Mr. Albrech, Nashua, New Hampshire Support06:00:57.360 - 2:55:43 PM; Mr. Albrech concluded his testimony by highlighting the record of dysfunction in the judicial institution, including a chief justice directing a subordinate to lay off staff to benefit a personal associate, resulting in the termination of a whistleblower and costing taxpayers $400,000. He quoted a witness stating that taxpayers were nearly defrauded. He argued that this establishes probable cause for the committee to investigate by calling relevant Supreme Court justices and witnesses to reconcile conflicting testimonies, taxpayer expenditures, and ongoing issues. He suggested that any technical defects in the resolution could be remedied by amendment and offered to answer questions.

Lynn, Bob(Chairman)(R)[B]2025	Kuttab, Katelyn(Clerk)(R)[B]2025	Mannion, Dennis(V Chairman)(R)[B+]2025
Smith, Marjorie(D)[F]2025	Bergeron, Dan(D)[F]2025	Horrigan, Timothy(D)[F]2025
Berch, Paul(D)[F]2025	Turer, Eric(D)[F]2025	Scully, Kevin(R)[A-]2025
Tripp, Richard(R)[B]2025	Andrus, Louise(R)[C+]2025	Ball, Lorie(R)[B+]2025
Manos, Zoe(D)[CT]2025	Perez, Kristine(R)[B+]2025	Alexander, Joe(R)[A+]2025
McFarlane, Donald(R)[A]2025	Rombeau, Catherine(D)[CT]2025	Paige, Mark(D)[D-]2025