[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6674674,"mediaKeyId","2371465-779595191da536d4992aae2d8057160b","parentId",2371465,"title","Senate committee hears survivors urge $500 fine on buyers of commercial sex; funds to Victims Assistance Fund","audioSeconds",2192,"startMs",361000,"endMs",2553000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2371465-779595191da536d4992aae2d8057160b&start=361&end=2553","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2371465-779595191da536d4992aae2d8057160b/thumbnail_361000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6674674/New-Hampshire/Senate-committee-hears-survivors-urge-500-fine-on-buyers-of-commercial-sex-funds-to-Victims-Assistance-Fund","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6674674-03da041aa0bf7d423a7848a65aece039/orig.mp4?Expires=1775414296&Signature=ZdwinCmURKkw0RLCFr0mYlKxQLDF9vbeb0Tva80GNhg8WXfa7Y1bgoGWrpRs0RJA53lgCviqjgVI~x1pyleuDpkIZJCN1Kctj~c4jao0fBo0prSfYJOoxPBUuoFW0UMBY1kkWb0Av~7iB2-qG6DapRB3Ea8HIfpNitb-3W87sIZQeRNvKLunLcUo9uwtG77r-ae835J0MfcPE29kRdoOF-3jDUV5ZeJhQhJIbY2LZ3E~HlgRvXjtlj2YUeNf1cTpbTk4l0uRp6k5nTaLR71FWV~HGBv7cWaM5VHMkYQM-pEV35-gzlslX9JgizGo8vcBc27U6yIwEA4AnFfkFeASEw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","New Hampshire Legislature","date","2025-02-20T20:53:07.607Z","article","Senate Committee members heard more than a dozen witnesses urge passage of SB 267, legislation that would impose a $500 fine on people who patronize prostitution and direct those fines to the New Hampshire Victims Assistance Fund.

The bill’s sponsor, Senator Donovan Fenton (D–District 10), told the committee: “This bill would establish a $500 fine for individuals who engage in prostitution as a patron in addition to any other existing penalties and direct those funds to the Victims Assistance Fund.” He said the measure is meant both to deter demand and to generate resources for survivor services.

Survivors and nonprofit leaders offered testimony about the harms of commercial sexual exploitation and the need for funding. “There are a lot of statistics that will be shared today, but the one that keeps me fighting for positive change is 13. That is the average age girls are trafficked in the United States,” said Abby Fabiacci of Empowered Network. Audrey Doody, co‑executive director of Safe Exit Initiative and a survivor who testified, described being targeted as a teenager and urged committee members to support demand‑reduction policies. “I urge you to take this bill into consideration,” Doody told the panel.

Advocates described the bill as both a deterrent and a source of survivor support. Dr. Stacy Reeburns, who testified as a survivor and as a member of the Human Trafficking Community Research Hub, said fines directed to services could fund housing, counseling and job training. Alyssa Bernard, deputy director of World Without Exploitation, cited experience in Washington state where a similar fee structure generated funds that supported transitional housing and other services.

Committee members asked technical questions about existing penalties and how the proposed fine would interact with current sentencing. Senator Sandra Abbas pressed whether the committee should make the patron section a class A misdemeanor (which can carry a possible jail term), a change advocates said they favored for greater accountability. Committee members agreed to draft an amendment clarifying that the subsection covering buyers could be elevated to a class A misdemeanor while leaving other sections unchanged; the committee did not adopt a final floor amendment in the hearing.

Procedural outcome: toward the end of the session the committee voted to move SB 267 to second reading. Committee members discussed but did not finalize an amendment; staff were directed to prepare proposed language to be considered on the floor.

The bill drew consistent support from survivor‑led organizations and national groups urging the legislature to shift accountability toward buyers and to channel fines into services. Opposing testimony was not recorded in the hearing transcript.

Next steps: committee staff said they would draft the proposed amendment elevating the buyer subsection and circulate it to members. No final floor amendment or final chamber vote was recorded in the transcript.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Senate Judiciary (02/20/2025)","oneSentenceSummary","Senate Committee members heard more than a dozen witnesses urge passage of SB 267, legislation that would impose a $500 fine on people who purchase commercial sex and direct those fines to the New Hampshire Victims Assistance Fund.","taxTitle","Senate , Committees\t, Legislative, New Hampshire","taxId",29500,"location","New Hampshire","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6674661,"Bill to report some court adjudications to federal background check system draws divided testimony",2169,3816000,5985000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2371465-779595191da536d4992aae2d8057160b&start=3816&end=5985","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2371465-779595191da536d4992aae2d8057160b/thumbnail_3816000.jpg","/articles/6674661/New-Hampshire/Bill-to-report-some-court-adjudications-to-federal-background-check-system-draws-divided-testimony","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6674661-f5a23afc952cc801744fadfba7f0b61e/orig.mp4?Expires=1775414296&Signature=lkjo~AdRjgVJjXu-dTXZzINNzdQzaTzLZeqeRjlvNZR-jIdjMFNcXsUGywCcO-UrbgJGzlPtY5F7sauIZFDOPuzmIBHu5DNnCdsjx~ev1W9TvRcSyJSc2H1moC5zfVpGFuueQNFwDbUZJFSjkoC9NgOd-tQDvtxpfuZoCw92DtOnnc3p7wjwk~kcO3GrdQF-Odi06y3kIXNQcaRn0xtIB1weaL53qFHva3VYjR5eJH5VlkfvigoPttmmxgV~fIexY0isfAAmyE6qwWDXoOrISa2pGDKpSR1RquIbTKUKWBBkVkOvXl1s~UiPfKY5JG~Z4D-AIPWBSWtHIf78sBKBSQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senate Judiciary Committee members took testimony on SB 144, a bill to authorize New Hampshire courts to report certain adjudications to the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) and to create a process for people to seek restoration of firearm rights.

Sponsor Senator Deborah Ochsler (D–Seacoast) said the bill is narrowly drawn to authorize reporting only after court adjudication in three contexts: involuntary mental‑health commitment, a finding that a defendant is not competent to stand trial and is dangerous to self or others, or a verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity. She said the bill does not sweep in voluntary patients or people treated for temporary crises and would limit data shared to name, Social Security number, date of birth and a reason code. The sponsor emphasized confidentiality safeguards and a restoration procedure that includes a right to counsel and an independent psychiatric evaluation.

Witnesses offering support included Holly Stevens of NAMI New Hampshire, who described the bill as a measured approach and noted the IEA (involuntary emergency admission) process includes multiple hearings and counsel at later stages; Simone/Simonita Thurber and other survivors and family members told the committee the state’s failure to report adjudications to NICS creates gaps that have enabled prohibited people to pass federal background checks. Lana Nurk cited national reporting gaps and the Virginia Tech mass shooting as an example of the consequences of incomplete reporting.

Opponents including the Women’s Defense League of New Hampshire and other witnesses argued the bill would not address the underlying problems—including access to illegally obtained firearms and lack of treatment capacity—and said the measure discriminates against gun owners and people with mental illness. Testimony also raised operational questions about the 48‑hour window for relinquishing firearms, whether relatives or cohabitants would be required to move or surrender weapons, and how the court should balance public safety and due process.

Committee members asked technical questions about when reporting would be triggered, what items would be reported, the evidentiary standards at the various hearings (probable cause, preponderance, and clear-and‑convincing standards were discussed), and whether temporary hospital stays or voluntary treatment would be captured. Supporters and witnesses described safeguards intended to avoid stigmatizing people who receive mental‑health care, and several witnesses urged the committee to pass the bill as a narrow public‑safety measure.

The transcript does not record a final committee vote on SB 144; committee members discussed procedural details and evidentiary standards and did not adopt final language during the hearing.","Senate Judiciary Committee members took testimony on SB 144, a bill to authorize New Hampshire courts to report certain adjudications to the FBI’s NICS background check system and to create a petition process to restore firearm rights.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6674666,"Senate hears 'son‑of‑Sam' bill to bar murderers from profiting from crimes; AG's office flags legal, procedural issues",203,3122000,3325000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2371465-779595191da536d4992aae2d8057160b&start=3122&end=3325","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2371465-779595191da536d4992aae2d8057160b/thumbnail_3122000.jpg","/articles/6674666/New-Hampshire/Senate-hears-sonofSam-bill-to-bar-murderers-from-profiting-from-crimes-AGs-office-flags-legal-procedural-issues","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6674666-5002b96eb9cd78c1e9a080c0cf1e86e9/orig.mp4?Expires=1775414296&Signature=ZLb8Abu-TDcziSLFGuGtLTK19s2qnqBqlGtVN5OCvYcmzf~CY5O3UQ1AZLajBKkCM-xO7KcFy4F8j0a9BkClQ6Hu2BGEnrpGPjb9jh27o1GMR2~4cfHozIX-XnD7gjkIxqeswny15Ih~92uYphMYEml8a93aIICtFqX2-sVoajntcplugQhzxWqla5IQe~jCLF3iJ2lxH6vylbduyjtGDpuRQyG-dpJLnRU33lwzkluF5yPBkzHh4OlCbb0~6NWuq9KU0~xr1IRad7cAkD5w6-tecXLrbWyf1sTwyuNjqxGFvSen3GorR6Rg5pqn4ulHyuWQrudSx0j3iqEMjegfUg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senators and witnesses discussed SB 148, legislation designed to prevent people convicted of murder from profiting from the death of their victim or the criminal act.

Sponsor Senator Victoria Sullivan said the bill mirrors language used in other states’ “son‑of‑Sam” laws and is intended to prevent convicted killers from benefiting financially from a crime. “This bill prohibits those convicted of murder from financially profiting from the death of the victim,” she told the committee, adding that the measure addresses a legal gap in New Hampshire.

Benjamin Gotti, senior assistant attorney general and chief of the Department of Justice’s homicide unit, provided an analysis of the bill’s legal effects and flagged several procedural concerns. Gotti said a statute would fill a gap that prosecutors cannot always address by plea agreement, but he warned the committee that some language in the draft—drawn from other states—would operate differently under New Hampshire law and could create issues in practice. He raised questions about definitions (for example, who qualifies as an “interested person” eligible to bring a probate petition), the evidentiary standards to be used in probate court, potential collateral‑estoppel effects on subsequent criminal prosecutions, storage and disposition of property held by probate, and whether the statute should apply retroactively.

Sheila Cough, an estate attorney representing Crystal Saari (the mother and court‑appointed administrator of Harmony Montgomery’s estate), urged passage and described the difficulty families face under current New Hampshire law. “The current state of the law here in New Hampshire requires exactly that” of grieving families, she said, referring to the current need to litigate to prevent a culpable party from inheriting.

Committee discussion probed technical issues: whether a probate judge should apply a preponderance standard (the usual civil standard) to determine forfeiture when there is no criminal conviction; how to define who can file a petition; how courts would safeguard investigative materials in cases that remain subject to criminal investigation; and whether the Department of Justice’s victim‑witness advocates are the appropriate agents to hold funds pending litigation.

No final committee vote on SB 148 is recorded in the transcript. Committee members asked staff and counsel to review drafting options, including whether to limit the statute’s reach to certain homicide charges or to add procedural safeguards that would avoid impairing concurrent criminal prosecutions.

","Senators and witnesses discussed SB 148, legislation designed to prevent people convicted of murder from profiting from the victim’s death.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6674670,"Committee backs tougher minimum sentences for child trafficking in SB 262; advocates support increase",411,2686000,3097000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2371465-779595191da536d4992aae2d8057160b&start=2686&end=3097","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2371465-779595191da536d4992aae2d8057160b/thumbnail_2686000.jpg","/articles/6674670/New-Hampshire/Committee-backs-tougher-minimum-sentences-for-child-trafficking-in-SB-262-advocates-support-increase","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6674670-8fd805cf8fdffdd1ea477008c77cf1d8/orig.mp4?Expires=1775414296&Signature=NH6AMDRAB9keGjS7XMDQkpfZG54LIHquN3N8F8qS-KuLPUcrxnVE1Yi77TK6NdAtouhX33~-8hsxV21GylbMboDYfjtH6bh8qTXZ4lkShKK0I7dJgOzDEHMMpybeQP5WmGuefRr2Yu22e-v6U~tFpNO2A6wxVM5WTSRmYBwosYwfcrwXt92orT60QSjLbTxrgZti4OC29vfFU4fVLF2W5vd5NGh-Cw~v6YzoFdRYm6~hNEAGki0dfaHchBb~xOriVoO-iHl7i1Iubwr4iM2wvkIbtlli6DMLBG4Jw-SDxpxl5buEx1xe5usm~I5BG55OjF70qjXo2Y2i7BqItp7CSA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senate Judiciary Committee members heard testimony supporting SB 262, a bill to increase minimum and maximum penalties for trafficking children in New Hampshire.

Senator Victoria Sullivan (R–District 18), sponsor of SB 262, said the bill raises the statutory minimum sentences for child trafficking and increases the maximum to life in prison for the most serious offenses. “Current minimums are, 7 years for a minimum, and that is far below what even Congress has passed it at 15 years,” she said, adding that 18 years of minimum sentence is meant “symbolic of every year of childhood that's robbed from these children.”

Pamela Kellogg, public policy specialist for the New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence, told the committee the coalition supports the bill and described the state’s multidisciplinary response to trafficking. She provided data from the coalition’s crisis centers showing the state had identified trafficking victims across the state and that children were among those affected: “In 2023, our crisis center supported 81 victims of human trafficking and 11 percent of those, so about 9 of them were children,” Kellogg said.

Committee action recorded in the transcript shows members voted on a committee recommendation: a motion on the bill was brought and the committee recorded support. The transcript records senators voting “aye” on an “ought to pass” motion. The committee also discussed related work on penalties for illicit massage parlors as part of the broader anti‑trafficking agenda.

The bill had support from advocates who emphasized criminal penalties alongside victim protections. The transcript does not record any formal opposition testimony.

Next steps: the committee recorded an 'ought to pass' recommendation in the hearing transcript; the bill will proceed according to Senate rules to the next stage of the legislative process.","Senator Victoria Sullivan introduced SB 262 to raise minimum penalties for child trafficking; the New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence and other witnesses testified in support. The committee voted an 'ought to pass' recommendation in the recorded hearing.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Senate committee hears survivors urge $500 fine on buyers of commercial sex; funds to Victims Assistance Fund

Bill to report some court adjudications to federal background check system draws divided testimony

Senate hears 'son‑of‑Sam' bill to bar murderers from profiting from crimes; AG's office flags legal, procedural issues

Committee backs tougher minimum sentences for child trafficking in SB 262; advocates support increase