[{"_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",6595022,"mediaKeyId","3043693-4c98e7eb86b0f3493705c4c07cb8ff67","parentId",3043693,"title","Senate Judiciary votes to form commission on illicit massage businesses, increase penalties in HB 405","audioSeconds",3758,"startMs",2981000,"endMs",6739000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3043693-4c98e7eb86b0f3493705c4c07cb8ff67&start=2981&end=6739","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3043693-4c98e7eb86b0f3493705c4c07cb8ff67/thumbnail_2981000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6595022/New-Hampshire/Senate-Judiciary-votes-to-form-commission-on-illicit-massage-businesses-increase-penalties-in-HB-405","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6595022-99f9926fff34892a940dc5a32ac41ac9/orig.mp4?Expires=1770437464&Signature=Pl44Danw9xJG1rr4aGMssHWY8sdFPxH7d5kaRnEOuJgjLlzPtlmkqcWcydIG29iEHNH7TLNp6OE6GLhPooi85KMPxGlloFZqrchVcoYcAL9ouXu8MS9XOuMF6MCZjEn8qiH0UvxEztbQpkGyFJRHhtz1fNY6NeLfw5eOg2iOPxr3Oh0qBdV40JBYE2hiQV3uQVwu-vxL4s2ED6iBZqSNhDG6HE3woUw~o5XwfcunJ0WsfFxbqwBic1NdcMbkZo9ITOZESNhbyuPku81TPgG~5mohhLhKjCbumgRH6wgbiXGKvlq4E-dsyq2~4NGa86uY7g15dy5f5kjwRhHnydtkpg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","New Hampshire Legislature","date","2025-04-17T18:56:20.73Z","article","The Senate Judiciary Committee voted in executive session to recommend HB 405, a bill establishing a commission to study illicit massage businesses (IMBs) and proposing increased penalties and other statutory changes aimed at combating human trafficking and related criminal activity.

Representative Terry Roy, speaking for the bill, described a statewide pattern of storefronts and former residential properties operating as IMBs and said law enforcement needs a coordinated, multi‑stakeholder response. \"Our law enforcement community is having a horrible, difficult time being able to interdict and take these perpetrators off of our streets and out of our businesses and out of our communities,\" Roy told the committee.

Erica Leon, sponsor of the bill, said licensing alone does not solve the problem and urged a commission that includes towns, health departments, law enforcement, and legitimate industry representatives. \"This is a square peg,\" Leon said, arguing the problem does not fit neatly into existing licensing frameworks and requires tailored solutions.

Local officials and law enforcement testified in support. George Fioli, chief of police in Derry, said—as of March 2025—his town had six businesses that could be characterized as illicit massage businesses and that operators quickly reopen under new names or owners after enforcement actions. David McCormick, a retired state police lieutenant assigned to a federal human‑trafficking task force, described organizational patterns and said facilitating prostitution as a misdemeanor was insufficient to deter operators; he urged felony‑level penalties for facilitators.

Victim‑service and advocacy witnesses, including Pamela Kiley of the Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence and Meg Chant of the New Hampshire Human Trafficking Collaborative Task Force, supported creating the commission and using enhanced penalties to deter traffickers and remove incentives for relocation into New Hampshire from neighboring states with stricter penalties.

Several witnesses and stakeholders urged caution about immediate, broad felony expansions without further study. Rebecca Cleary, an attorney and policy expert on prostitution and trafficking law, said existing trafficking and anti‑coercion statutes are already robust and recommended the commission study how current laws are being used before expanding penalties; Tricia Nabalu of the Erotic Laborers Alliance urged inclusion of sex‑work and massage‑therapy community representatives on any study panel to avoid unintended consequences for consenting adults.

In executive session the committee moved and approved an \"ought to pass\" recommendation for HB 405 as amended in the House. The amendment includes creating the commission and some statutory changes; committee members asked that the commission include interim reporting to permit early legislative response.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Senate Judiciary (04/17/2025)","oneSentenceSummary","The committee advanced HB 405, which creates a commission to study illicit massage businesses and recommends changes to licensing and criminal penalties; law‑enforcement and advocacy testimony supported stepped enforcement, while some stakeholders urged caution on broad penalty increases.","taxTitle","Judiciary, Senate , Committees\t, Legislative, New Hampshire","taxId",29511,"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},6595027,"Senate Judiciary votes to advance HB 602 requiring online victim‑impact panel completion for DUI-related offenses",5144,1745000,6889000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3043693-4c98e7eb86b0f3493705c4c07cb8ff67&start=1745&end=6889","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3043693-4c98e7eb86b0f3493705c4c07cb8ff67/thumbnail_1745000.jpg","/articles/6595027/New-Hampshire/Senate-Judiciary-votes-to-advance-HB-602-requiring-online-victimimpact-panel-completion-for-DUI-related-offenses","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6595027-aeae645fa36629bcb345c76a5ca6b843/orig.mp4?Expires=1770437464&Signature=QzjIH77FJ1M49abBlrSFkPrm7PRdx3VrLo7DQxwof8SGAckrZnzGh9wGTsNENRMTfFK79GntHpS9WiMUpJ38kW7k7iPGJfoJJyRYiWxrhUyZ~0oRGeyzLI-rrzhsXjFcm7ZC8E6wbbKBYphUxpGo7FgHuMWFTwZ0lCjSjnGD8fRj~UETfhnc3URttP0RL4duO~~grQGJarPBmAvhL1zGiA3HgO5VpjMTwiotEc~eQqLUiTMIHb3AWVL4xjVJqJFRi20~e~JNZdtMFcizp9UoSlNBXCORcFvLFgh84s0fJ46ib4ftCrOMbfMHa3Ud9oXtAhjmayEilha9QqpNIviovA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Senate Judiciary Committee voted in executive session to advance HB 602, which would require offenders in certain impaired‑driving cases to complete a qualified online victim‑impact panel program as part of court‑ordered obligations.

Representative Nancy Murphy, sponsor of HB 602, told the committee the bill is an \"educational tool\" intended to decrease recidivism among impaired‑driving offenders and that the model referenced in discussion (UImpact) is already used in parts of the United States. Murphy said the program is available at no cost to indigent participants but that, as amended in the House, the bill requires participants to pay the program fee unless a court orders otherwise.

Former Merrimack Police Chief Denise Roy and other law‑enforcement witnesses described personal experience with online victim‑impact programming. Chief Roy said the online program she reviewed \"was powerful and insightful\" and argued that an effective victim‑impact panel should influence offenders \"on an emotional level\" to reduce recidivism. A police chief who completed the program described its effect in drawing out both short‑ and long‑term consequences of impaired driving.

Supporters — including the Association of Chiefs of Police and the state Human Trafficking Collaborative director who participated as observers — said HB 602 represents a low‑cost tool for judges and probation officers to add to existing sanctions and rehabilitative resources. Committee members asked clarifying questions about program definition and standards; in executive session the committee moved and approved an \"ought to pass\" recommendation on HB 602.

The bill's language defines what qualifies as a \"qualified online victim impact panel program\" and does not name a single vendor exclusively; testimony identified UImpact as one existing provider that meets the described criteria. The House amendment requires defendants to pay the fee unless indigent, which supporters said preserves access while limiting state fiscal exposure.","HB 602 would require defendants convicted of DUI-related offenses to complete a qualified online victim-impact panel program; the committee voted 'ought to pass' after testimony from law enforcement, prosecutors and advocates.",{"_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},6595034,"Senate Judiciary hears HB 369 on misdemeanor sexual‑assault prosecutions; sponsors seek to limit repeat testimony for victims",491,1112000,1603000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3043693-4c98e7eb86b0f3493705c4c07cb8ff67&start=1112&end=1603","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3043693-4c98e7eb86b0f3493705c4c07cb8ff67/thumbnail_1112000.jpg","/articles/6595034/New-Hampshire/Senate-Judiciary-hears-HB-369-on-misdemeanor-sexualassault-prosecutions-sponsors-seek-to-limit-repeat-testimony-for-victims","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6595034-ae7b0465fef389f860cf88613309d1b3/orig.mp4?Expires=1770437464&Signature=bHpCxS0~3tOUlnwAv0yCYg3WCfaklgnrZ9lvr6v7hRldtr5HISFGrKHy1TTiRIPfH0~haBZFFg9msjE4VLsxEwB3mk7YFFhFRPA82FnH7Fj4~cF4rSdeF5Q31tY~KKXTqnYj3KUaFUEhlVCOIrz1Yk4rdo~FJoc5Vx0RV6RE4EUO1pddCBQDj07QjxRV5bvHHpJchYQQl5QZPHeAFbH1REUzIi5xlAZCsg1D7h-tGHvsaAmcT0Tjxf5rVJBgMyeVBxQurrowcIeCw7Q-IR6JkwrBixJQKhIDeyRG3Qtuw7P5H3hivGFO1ubIU-DxsGa3wtey8UE3d2jrWLAiOa0Jcw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The New Hampshire Senate Judiciary Committee heard testimony on HB 369, legislation that would change the procedure in some misdemeanor sexual‑assault prosecutions so defendants must elect a path that prevents child victims from being called to testify twice in successive proceedings.

Representative Kelly Potenza, prime sponsor in the House, described the bill as a response to delays and procedural quirks that can force victims — often minors — to endure repeated court appearances years after an incident. Potenza recounted a personal example involving her daughter and said the current process can leave victims \"retraumatized twice.\"

Pamela Kiley of the New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence told the committee the bill would \"streamline court proceedings in very specific cases involving minor survivors of sexual assault\" and said offenders in domestic and sexual violence cases sometimes \"use the court process to delay justice and further perpetuate abuse.\" Kiley referenced research indicating the \"average age of disclosure is, 52,\" and argued the bill would help limit repeated courtroom trauma for child victims.

The measure would require a defendant to decide at an early stage whether to proceed in circuit court with a bench trial or to seek immediate review in superior court for a jury trial, a procedural choice intended to avoid successive trial obligations for victims. Committee members asked clarifying questions about existing statute and how the defendant's choice would operate in practice; no formal committee vote was recorded in the public hearing record.

Supporters asked the committee to advance HB 369 so the Legislature can address the additional stress put on child survivors by long delays and multiple proceedings. Prosecutors or court representatives did not present testimony at this hearing; the committee indicated it might call additional witnesses at a later date.","HB 369 would require early choice of forum in certain misdemeanor sexual‑assault cases to avoid victims, particularly minors, facing a second criminal trial; sponsors and advocates urged support at a Senate Judiciary hearing.",{"_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},6595039,"Senate Judiciary hears bill to admit military protective orders in civilian courts; committee votes not to pass",791,269000,1060000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3043693-4c98e7eb86b0f3493705c4c07cb8ff67&start=269&end=1060","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3043693-4c98e7eb86b0f3493705c4c07cb8ff67/thumbnail_269000.jpg","/articles/6595039/New-Hampshire/Senate-Judiciary-hears-bill-to-admit-military-protective-orders-in-civilian-courts-committee-votes-not-to-pass","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6595039-789e3ad21beb7e01c3f44833f04e2419/orig.mp4?Expires=1770437464&Signature=DZWLzrlgdLOPE8dpxD9PyVo6Sg7ax6TwKF60IdSrX4EspsPvrqjFcGSJU4YaqY-6QmVlrEZEH0Zmk7LMyj~hTlnPgI1MvukFBvQrxQWiHyNSqi0iRvK0eRzLlqUUYAHVPKKdtAYFu7DOtDELB-6vrB7MFCA6HxjfnYXBunu-eIkyL0RZ4c2~19O2FBug-l2EF7ViZNfAAyNwRWX5CN1Kg1QTj5dimrSGUwSFUVPJ2-PnxidhBSqZF~8NPL2HXYSo6vieQ466RAL529urLKv7P7wcCnm6G6quFd3pW1K5QgMywbzVihTodvD6OYH8wRRV~fC-9WVIb4Sr6USJ3Y3N7Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The New Hampshire Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday heard testimony on HB 62, a bill that would make military protective orders admissible as evidence in civilian domestic violence proceedings and authorize limited travel funds for victims to participate in related administrative proceedings. In executive session the committee voted a \"not to pass\" recommendation on the bill.

The bill’s sponsor in the House, Representative Terry Roy, said the change was requested by the U.S. Department of Defense and intended to bridge a jurisdictional gap: \"a military commander can issue a a abuse protection order, but that order is only good on the base or other military US property,\" Roy told the committee. He and DoD and National Guard witnesses said that currently those orders lose enforceability when a service member or victim leaves military property.

Melissa Willette, New England region liaison for the Defense State Liaison Office, testified that admitting Military Protective Orders (MPOs) into state court would \"ensure consistent safety across jurisdictions\" for a population that relocates frequently, and argued the change would \"enhance both resilience and readiness\" for service members and families. Nicole Desilis Vixler, deputy adjutant general for the New Hampshire Department of Military Affairs and Veteran Services, explained the bill would also permit the Adjutant General to provide travel funds from the state general fund to assist victims participating in adverse administrative proceedings.

Pamela Kiley, public policy specialist at the New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence, told the committee the coalition supports HB 62 and summarized its two principal provisions: recognition/definition of a \"military protective order\" within RSA 173-B and access to financial assistance for National Guard members who must attend legal proceedings. Major Ryan Alles, associate general counsel for the New Hampshire National Guard, testified that while New Hampshire law arguably allows MPOs' admission when judges find them relevant, the bill would make admissibility clear to victims and courts.

Support also came from the State Veterans Advisory Committee. Kevin Grady, representing the committee, said in testimony the change would help make protection more seamless between military and civilian systems for families.

In executive session the committee moved and approved a \"not to pass\" recommendation on HB 62. Committee members did not read a roll-call vote on the record at the public portion of the hearing; committee chairs indicated the \"not to pass\" motion carried with five affirmative voices in executive session.

The hearing record contains technical and policy discussion about the bill’s scope, the source of travel funds (witnesses said travel costs would be charged to the state general fund), and whether judges already have discretion to admit MPOs under RSA 173-B. No additional formal directions to staff were recorded in the public hearing minutes.","The Senate Judiciary Committee heard testimony on HB 62, which would allow military protective orders to be admitted as evidence in civilian domestic violence proceedings and authorize travel funds for victims; the committee voted in executive session not to pass the bill.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Senate Judiciary votes to form commission on illicit massage businesses, increase penalties in HB 405

Senate Judiciary votes to advance HB 602 requiring online victim‑impact panel completion for DUI-related offenses

Senate Judiciary hears HB 369 on misdemeanor sexual‑assault prosecutions; sponsors seek to limit repeat testimony for victims

Senate Judiciary hears bill to admit military protective orders in civilian courts; committee votes not to pass