The bill, known as "Kitana's Law," establishes a procedure for local or county government bodies to request an independent investigation by the state police into a local police department's investigation. It amends RSA 21-M:12-a, II by adding a new subparagraph (f), which mandates that upon receiving a request for review from a municipal governing body, county attorney, or county sheriff, the solicitor general or their designee must direct the state police to conduct a separate and independent investigation and issue a separate and independent report. The solicitor general or designee is also responsible for ensuring that the state police receive all the information and evidence that was available to the local police department or the requesting entity. The act is set to take effect 60 days after its passage.
The fiscal note attached to the bill indicates that there will be an increase in costs to the Department of Justice, estimated at $220,000 in FY 2025, $215,000 in FY 2026, and $218,000 in FY 2027, to handle the anticipated workload increase due to the new obligation. These costs are associated with the likely need for two new positions—an attorney and an investigative paralegal. However, the bill does not provide funding or authorization for these new positions. The Department of Safety has stated that it is difficult to determine the fiscal impact on them, as the number of requests for independent investigations and the resources required are unpredictable. The bill does not specify any impact on state, county, or local revenues, and the impact on county and local expenditures is indeterminable.