This bill amends the endangering the welfare of a child statute to include certain persons attempting to entice or manipulate a child into sexual activity. The bill adds several new provisions to the statute, including the solicitation of a child under the age of 16 to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of creating a visual representation, the solicitation of a child under the age of 16 for the purpose of engaging in sexual penetration or sexual contact, the placement of a child in fear for the purpose of facilitating sexual penetration or sexual contact, and the engagement of a person in a position of power, authority, or supervision over a child in a course of conduct with the purpose of persuading, inducing, enticing, coercing, luring, or manipulating the child to engage in sexual penetration or sexual contact. The bill defines "course of conduct" as 3 or more separate and independent acts, including acts in person, through written materials, through telephonic correspondence, or through electronic communication. The bill takes effect on January 1, 2025.

This bill may have an impact on the judicial and correctional systems, which could affect prosecution, incarceration, probation, and parole costs for the state, as well as county and local governments. The exact fiscal impact is indeterminable. The bill has been reviewed by the Judicial Branch, Judicial Council, Department of Justice, Department of Corrections, New Hampshire Association of Counties, and New Hampshire Municipal Association.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 639:3