This bill establishes felony-level offenses for assaults against firefighters, emergency medical care providers, and law enforcement officers, specifically targeting those who assault law enforcement officers due to their employment. It amends the Criminal Code by adding new subparagraphs to RSA 631:1 and RSA 631:2, which define first and second-degree assaults that result in serious bodily injury or bodily injury to these professionals while they are acting in the line of duty. The bill also allows law enforcement officers to arrest individuals without a warrant if they have probable cause to believe that such assaults have occurred, and it establishes that a finding of probable cause constitutes prima facie evidence that the defendant is dangerous.

Additionally, the bill modifies RSA 651:6 to specify that certain crimes against law enforcement officers and emergency responders will result in an extended term of imprisonment, while excluding violations of the newly defined assault offenses from this provision. The effective date for this act is set for January 1, 2026. The fiscal impact of the bill is indeterminable, as it may affect the judicial and correctional systems, potentially influencing costs related to prosecution, incarceration, probation, and parole for state and local governments.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 631:1, 631:2, 651:6
As Amended by the House: 631:1, 631:2, 651:6