This bill, known as "Charlotte's Law," establishes the crime of criminal neglect of a child under a new section, RSA 639:3-a. It defines criminal neglect as the failure of a person responsible for a child's welfare to provide necessary care, food, clothing, medical care, shelter, or protection from controlled substances, resulting in serious endangerment to the child's physical, mental, or emotional health. The bill specifies that neglect must occur for reasons other than poverty and outlines penalties for violations, including class A felonies for cases resulting in a child's death and class B felonies for serious bodily injury or repeated offenses. Additionally, it amends RSA 651:6 to include this new crime in the list of offenses that can lead to extended terms of imprisonment for crimes against children under 13 years of age.

The bill will take effect on January 1, 2026, and is expected to have indeterminable fiscal impacts on state and local governments due to potential changes in judicial and correctional costs associated with the new criminal penalties. The bill does not project any revenue generation but acknowledges that it may affect prosecution, incarceration, probation, and parole costs.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 651:6