This bill introduces Chapter 188-K to the New Hampshire Revised Statutes, establishing due process protections for students, student organizations, and faculty members at publicly funded colleges and universities. Key rights outlined in the bill include written notice of allegations, access to evidence, the presumption of innocence, the right against self-incrimination, the ability to confront witnesses, and the right to an impartial hearing. Additionally, it allows for the presence of an advisor during proceedings and mandates that a verbatim record of the hearing be maintained. These rights must be provided prior to any disciplinary action, except in cases of imminent threats. The bill also clarifies that public institutions can adopt more protective measures but cannot offer less protection than those specified in the new chapter.

The bill replaces existing grievance and arbitration processes with a formal hearing structure and invalidates certain provisions in faculty collective bargaining agreements upon their expiration, while preserving existing provisions for staff. This change is expected to increase operational costs for the Community College System of New Hampshire (CCSNH) and the University System of New Hampshire (USNH), with CCSNH estimating costs between $0 to $500,000 annually starting in FY 2027, and USNH anticipating costs of $500,000 or more per year. The bill is set to take effect on July 1, 2026, necessitating careful planning and resource allocation by the affected institutions to comply with the new due process requirements.