This bill amends RSA 651:5, I to require courts to waive the $125 filing fee for petitioners seeking annulment of criminal records if they can demonstrate that they have been found not guilty or that their case has been dismissed or not prosecuted. The new legal language inserted into the current law specifies that the court shall waive the fee for those petitioners, thereby facilitating the annulment process for individuals who have not been convicted of a crime. The bill maintains the existing provisions regarding the annulment process, which allows the court to grant or deny annulments based on the potential benefit to the petitioner's rehabilitation and public welfare.

The fiscal impact of this bill is projected to result in a decrease in revenue for the state, estimated to be between $10,000 and $100,000 annually, as a significant portion of annulment petitions may involve cases where the filing fee would be waived. The Judicial Branch reported that in 2024, it collected $221,425 in annulment filing fees, and the reduction in revenue is attributed to the anticipated increase in fee waivers under the new law. The bill is set to take effect on January 1, 2027.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 651:5
SB512 text: 651:5