This bill amends the current capital murder statute in New Hampshire to include specific protections for certain political figures. It introduces a new provision under RSA 630:1, I(h) that makes it a capital murder offense to knowingly cause the death of the governor or governor-elect, members or member-elects of the executive council, the New Hampshire Senate, or the New Hampshire House of Representatives, as well as any candidates for these offices after they have been nominated in their party's primary. The motivation for the killing must be based on the knowledge of the victim's political capacity.

Additionally, the bill modifies the existing language in RSA 630:1-a, I(b)(4) by removing references to the governor or governor-elect of New Hampshire while adding protections for these positions in the context of federal officials. The bill specifies that the killing of the president, vice president, or members of Congress is also considered first-degree murder if motivated by knowledge of their official capacity. The act is set to take effect on January 1, 2027. The fiscal impact of the bill is indeterminable, as it may affect judicial and correctional systems, potentially influencing costs related to prosecution, incarceration, probation, and parole.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 630:1, 630:1-a
HB1047 text: 630:1, 630:1-a