This bill amends the legal framework surrounding the offense of criminal threatening by revising the circumstances under which an individual may be exempt from criminal liability. Specifically, it repeals and reenacts RSA 631:4, IV to state that a person who displays a firearm or other lawful means of self-defense in response to conduct that a reasonable person could perceive as likely to result in serious bodily injury, death, property damage, theft, unlawful intrusion, or refusal to leave after lawful trespass notice shall not be considered to have committed a criminal act. The bill clarifies that this provision does not limit the open carrying of firearms as permitted by law.

The effective date for this act is set for January 1, 2027. The fiscal impact of the bill is indeterminable for both state and local governments, as it may influence costs related to the judicial and correctional systems, including prosecution, incarceration, probation, and parole. The bill does not project any revenue changes and indicates that the expenditures related to its implementation are uncertain.