This bill establishes the New Hampshire Third-Party Litigation Funding Transparency Act, which prohibits foreign adversary persons or foreign entities of concern from financing lawsuits and prohibits foreign principals from registering as lobbyists. It also mandates specific disclosures for individuals acting on behalf of foreign principals. The bill introduces new definitions, including "commercial litigation financier," "consumer legal funding agreement," and "foreign entity of concern," while clarifying the types of agreements that are exempt from the definition of commercial litigation financing agreements. Notably, it prohibits any commercial litigation financing agreements with foreign entities of concern or foreign countries.

Additionally, the bill amends existing lobbyist registration requirements to include a mandate that lobbyists disclose if their client is a foreign principal, along with the name of the relevant foreign country of concern. It explicitly states that foreign principals may not register as lobbyists in New Hampshire and requires registered lobbyists representing foreign principals to identify themselves and disclose their status during public hearings. The bill also requires the Secretary of State to provide an annual report detailing lobbyists registered on behalf of foreign principals. The effective date for the provisions of this act is set for January 1, 2027.

Statutes affected:
As Amended by the Senate: 15:1, 15:6
Version adopted by both bodies: 15:1, 15:6