HB 1279 (2026): relative to the use of physical force in defense of a person.

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MLA: “HB 1279 (2026): relative to the use of physical force in defense of a person.” Granite Record, https://graniterecord.org/bill/2026/hb1279. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.
APA: Granite Record. (n.d.). HB 1279 (2026): relative to the use of physical force in defense of a person. Retrieved 19 Oct. 2026, from https://graniterecord.org/bill/2026/hb1279
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BibTeX: @misc{bill-2026-hb1279, title = {HB 1279 (2026): relative to the use of physical force in defense of a person.}, howpublished = {Granite Record}, url = {https://graniterecord.org/bill/2026/hb1279}, note = {Accessed 19 Oct. 2026} }

HB 1279 (2026)

relative to the use of physical force in defense of a person.

Status: Signed into law
Term: 2025-2026
House committee: Criminal Justice and Public Safety
Senate committee: Judiciary
Subject: Crimes, Criminal Procedure and Corrections
Chapter law: 323

The Story

It was introduced on January 7, 2026 and referred to the House Criminal Justice and Public Safety committee. The committee held a public hearing on January 29, 2026, with 259 people signed in online: 168 in support and 91 in opposition. The committee met in executive session on February 13, 2026 to vote on its recommendation. The majority recommended that the House pass it, and the minority recommended that the House kill it, by a vote of 7–6. The report was placed on the regular calendar. On March 11, 2026 the House voted to pass it on a division vote 183–144. It crossed to the Senate on March 12, 2026 and was referred to the Senate Judiciary committee. The committee held a public hearing on April 9, 2026. The committee voted 4–1 to recommend that the Senate pass it with changes (amendment 2026-1545s), and the report was placed on the consent calendar. The bill was taken off the consent calendar on May 14, 2026. The committee's amendment (2026-1545s) was adopted on a voice vote on May 14, 2026, changing the text of the bill. A floor amendment (2026-1944s), offered by Sen. Suzanne Prentiss, was adopted on a voice vote on May 14, 2026, changing the text of the bill. On May 14, 2026 the Senate voted to pass it with changes on a voice vote and ordered it to a third reading. On May 14, 2026 the House adopted “House Non-Concurs with Senate Amendment 2026-1545s and 2026-1944s and Requests CofC” on a voice vote, on a motion by Rep. Terry Roy. On May 14, 2026 the Senate adopted “Accedes to House Request for Committee of Conference” on a voice vote, on a motion by Sen. James Gray. A committee of conference met on May 27, 2026 and May 28, 2026 to try to settle the differences between the two chambers' versions of the bill. The Senate adopted the conference report (2026-2115c) on a voice vote. On June 4, 2026 the House adopted the conference report (2026-2115c) on a roll call 208–140. The bill was enrolled on June 4, 2026 — the final check of the text before it goes to the governor — and an enrolled bill amendment (2026-2186e) was adopted on a voice vote to correct technical errors found after passage. The governor signed it on July 15, 2026, making it Chapter 323 of the session laws.

Hearings and Sessions

January 29, 2026, 3:30 PM: public hearing, House Criminal Justice and Public Safety, GP 159
February 13, 2026, 3:30 PM: executive session, House Criminal Justice and Public Safety, GP 159
March 11, 2026: floor debate, House
April 9, 2026, 1:00 PM: hearing, Senate Judiciary, SH 100
May 14, 2026: floor debate, Senate
May 27, 2026, 11:30 AM: committee of conference, GP 234
May 28, 2026, 10:30 AM: committee of conference, GP 231
June 4, 2026: floor debate, House

Votes

March 11, 2026, House: Ought to Pass — yeas 183, nays 144, passed
May 14, 2026, Senate: Ought to Pass with Amendments #2026-1545s and #2026-1944s — voice vote, passed
May 14, 2026, House: House Non-Concurs with Senate Amendment 2026-1545s and 2026-1944s and Requests CofC — voice vote, passed
May 14, 2026, Senate: Accedes to House Request for Committee of Conference — voice vote, passed
May 29, 2026, Senate: Adopt Conference Committee Report — voice vote, passed
June 4, 2026, House: Adopt Conference Committee Report — yeas 208, nays 140, passed

The Docket

January 7, 2026: Introduced 01/07/2026 and referred to Criminal Justice and Public Safety
January 29, 2026: Public Hearing: 01/29/2026 03:30 pm GP 159
February 13, 2026: Executive Session: 02/13/2026 03:30 pm GP 159
February 13, 2026: Majority Committee Report: Ought to Pass 02/13/2026 (Vote 7-6; RC)
March 2, 2026: Minority Committee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate
March 11, 2026: Ought to Pass: MA DV 183-144 03/11/2026
March 12, 2026: Introduced 03/12/2026 and Referred to Judiciary
April 9, 2026: Hearing: 04/09/2026, Room 100, SH, 01:00 pm
May 14, 2026: Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2026-1545s, 05/14/2026; Vote 4-1; CC
May 14, 2026: HB 1279 was Removed from the Consent Calendar; 05/14/2026
May 14, 2026: Committee Amendment # 2026-1545s, AA, VV; 05/14/2026
May 14, 2026: Sen. Prentiss Floor Amendment # 2026-1944s, AA, VV; 05/14/2026
May 14, 2026: Ought to Pass with Amendments #2026-1545s and #2026-1944s, MA, VV; OT3rdg; 05/14/2026
May 14, 2026: House Non-Concurs with Senate Amendment 2026-1545s and 2026-1944s and Requests CofC (Rep. Roy): MA VV 05/14/2026
May 14, 2026: Sen. Gray Accedes to House Request for Committee of Conference, MA, VV; (In recess 05/14/2026)
May 20, 2026: Speaker Appoints: Reps. Roy, Rhodes, Proulx, Kofalt 05/14/2026
May 21, 2026: President Appoints: Senators Gannon, Rochefort, Prentiss; (In Recess 05/14/2026)
May 27, 2026: Conference Committee Meeting: 05/27/2026 11:30 am GP 234
May 27, 2026: Conferee Change; Senator Abbas Replaces Senator Gannon
May 27, 2026: Conferee Change; Senator Perkins Kwoka Replaces Senator Prentiss
May 28, 2026: Conference Committee Meeting: 05/28/2026 10:30 am GP 231
May 28, 2026: Conferee Change: Rep. S. Smith Replaces Rep. Proulx 05/28/2026
May 28, 2026: Conference Committee Report Filed, # 2026-2115c; 06/04/2026
May 29, 2026: Conference Committee Report # 2026-2115c, Adopted, VV; 06/04/2026
June 4, 2026: Removed from Consent (Reps. Selig, Harriott-Gathright, Newell, R. Newman, Schultz, Parshall, Lane, Weber, Horrigan, Vail) 06/04/2026
June 4, 2026: Conference Committee Report 2026-2115c: Adopted, RC 208-140 06/04/2026
June 4, 2026: Enrolled Bill Amendment # 2026-2186e Adopted, VV, (In recess of 06/04/2026)
June 4, 2026: Enrolled Bill Amendment # 2026-2186e: AA VV (in recess of) 06/04/2026
June 4, 2026: Enrolled (in recess of) 06/04/2026
June 4, 2026: Enrolled Adopted, VV, (In recess 06/04/2026)
July 15, 2026: Signed by Governor Ayotte 07/15/2026; Chapter 323; eff.01/01/2027

Laws It Would Change

RSA 627:4