Bill Text: NH HB189 | 2019 | Regular Session | Enrolled
Bill Title: Establishing an exemption from criminal penalties for child sex trafficking victims.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 5-2)
Status: (Passed) 2019-07-03 - Signed by Governor Sununu 07/01/2019; Chapter 151; Eff: 01/01/2020 [HB189 Detail]
Download: New_Hampshire-2019-HB189-Enrolled.html
HB 189-FN - VERSION ADOPTED BY BOTH BODIES
2019 SESSION
19-0161
04/01
HOUSE BILL 189-FN
AN ACT establishing an exemption from criminal penalties for child sex trafficking victims.
SPONSORS: Rep. Massimilla, Graf. 1; Rep. Katsakiores, Rock. 6; Rep. Mangipudi, Hills. 35; Rep. T. Smith, Hills. 17; Rep. Ebel, Merr. 5; Rep. Klee, Hills. 30; Rep. Hennessey, Graf. 1
COMMITTEE: Criminal Justice and Public Safety
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ANALYSIS
This bill exempts juvenile victims of human trafficking from prosecution for certain conduct chargeable as a criminal offense which was committed as a result of being trafficked. The bill also allows juvenile victims of human trafficking to petition to vacate a delinquency adjudication resulting from participating in conduct that was the direct result of being trafficked.
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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
19-0161
04/01
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Nineteen
AN ACT establishing an exemption from criminal penalties for child sex trafficking victims.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 Trafficking in Persons. Amend RSA 633:7, VI to read as follows:
VI.(a) A victim under this section who was under 18 years of age at the time of the offense shall not be subject to juvenile delinquency proceeding under RSA 169-B, or prosecuted for conduct chargeable as indecent exposure and lewdness under RSA 645:1 [or], prostitution under RSA 645:2, or any other misdemeanor or class B felony, where the conduct was committed as a direct result of being trafficked, provided that the conduct chargeable did not involve an act of violence as defined in RSA 625:9, VII.
(b) An individual convicted, or adjudicated as delinquent, for the commission of an offense [under RSA 645:1 or RSA 645:2 for conduct] set forth in subparagraph (a) which was committed as a direct result of being a victim of human trafficking may file a motion with the circuit court, district division, to vacate the conviction or adjudication. A copy of the motion shall be provided to the agency that prosecuted the offense. After a hearing, the court may grant the request upon a finding, by clear and convincing evidence, that the defendant's participation in the offense was a direct result of being trafficked.
(c) The defendant shall not be required to provide any official documentation indicating that he or she was a victim of trafficking, but such documentation, if provided, shall create the presumption that the defendant's participation in the offense was a direct result of being a victim of trafficking.
2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect January 1, 2020.
19-0161
11/7/18
HB 189-FN- FISCAL NOTE
AS INTRODUCED
AN ACT establishing an exemption from criminal penalties for child sex trafficking victims.
FISCAL IMPACT: [ X ] State [ X ] County [ ] Local [ ] None
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STATE: | FY 2020 | FY 2021 | FY 2022 | FY 2023 |
Appropriation | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Revenue | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Expenditures | Indeterminable Decrease | Indeterminable Decrease | Indeterminable Decrease | Indeterminable Decrease |
Funding Source: | [ X ] General [ ] Education [ ] Highway [ ] Other | |||
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COUNTY: |
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Revenue | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Expenditures | Indeterminable Decrease | Indeterminable Decrease | Indeterminable Decrease | Indeterminable Decrease |
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METHODOLOGY:
This bill contains penalties that may have an impact on the New Hampshire judicial and correctional systems. There is no method to determine how many fewer charges would be brought as a result of the changes contained in this bill to determine the fiscal impact on expenditures. However, the entities impacted have provided the potential costs associated with these penalties below.
Judicial Branch | FY 2020 | FY 2021 |
Class B Misdemeanor | $53 | $54 |
Class A Misdemeanor | $76 | $77 |
Routine Criminal Felony Case | $481 | $486 |
Appeals | Varies | Varies |
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It should be noted that average case cost estimates for FY 2020 and FY 2021 are based on data that is more than ten years old and does not reflect changes to the courts over that same period of time or the impact these changes may have on processing the various case types. An unspecified misdemeanor can be either class A or class B, with the presumption being a class B misdemeanor. | ||
NH Association of Counties |
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County Prosecution Costs | Indeterminable | Indeterminable |
Estimated Average Daily Cost of Incarcerating an Individual | $105 to $120 | $105 to $120 |
The Judicial Council indicates the indigent defense system is rarely called upon to provide representation to juvenile victims of sex trafficking and this bill would have no effect on the Council's expenditures for defense of the indigent accused. The Council assumes a juvenile would not be entitled to counsel for motions to vacate convictions or adjudications.
The Department of Justice is not involved in this type of juvenile delinquency proceedings and the Department does not anticipate the bill would result in any fiscal impact to the Department.
The Department of Corrections indicates this bill would have no fiscal impact on the Department.
AGENCIES CONTACTED:
Judicial Branch, Judicial Council, Departments of Justice and Corrections
