# New Hampshire HB592: relative to magistrates and the standards applicable to and the administration of bail. New Hampshire HB592, relative to magistrates and the standards applicable to and the administration of bail., is a 2025-2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Ross Berry; status signed, last action 2025-03-26 (Signed by Governor Ayotte 03/25/2025; Chapter 3; eff. 9/21/25) (as of 2026-10-17). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/NH-HB592-2025-2026 - As of: 2026-10-17 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: New Hampshire HB592 - State: New Hampshire - Session: 2025-2026 Regular Session - Title: relative to magistrates and the standards applicable to and the administration of bail. - Status: signed - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2025-01-16 - Last action: 2025-03-26, Signed by Governor Ayotte 03/25/2025; Chapter 3; eff. 9/21/25 - Sponsor: Ross Berry - Cosponsors: 3 - Touches household money: no - Economic provisions PRIA read: 8 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Bail hearing rights and misdemeanor release: benefit, medium. People charged with probation violations get a bail hearing, except as provided in RSA 597:1-d. While awaiting the violation hearing, the court must order release, release with conditions, or detention. People charged with Class B misdemeanors must be released on their promise to return until arrai… - Faster court appearances and detention reviews: benefit, medium. Arrested people must reach Circuit or Superior Court without unreasonable delay and within 24 hours, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays. The law removes the former 36-hour exception when a lawyer could not attend certain arraignments. Circuit Court detainees get a hearing within 36 hours af… - Clearer bail orders and legal access: benefit, low. Courts must give released people a clear written list of every release condition and the law against intimidating witnesses and informants. A bail no-contact order does not stop defense lawyers from contacting lawyers for protected people. When both people are parties in a domestic-violence or mari… - Courts can consider sole caretaker parents: benefit, low. Courts can consider family needs when a parent remains detained because they cannot meet release conditions or post bond. The parent must be the child's sole caretaker. Courts can consider whether detention makes the child the responsibility of the Division for Children, Youth and Families. This do… - Longer detention for release rule violations: cost, medium. People arrested for alleged offenses committed while on qualifying release, probation, or parole can be held up to 72 hours. Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays do not count; the probation and parole rules have an exception under RSA 597:1-d, III. If the responsible official does not take custody in t… - Courts scrutinize property offered for bail: cost, low. Courts can investigate the source of property offered as bail collateral or pledged for forfeiture if someone misses court. They must investigate when the state requests it. Courts must reject property whose source means it will not reasonably ensure the defendant returns to court. The law also rep… - Magistrates end as court training changes: mixed, low. The law repeals the statute creating magistrates and their related appropriation, and removes magistrates from training and bail laws. It establishes a Judicial Training Coordinator under the Chief Justice, with the position filled by July 1, 2025. Initial and continuing training requirements apply… - Stricter detention rules for danger cases: mixed, low. People charged with violating protective orders under RSA 173-B or RSA 633:3-a must be held without bail until arraignment. For offenses listed in RSA 173-B:1, I and specified protective-order violations, courts can also order detention without bail. That decision requires clear and convincing evid… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Ross Berry - Cosponsor: Brian D Cole (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Mike Bordes (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Steven Kesselring (Republican), House ## Actions (22) - 2025-03-26: Signed by Governor Ayotte 03/25/2025; Chapter 3; eff. 9/21/25 (House) - 2025-03-24: Enrolled (in recess of) 03/20/2025 HJ 10 P. 35 (House) - 2025-03-20: Special Order to the Beginning of the Regular Calendar, Without Objection; 03/20/2025; SJ 8 (Senate) - 2025-03-20: HB 592-FN was Removed from the Consent Calendar; 03/20/2025; SJ 8 (Senate) - 2025-03-20: Enrolled Adopted, VV, 03/20/2025 SJ 8 (Senate) - 2025-03-20: Ought to Pass: RC 23Y-0N, MA; OT3rdg; 03/20/2025; SJ 8 (Senate) - 2025-03-18: Committee Report: Ought to Pass, 03/20/2025; Vote 5-0; CC; SC 14 (Senate) - 2025-03-14: Hearing: 03/18/2025, Room 100, SH, 02:00 pm; SC 14 (Senate) - 2025-03-14: Introduced 03/13/2025 and Referred to Judiciary; SJ 7 (Senate) - 2025-03-13: Referral Waived by Committee Chair per House Rule 47(f) 03/13/2025 HJ 8 P. 88 (House) - 2025-03-13: Referred to Finance 03/13/2025 HJ 8 P. 33 (House) - 2025-03-13: Ought to Pass with Amendment 2025-0448h 2025-0940h: MA DV 204-175 03/13/2025 HJ 8 P. 33 (House) - 2025-03-13: Lay HB 592 on Table (Rep. N. Germana): MF DV 177-202 03/13/2025 HJ 8 P. 33 (House) - 2025-03-13: FLAM # 2025-0940h (Rep. Roy): AA DV 206-173 03/13/2025 HJ 8 P. 32 (House) - 2025-03-13: FLAM # 2025-0939h (Rep. Scherr): AF DV 171-209 03/13/2025 HJ 8 P. 31 (House) - 2025-03-13: Amendment # 2025-0448h: AA DV 209-167 03/13/2025 HJ 8 P. 29 (House) - 2025-03-03: Minority Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2025-0596h (House) - 2025-03-03: Majority Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2025-0448h 02/28/2025 (Vote 9-7; RC) (House) - 2025-02-20: ==CONTINUED== Executive Session: 02/26/2025 10:00 am LOB 202-204 (House) - 2025-02-12: ==RECESSED== Executive Session: 02/21/2025 10:00 am LOB 202-204 (House) - 2025-01-22: Public Hearing: 01/29/2025 02:00 pm LOB 202-204 (House) - 2025-01-16: Introduced (in recess of) 01/09/2025 and referred to Criminal Justice and Public Safety HJ 3 P. 17 (House) ## Bill text - Enrolled, 2025-03-20: [HTML](https://gc.nh.gov/bill_status/billinfo.aspx?id=804&inflession=2025) - Introduced, 2025-01-16: [PDF](https://gc.nh.gov/bill_status/pdf.aspx?q=billVersion&id=6729) - CHAPTERED FINAL VERSION: [PDF](https://gc.nh.gov/bill_status/pdf.aspx?q=billVersion&id=11889) - Version adopted by both bodies: [PDF](https://gc.nh.gov/bill_status/pdf.aspx?q=billVersion&id=11358) ## Related bills - HB2026: (New Title) relative to the state 10-year transportation improvement plan; relative to toll rate adjustments and periodic toll reviews for the New Hampshire tu… (became law) - HB1002: repealing the solar energy systems tax exemption. (failed) - SB101: (Second New Title) authorizing parents to enroll their children in any public school in the state. (failed) - CACR22: relating to the compensation of the legislature. Providing that the present compensation per elected term for legislators is hereby abolished. (failed) - HB1834: relative to the education freedom account enrollment cap. (failed) - HB1786: relative to creating a state assessment on non-homestead luxury second homes to fund statewide housing development programs and address housing shortages and m… (failed) ## Sources - [Enrolled (HTML)](https://gc.nh.gov/bill_status/billinfo.aspx?id=804&inflession=2025) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://gc.nh.gov/bill_status/pdf.aspx?q=billVersion&id=6729) - [CHAPTERED FINAL VERSION (PDF)](https://gc.nh.gov/bill_status/pdf.aspx?q=billVersion&id=11889) - [Version adopted by both bodies (PDF)](https://gc.nh.gov/bill_status/pdf.aspx?q=billVersion&id=11358) ## Related - [HB2026: (New Title) relative to the state 10-year transportation improvement plan; rela…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/NH-HB2026-2025-2026) - [HB1002: repealing the solar energy systems tax exemption.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/NH-HB1002-2025-2026) - [SB101: (Second New Title) authorizing parents to enroll their children in any public s…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/NH-SB101-2025-2026) - [CACR22: relating to the compensation of the legislature. Providing that the present com…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/NH-CACR22-2025-2026) - [HB1834: relative to the education freedom account enrollment cap.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/NH-HB1834-2025-2026) - [HB1786: relative to creating a state assessment on non-homestead luxury second homes to…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/NH-HB1786-2025-2026) - [New Hampshire bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/new-hampshire/bills) - [New Hampshire state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/new-hampshire) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/NH-HB592-2025-2026 (as of 2026-10-17).