# New Hampshire SB267: relative to the penalty for engaging in prostitution as a patron.

New Hampshire SB267, relative to the penalty for engaging in prostitution as a patron., is a 2025-2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Donovan Fenton (Democratic); status signed, last action 2025-07-29 (Signed by the Governor on 07/29/2025; Chapter 260; Effective 01/01/2026) (as of 2026-10-17).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/NH-SB267-2025-2026
- 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 SB267
- State: New Hampshire
- Session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
- Title: relative to the penalty for engaging in prostitution as a patron.
- Status: signed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2025-01-23
- Last action: 2025-07-29, Signed by the Governor on 07/29/2025; Chapter 260; Effective 01/01/2026
- Sponsor: Donovan Fenton (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 3
- Touches household money: no
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 1

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Prostitution patrons face $500 fines and misdemeanors: cost, low. Beginning January 1, 2026, New Hampshire replaces its prior paying-for-sex offense with a class A misdemeanor. It covers paying, agreeing to pay, or offering to pay for sexual contact or penetration with oneself or another person. Courts must also add a $500 fine for each prostitution conviction wh…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Donovan Fenton (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Nancy A Murphy (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Pat Long (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Suzanne M. Prentiss (Democratic), Senate

## Actions (20)

- 2025-07-29: Signed by the Governor on 07/29/2025; Chapter 260; Effective 01/01/2026 (Senate)
- 2025-07-18: Enrolled (in recess of) 06/26/2025 HJ 18 P. 64 (House)
- 2025-07-18: Enrolled Adopted, VV, (In recess 06/26/2025); SJ 18 (Senate)
- 2025-07-14: Enrolled Bill Amendment # 2025-2913e Adopted, VV, (In recess of 06/26/2025); SJ 18 (Senate)
- 2025-07-08: Enrolled Bill Amendment # 2025-2913e: AA VV (in recess of) 06/26/2025 HJ 18 P. 60 (House)
- 2025-06-12: Sen. Gannon Moved to Concur with the House Amendment, MA, VV; 06/12/2025; SJ 16 (Senate)
- 2025-05-22: Ought to Pass with Amendment 2025-2330h: MA RC 292-72 05/22/2025 HJ 15 P. 15 (House)
- 2025-05-22: FLAM # 2025-2330h (Rep. Rhodes): AA VV 05/22/2025 HJ 15 P. 15 (House)
- 2025-05-22: Lay SB267 on Table (Rep. Harrington): MF RC 110-253 05/22/2025 HJ 15 P. 12 (House)
- 2025-05-14: Minority Committee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate (House)
- 2025-05-14: Majority Committee Report: Ought to Pass 04/30/2025 (Vote 14-2; RC) (House)
- 2025-04-14: ==CANCELLED== Executive Session: 04/25/2025 10:00 am LOB 202-204 (House)
- 2025-04-14: ==RECESSED== Executive Session: 04/23/2025 11:00 am LOB 202-204 (House)
- 2025-04-01: Public Hearing: 04/11/2025 01:30 pm LOB 202-204 (House)
- 2025-03-28: Introduced (in recess of) 03/27/2025 and referred to Criminal Justice and Public Safety HJ 11 P. 113 (House)
- 2025-03-06: Ought to Pass with Amendment #2025-0713s, MA, VV; OT3rdg; 03/06/2025; SJ 6 (Senate)
- 2025-03-06: Sen. Abbas Floor Amendment # 2025-0713s, AA, VV; 03/06/2025; SJ 6 (Senate)
- 2025-02-21: Committee Report: Ought to Pass, 03/06/2025, Vote 4-0; SC 11 (Senate)
- 2025-02-12: Hearing: 02/20/2025, Room 100, SH, 01:00 pm; SC 10 (Senate)
- 2025-01-23: Introduced 01/09/2025 and Referred to Judiciary; SJ 3 (Senate)

## Bill text

- As Amended, 2025-07-14: [PDF](https://gc.nh.gov/bill_status/pdf.aspx?q=billVersion&id=10420)
- Enrolled, 2025-07-08: [HTML](https://gc.nh.gov/bill_status/billinfo.aspx?id=1128&inflession=2025)
- Introduced, 2025-01-23: [PDF](https://gc.nh.gov/bill_status/pdf.aspx?q=billVersion&id=7926)
- CHAPTERED FINAL VERSION: [PDF](https://gc.nh.gov/bill_status/pdf.aspx?q=billVersion&id=16990)
- Version adopted by both bodies: [PDF](https://gc.nh.gov/bill_status/pdf.aspx?q=billVersion&id=16158)

## 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
- [As Amended (PDF)](https://gc.nh.gov/bill_status/pdf.aspx?q=billVersion&id=10420)
- [Enrolled (HTML)](https://gc.nh.gov/bill_status/billinfo.aspx?id=1128&inflession=2025)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://gc.nh.gov/bill_status/pdf.aspx?q=billVersion&id=7926)
- [CHAPTERED FINAL VERSION (PDF)](https://gc.nh.gov/bill_status/pdf.aspx?q=billVersion&id=16990)
- [Version adopted by both bodies (PDF)](https://gc.nh.gov/bill_status/pdf.aspx?q=billVersion&id=16158)

## 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)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/NH-SB267-2025-2026 (as of 2026-10-17).