HB1139 Relative to criminal trespass on secured premises.
Relative to criminal trespass on secured premises.
Impact Score — How Does This Bill Affect You?
Overall Impact Score
Concerning
Scale: 1 (harmful) to 10 (beneficial)
Your Wallet
No direct state or local revenue changes, though prosecution and incarceration costs are indeterminable and may increase if fewer trespass convictions result from stricter posting requirements.
Your Community
Residents gain potential access to recreational areas (trails, lakes) on private property through new legal requirements for reasonable public access, though landowners retain discretion to restrict uses that interfere with legitimate interests.
Your Freedom
Property owners face more burdensome and specific posting requirements to protect their land from trespass, while the bill creates new statutory obligations to provide public access to certain recreational areas on private property.
Status
Inexpedient to Legislate: Motion Adopted Voice Vote 02/12/2026 House Journal 4 P. 2
Sponsor
Deborah Aylward (R)
The Short Version
This bill makes it harder to establish criminal trespass charges by requiring property owners to follow stricter posting procedures—signs must be visible from public roads, at least 2 inches high, posted every 100 yards, with owner contact info. It also requires landowners to make reasonable efforts to provide public access to commonly-used recreational areas like trails and lakes unless such access interferes with their legitimate property interests.
Who's Behind This Bill?
Who Benefits
- ▲ Recreationalists and outdoor enthusiasts who may gain legal access to walking trails, lakes, and recreational areas on private property
- ▲ Hikers, hunters, and others seeking public access across privately-owned land
Who Pays the Price
- ▼ Property owners, who must comply with stricter posting standards (visible from public roads, 2-inch lettering, 100-yard spacing, owner contact info) to establish secured premises
- ▼ Landowners of property with commonly-used recreational access, who must make reasonable efforts to provide public access or alternative routes
- ▼ Law enforcement and prosecutors, who may face increased difficulty in prosecuting trespass cases due to more stringent posting requirements
Bill statuses as of October 7, 2026. Check LegiScan or NH General Court for the latest.
This bill was auto-scored using AI analysis of the bill text and legislative data. Scores may be refined as we review more bills.