HB697 Relative to witness fees in criminal cases.
Relative to witness fees in criminal cases.
Impact Score — How Does This Bill Affect You?
Overall Impact Score
Mixed
Scale: 1 (harmful) to 10 (beneficial)
Your Wallet
Civilian witnesses gain modest financial compensation for subsequent court days (aligning with federal rates), but this creates indeterminable state expenditures with no appropriation provided to cover them.
Your Community
The bill affects criminal court proceedings and witness participation but does not directly impact schools, local services, or community infrastructure.
Your Freedom
The bill modestly improves the fairness of the criminal justice system by compensating witnesses for the burden of multiple court appearances, reducing financial hardship on those required to participate in proceedings.
Status
Refer to Interim Study, Motion Adopted, Voice Vote; 01/07/2026; Senate Journal 1
Sponsor
Kelley Potenza (R)
The Short Version
This bill allows civilian witnesses in criminal cases to receive compensation (daily fees and mileage) only if they must return to court on a subsequent day, not for their initial appearance. The state will bear indeterminable costs starting in 2026, depending on how often witnesses are required to return.
Who's Behind This Bill?
Who Benefits
- ▲ Civilian witnesses required to return to court multiple times in criminal proceedings
- ▲ Witnesses traveling outside their home town or city to testify
Who Pays the Price
- ▼ State General Fund (Department of Justice or Judicial Branch, though bill does not clarify which) must absorb indeterminable witness fee and mileage costs with no new appropriation
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.