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SB553 Relative to penalties for attempting to elude pursuit by law enforcement.

Other In Committee Auto-scored

Relative to penalties for attempting to elude pursuit by law enforcement.

Impact Score — How Does This Bill Affect You?

5

Overall Impact Score

Concerning

Scale: 1 (harmful) to 10 (beneficial)

5
💰

Your Wallet

Penalty changes have minimal direct financial impact on law-abiding residents.

6
🏘️

Your Community

Police pursuits are extremely dangerous to bystanders. Appropriate penalties for eluding could deter dangerous chases, though deterrence effects are debated.

5
⚖️

Your Freedom

Criminal penalty adjustments for a specific offense. Balances public safety against proportionate punishment.

Status

Pending Motion Interim Study; 01/29/2026; Senate Journal 2

Sponsor

Donovan Fenton (D)

The Short Version

Addresses penalties for fleeing from law enforcement during a pursuit. High-speed police chases endanger officers, suspects, and bystanders. Sent to interim study for further consideration.

Who's Behind This Bill?

Who Benefits

  • Law enforcement officers
  • Bystanders endangered by police chases
  • Communities affected by high-speed pursuits

Who Pays the Price

  • Defendants facing potentially harsher penalties

Bill statuses as of May 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.