Bill > HB1619

This bill establishes a new chapter in New Hampshire law, Chapter 507-H, titled "Expectation of Privacy," which aims to protect personal information held by third-party providers. It states that individuals have an expectation of privacy in their personal information, including identifiers, content, and usage, provided to services like phone companies, internet providers, banks, and social media platforms. The bill prohibits municipal, state, or federal government entities, their employees, or contractors from acquiring, collecting, retaining, or using this personal information from New Hampshire residents, unless they obtain a warrant based on probable cause or a recognized legal exception, or in specific emergency situations like 911 calls. It also outlines exceptions for hiring, investigating employee misconduct, and emergencies involving severe harm or property damage, and allows for information to be requested if required by law for named individuals or all employees of a provider. The bill clarifies that it does not create legal action against corporations for complying with its provisions and will be interpreted to offer the strongest possible privacy protection for New Hampshire residents, with any conflicting federal laws taking precedence.