Bill > HB697

This bill amends existing law regarding witness fees in criminal cases, specifically RSA 516:16, to allow civilian witnesses who appear in court as summoned but are required to return on a subsequent day to testify in the same proceeding, through no fault of their own, to receive a fee for each subsequent day of attendance and mileage for travel. The rates for these fees and mileage will be the same as those established in federal law under 28 U.S.C. section 1821, which sets standards for witness compensation in federal court. This change means that witnesses will not be paid for their initial appearance if they are required to come back later, but they will be compensated for the additional days they must attend court. The bill takes effect on January 1, 2026, and its fiscal impact is considered indeterminable, as it depends on how often witnesses are required to return to court on multiple days.

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https://gc.nh.gov/bill_Status/billinfo.aspx?id=427&inflect=2