Bill > SB460

This bill modifies New Hampshire's loitering or prowling law by adding a new provision specifically targeting registered sex offenders who committed sexual offenses against children under 13 years old. Under the proposed law, such offenders would commit a violation if they knowingly appear within 1,000 feet of certain locations under circumstances that would cause alarm, including childcare facilities, churches, schools, or areas where minor children typically gather. The law applies to individuals classified as tier II or tier III offenders under the state's sex offender registration statute (RSA 651-B). By creating this specific legal restriction, the bill aims to prevent potential interactions between these offenders and children in places where children are likely to be present. The bill is set to take effect on January 1, 2027, and was requested by the Department of Safety. While the fiscal note indicates that the bill may have indeterminable impacts on state and local expenditures related to judicial and correctional systems, no specific funding appropriations are attached to its implementation.