Governor Chris Sununu Signs 15 Bills Into Law, Vetoes 1

Concord, NH – Today, Governor Chris Sununu issued the following statement regarding HB 1003, relative to name changes for inmates, parolees, and convicted felons:

“It is our shared responsibility to provide for the protection of the most vulnerable among us, especially children and victims of violent crime,” said Governor Chris Sununu. “In signing this bill, the State of New Hampshire is safeguarding victim rights by increasing notification requirements to victims and their families.” 

“We are grateful to Governor Sununu for recognizing the significance of this legislation, which will put important safeguards in place to ensure violent offenders can’t simply erase their past and escape accountability through a name change,” said Amanda Grady Sexton, Director of Public Affairs, NH Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence. “We were honored to support several courageous survivors in advocating for the passage of HB1003 this session and are thankful to the lawmakers who heard survivors’ stories and worked with them to make this critical change to state law.”

The Governor signed the following 15 bills into law today:

• HB 1003: Relative to name changes for inmates, parolees, and convicted violent felons
• HB 1015: Relative to requirements for literacy skill development in elementary grades
• HB 1171: Extending the commission to study environmentally-triggered chronic illness
• HB 1296: Relative to insurance coverage for diagnostic and supplemental breast examinations
• HB 1627: Relative to recodifying certain laws concerning railroads, transportation, and telecommunications
• SB 210: Relative to the licensing of software applications by state agencies
• SB 314: Relative to pre-trial competency evaluations
• SB 367: Reestablishing the commission to study the incidence of post-traumatic stress disorder in first responders
• SB 376: Relative to establishing a corrections education and vocational planning group
• SB 385: Relative to the cost of care fund
• SB 420: Relative to requiring an additional report from the legislative study committee concerning the long-term impact of the New Hampshire adult parole system
• SB 437: relative to local authority to amend the state building code
• SB 478: Relative to child day care, residential care, and child-placing agency licensing
• SB 506: Relative to aligning statutes with the age of a delinquent established under the juvenile delinquency statute
• SB 564: Relative to crimes involving child sexual abuse images

Today, Governor Sununu also vetoed HB 1233, relative to animal chiropractors. A copy of the Governor’s veto message can be found here.