Ayotte Signs Bail Reform Into Law, Ending "Revolving Door" for Repeat Offenders

Gov. Ayotte signs HB592 (Courtesy)

CONCORD, N.H. — Governor Kelly Ayotte signed House Bill 592 into law Tuesday morning, delivering on a Republican-led promise to overhaul New Hampshire’s troubled bail system and restore public confidence in pretrial release decisions. The new law, which includes a 180-day enactment period, marks a significant policy shift aimed at closing loopholes that critics say allowed dangerous repeat offenders to cycle in and out of the justice system.

“The broken bail law was a failed social experiment that created a revolving door for violent criminals in our state,” said Ayotte at the signing ceremony. “Today, we slammed that revolving door shut.”

The legislation was spearheaded by Rep. Ross Berry (R-Weare), who served as the bill’s prime sponsor. “Republicans will not tolerate a revolving door of violent offenders being allowed to walk the streets and put our communities at risk,” Berry said. “This comprehensive package of fixes will help to clean up our streets and keep criminals from terrorizing civilians.”

Among its most consequential reforms, HB 592 eliminates the use of bail magistrates and requires that bail determinations be made by judges or bail commissioners, enhancing judicial oversight and consistency. It replaces RSA 597:2, the core bail statute, and introduces new standards to ensure repeat offenders and those charged with violent or sexual felonies are subject to stricter detention provisions.

For serious charges—such as homicide, felony domestic violence, or sexual assault—the law prohibits immediate release by a bail commissioner, requiring instead a judicial hearing within 36 hours. It also introduces a rebuttable presumption of detention for individuals who commit new offenses or violate bail while out on release.

Senate President Sharon Carson (R-Londonderry) applauded the reform as a common-sense response to rising concerns. “We cannot have people charged with crimes, released on personal recognizance bail, and then immediately re-offend shortly afterward,” Carson said. “Updating our bail law will decrease the number of failures to appear in our criminal justice system... This is a victory for increased public safety in New Hampshire.”

The bill also strengthens protections for victims by streamlining bail hearing procedures, allowing police officers to testify to victim statements in early hearings, and avoiding the need for victims to testify unless they choose to. At the same time, it maintains fairness for low-level offenders by ensuring that those charged with Class B misdemeanors are released on personal recognizance by default.

Additional provisions prevent courts from setting high bail solely as a way to detain someone who cannot pay, unless no other conditions can ensure safety or appearance. The law also allows courts to consider a defendant’s financial situation when setting bail and lets counties recover electronic monitoring costs from non-indigent defendants.

Manchester Mayor Jay Ruais, who attended the signing, praised the measure. “The revolving door for violent and repeat offenders has been slammed shut,” he posted on social media. “Thank you Gov. Kelly Ayotte for your leadership and Speaker Packard and Senate President Carson for making this a legislative priority.”

With bipartisan support among law enforcement and local leaders, and a clear mandate from Republican legislators, HB 592 represents a landmark achievement for the Ayotte administration and a significant recalibration of New Hampshire’s approach to pretrial justice.