I. As used in this section:
(a) “Drug overdose” means an acute condition resulting from or believed to be resulting from the use of a controlled drug which a layperson would reasonably believe requires medical assistance.

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Terms Used In New Hampshire Revised Statutes 318-B:28-b

  • Arrest: Taking physical custody of a person by lawful authority.
  • Commissioner: means the commissioner of the department of health and human services. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 318-B:1
  • Department: means the department of health and human services. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 318-B:1
  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
  • Law enforcement officer: means any officer of the state or political subdivision of the state who is empowered by law to conduct investigations of or to make arrests for offenses enumerated in this chapter. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 318-B:1
  • Person: means any corporation, association or partnership, or one or more individuals. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 318-B:1
  • state: when applied to different parts of the United States, may extend to and include the District of Columbia and the several territories, so called; and the words "United States" shall include said district and territories. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 21:4

(b) “Medical assistance” means professional services provided to a person experiencing a drug overdose by a health care professional licensed, registered, or certified under state law who, acting within his or her lawful scope of practice, may provide diagnosis, treatment, or emergency services for a person experiencing a drug overdose.
(c) “Requests medical assistance” shall include a request for medical assistance as well as providing care to someone who is experiencing a drug overdose while awaiting the arrival of medical assistance to aid the overdose victim.
II. It shall be a defense to an offense of possessing or having under his or her control, a controlled drug in violation of N.H. Rev. Stat. § 318-B:2 that a person in good faith and in a timely manner requests medical assistance for another person who is experiencing a drug overdose, or in good faith and in a timely manner reports that another person has been the victim of a violent crime. A person who in good faith and in a timely manner requests medical assistance for another person who is experiencing a drug overdose, or in good faith and in a timely manner reports that another person has been the victim of a violent crime, shall not be arrested, prosecuted, or convicted for possessing, or having under his or her control, a controlled drug in violation of N.H. Rev. Stat. § 318:B-2, if the evidence for the charge was gained as a proximate result of the request for medical assistance or the report to law enforcement. In this paragraph, “violent crime” shall have the same meaning as in N.H. Rev. Stat. § 651:5, XIII.
III. It shall be a defense to an offense of possessing or having under his or her control, a controlled drug in violation of N.H. Rev. Stat. § 318-B:2 that a person who is experiencing a drug overdose, in good faith and in a timely manner, requests medical assistance for himself or herself, or in good faith and in a timely manner reports that he or she has been the victim of a violent crime, or is the victim in a good faith and timely report of a violent crime. A person who in good faith requests, or is the subject of a good faith request for medical assistance, or in good faith and in a timely manner reports that he or she has been the victim of a violent crime, or is the victim in a good faith and timely report of a violent crime, shall not be arrested, prosecuted, or convicted for possessing, or having under his or her control, a controlled drug in violation of N.H. Rev. Stat. § 318-B:2, if the evidence for the charge was gained as a proximate result of the request for medical assistance or the report to law enforcement. In this paragraph, “violent crime” shall have the same meaning as in N.H. Rev. Stat. § 651:5, XIII.
IV. (a) Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit the admissibility of evidence in connection with the investigation or prosecution of a crime involving a person who is not protected as provided in paragraphs II or III.
(b) Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit the lawful seizure of any evidence or contraband.
(c) Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit or abridge the authority of a law enforcement officer to detain or place into custody a person as part of a criminal investigation, or to arrest a person for an offense not protected by the provisions of paragraphs II or III.
V. No later than January 1, 2016, the commissioner of the department of health and human services shall develop and make available on the department’s public Internet website, information for the public explaining the meaning and applicability of the provisions of this section.