§ 507-B:1 — Definitions

In this chapter:
I. "Governmental unit" means any political subdivision within the state including any county, city, town, precinct, school district, chartered public school, school administrative unit, or departments or agencies thereof, or any other body corporate and politic within the state, but does not include the state or any department or agency thereof.
I-a. "Employee or official of a governmental unit" means any member or officer of its governing board, administrative staff, or agencies, including but not limited to county employees, selectmen, school board members, chartered public school trustees, city councilors and aldermen, town councilors, town and city managers, mayors, regional planning commissioners, town and city health officials, police officers, overseers of public welfare, superintendents of schools, and all other employees and officials whether elected or appointed, and whether paid or unpaid, provided he or she is acting within the scope of his or her official duties.
II. "Action to recover for bodily injury" means an action arising out of bodily injury, including an action brought under RSA 556:9-14, whether brought by or on behalf of the person actually sustaining bodily injury or brought by any other person to whom rights may accrue arising out of such injury, regardless of the nature of the damages claimed.
III. "Personal injury" means:
(a) Any injury to the feelings or reputation of a natural person, including but not limited to, false arrest, detention or imprisonment, malicious prosecution, libel, slander, or the publication or utterance of other defamatory or disparaging material, invasion of an individual's right of privacy, invasion of the right of private occupancy, wrongful entry or eviction, mental injury, mental anguish, shock, and, except when against the public policy or the laws of New Hampshire, or both, discrimination; and
(b) Any injury to intangible property sustained by any person as a result of false eviction, malicious prosecution, libel, slander, or defamation.
The term "personal injury" shall not include "bodily injury" or "property damage."
IV. "Property damage" means a loss through injury to, or destruction of, tangible property or real estate.
V. "Pollutant incident" means any emission, discharge, release, or escape of any irritants, noxious substances or radioactive materials, in any physical state, into or upon land, the atmosphere, or any watercourse or body of water, including but not limited to all wastes and materials as defined in RSA 146-A, 147-A, 147-B and 149-M.

Legislative History

1975, 483:1. 1981, 376:1. 1986, 227:9. 1995, 260:7. 2008, 354:1, eff. Sept. 5, 2008. 2018, 125:1, 2, eff. May 30, 2018.