New Hampshire lawsuit seeks to stop politicization of youth center abuse victims' fund

A newly filed class action lawsuit in New Hampshire seeks to block changes to an out-of-court settlement fund for victims of child abuse at the state's youth detention center. Lawmakers created the settlement fund in 2022, pitching it as a “victim-centered” and “trauma-informed” alternative to litigation that would be run by a neutral administrator appointed by the state Supreme Court. But the Republican-led Legislature changed that process through last-minute additions to the state budget. They changes gave the governor the authority to hire and fire the administrator and let the attorney general veto awards. Plaintiffs in the lawsuit say letting a political appointee decide their cases amounts to a bait and switch.