HB 1072 requires New Hampshire's Department of Labor to provide employers with at least 30 days' written notice before conducting inspections or requesting documents/interviews. The notice must specify the inspection's purpose, whether it relates to a complaint, and any alleged labor law violations. Employers would then have 30 days to respond to such requests, regardless of whether a complaint was filed. Exceptions allowing shorter notice require attorney general approval only for recent violations (within 36 months), imminent health/safety risks, or evidence destruction concerns.
HB 1565 makes it a misdemeanor to intentionally file false reports of child abuse or neglect with New Hampshire's Division for Children, Youth, and Families. It directly affects individuals who submit false reports (subject to criminal penalties) and people harmed by such reports (who can sue for civil damages). The bill clarifies that reports may include the reporter's name and creates a legal pathway for victims to seek monetary compensation through civil court. This changes existing law by adding specific criminal penalties for false reports and establishing a private right to sue, effective July 1, 2026.
SB 434 requires New Hampshire school districts to adopt and publicly post policies for handling parent or guardian complaints about school materials deemed harmful to minors, age-inappropriate, or offensive. It mandates a specific 25-day timeline for school principals to investigate written complaints, make decisions about material access (keeping, removing, or restricting it), and provide written explanations. Parents can appeal decisions to the school board within 30 days, with all decisions and communications becoming public records. The bill directly affects school districts, educators, and parents filing complaints, setting clear procedural requirements for addressing concerns about classroom materials.
HB 1726 requires New Hampshire state agencies to identify surplus property suitable for affordable housing development and make it available to qualified developers at below-market rates. The bill mandates that at least 20% of housing units developed on such property must remain affordable to low- and moderate-income households for a minimum of 20 years, with legal restrictions ensuring this use. It also prioritizes municipal grant funding for communities collaborating with state agencies on identifying and rezoning eligible land. The bill does not provide new state funding but allows agencies to retain proceeds from property sales for one additional budget cycle. This directly affects state agencies, qualified housing developers, and low-to-moderate-income households seeking affordable housing.
HB 1337 repeals the New Hampshire council on autism spectrum disorders by removing RSA 171-A:32 (the council's existence) and RSA 171-A:33 I(d) (which required council representation on another body). This bill also deletes a reference to the council from RSA 265:3-c, which relates to a driver program offering blue envelopes for people with autism. The repeal directly affects the council itself and eliminates its role in advisory functions. The bill makes no new policy changes but removes existing statutory language, effective 60 days after passage.
HB 1442 requires public schools and municipal buildings to designate bathrooms and locker rooms by biological sex (male/female), rather than gender identity. It redefines "gender identity" to exclude using it for accessing spaces designated for females, and creates "willful trespass" for males entering female-designated facilities (with exceptions for emergencies or supervision). The bill also mandates correctional facilities house inmates by biological sex and limits gender identity protections in civil rights enforcement. It directly affects public school students, municipal building users, correctional facility inmates, and businesses operating public accommodations. The law uses biological sex (based on chromosomes/SRY gene) as the standard for facility access and definitions.
HB 1491 regulates two types of pooled risk management programs used by state and local governments. It requires "advance premium pooled risk management programs" (which collect fixed premiums without later assessments) to be licensed by the insurance department and maintain specific reinsurance coverage. The bill also establishes that the secretary of state will regulate "assessment pooled risk management programs" (which can require members to pay extra if funds run low). These programs directly affect political subdivisions like cities, towns, and school districts that use pooled insurance to manage their risk.
HB 1650 establishes an age-appropriate design code for online businesses in New Hampshire that are likely accessed by minors. The bill limits how these businesses can collect and use personal data from children, including preventing the use of data that might lead to repetitive use disrupting major life activities like sleeping or schoolwork. It requires businesses to verify a user's age and set default privacy settings that protect minors. The attorney general is authorized to create rules for enforcing these requirements.
HB 1554 requires health insurance companies to offer peer-to-peer reviews at any stage of the prior authorization process, allowing doctors to discuss medical necessity directly with a qualified medical expert. Insurers must disclose the reviewer’s full name, license details, issuing state, and National Provider Identifier (NPI) to the doctor before the review begins. The bill mandates that reviews be scheduled within 2 business days for initial requests or 5 business days after a denial, with written decisions provided promptly. This applies to all health insurance plans and aims to increase transparency and timely decision-making for doctors and patients seeking coverage.
HB 1656 requires all health insurance plans in New Hampshire to cover pelvic-floor physical therapy (PFPT) as a standard benefit for specific conditions, including urinary incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse, postpartum recovery, and pelvic pain. It mandates coverage for up to 12 weeks of supervised therapy, pre-surgery preparation (prehab), and post-surgery rehabilitation without prior authorization for initial evaluations. Insurers must report on this coverage data annually, and the insurance department will publish an annual report on insurer compliance. This directly affects residents with pelvic floor dysfunction, ensuring access to evidence-based treatments currently often excluded from coverage.
HB 1406 prohibits health insurance companies (health carriers) from using artificial intelligence to override doctors' clinical decisions. Specifically, it bans AI from auditing or adjusting provider codes based on AI recommendations that would change a physician's professional judgment about patient care. Health carriers must document all AI use in claims processing and provide these records to regulators. Violations are considered unfair insurance practices, potentially resulting in fines or restitution for denied care. The law directly affects healthcare providers and insurers, taking effect January 1, 2027.
This bill repeals a requirement that chartered public schools and school districts must create written agreements (memorandums of understanding) detailing how students with disabilities will receive special education services. It directly affects chartered public schools, school districts, and students with disabilities by removing this specific administrative step from state law. The key provision eliminates RSA 194-B:5, VIII, which previously mandated these agreements. The bill takes effect 60 days after enactment.
