HB 1342 requires New Hampshire election officials to publicly share basic voter information for absentee and UOCAVA (Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act) voters, including names, addresses, and ballot status. However, it prohibits releasing overseas mailing addresses and electronic contact details (like email or phone numbers) for UOCAVA voters who are members of the uniformed services. The bill also bans disclosure of how ballots were voted and mandates that records be made available within one business day of a request. Officials who fail to comply face civil fines up to $1,000 for the first offense or misdemeanor charges for repeated violations.
HB 1023 authorizes small, neighborhood-scale businesses like coffee shops, bakeries, home-based daycares, and craft studios to operate as accessory commercial units on residential or commercial properties without requiring special local permits. The bill sets clear limits: units must be under 1,000 square feet (or 25% of the main building's size), operate between 6 AM and 10 PM (unless a municipality allows extended hours), and not require extra parking or large signage. It applies statewide, prohibiting municipalities from banning these units or imposing stricter rules than the state law. This law standardizes access for small businesses to operate from existing properties while maintaining neighborhood compatibility.
HB 1712 establishes a clear statutory process for New Hampshire public schools to convert into charter schools. It requires a school board vote and a 2/3 majority vote by the school district at a meeting with a specific warrant article to initiate conversion, ensuring all students from the converting school can attend the new charter school. The bill sets governance rules, including capping overlapping board members at 25% (or one member), requiring at least 25% parent representation on charter school boards, and maintaining school districts' special education obligations. It also mandates voter ratification of charter contracts with a defined ballot question, specifies funding follows existing state law (80% of per-pupil funding), and requires an initial audit by the Department of Education followed by audits every three years after the third year of operation.
HB 1060 simplifies engineering licensure requirements by removing two specific barriers. It eliminates the requirement that applicants must have 10+ years of engineering experience supervised by a licensed engineer, and removes the condition that their education or experience must be deemed "satisfactory to the board." This change directly affects engineers with extensive experience who are seeking licensure through the exam process, particularly those whose work history doesn’t meet the previous supervision standard. The bill allows these applicants to apply directly for the professional engineering exam without needing prior board approval of their experience. The law takes effect 60 days after passage.
HB 1390 designates the apple cider doughnut as New Hampshire's official state doughnut. This ceremonial bill adds a new section to state law (RSA 3:33) recognizing the apple cider doughnut as a symbol of the state's culinary identity. It directly affects New Hampshire's official state symbols but has no regulatory, financial, or practical impact on residents or businesses. The bill takes effect immediately upon passage and does not alter any existing laws or create new requirements.
HB 1744 requires health insurance companies operating in New Hampshire to submit annual reports by March 1st starting in 2026, detailing their mental health and substance use disorder coverage practices. These reports must include data on claims denial rates, average wait times for appointments, provider network availability, and compliance with federal parity laws. The insurance commissioner will review these reports and make de-identified data publicly available, while the state Medicaid program must also report annually starting in 2027 on similar metrics. This bill establishes new transparency requirements without authorizing new funding or positions.
HB 1464 defines "political affiliation or opinion" to include First Amendment-protected activities like supporting political parties or candidates. It prohibits discrimination in employment, housing, and public accommodations based on political views, and bans politically motivated harassment or economic interference (such as doxxing to cause job loss). The bill creates new criminal penalties: class A misdemeanors for harassment targeting political views, and class B felonies if economic harm or threats of violence occur. It directly affects workers, businesses, and anyone facing political harassment, expanding existing anti-discrimination laws to cover political expression.
HB 1504 prohibits retailers from raising prices unreasonably on necessary goods and services (like food, medicine, or utilities) during declared emergencies or abnormal market disruptions. It defines "unreasonably excessive" pricing as exceeding average pre-emergency prices or not reflecting legitimate cost increases. The law allows government prosecutors to sue violators on behalf of the state and applies to all sellers in the distribution chain. The prohibition lasts 45 days after the emergency declaration unless extended by the governor. It directly affects retailers selling essential items during emergencies.
HB 1070 mandates that individuals placed in protective custody for suspected mental health crises must be transported by ambulance to a hospital or designated mental health site for evaluation, rather than by law enforcement. This applies directly to people experiencing acute mental health emergencies who are deemed a danger to themselves or others. The bill requires emergency medical technicians to provide care during transport, sets a 6-hour limit for protective custody, and allows law enforcement to override ambulance transport only if the individual poses a safety risk to medical personnel. It does not change eligibility criteria for involuntary admission but standardizes the initial transport process for mental health evaluations.
HB 1340 requires New Hampshire state agencies to review all occupational regulations (such as rules, fees, or tests for entering a profession) to ensure they are strictly necessary for public health, safety, or welfare. It mandates agencies to justify each regulation's purpose within one year and repeal or modify those that don't meet this standard, with a follow-up report due 15 months after enactment. The bill explicitly excludes occupational licenses (like professional certifications) from its scope but defines "occupational regulations" broadly to include any barrier to entering a profession. It also allows individuals to petition agencies to revise or remove non-compliant regulations within 90 days. This directly affects state agencies managing professional rules and the businesses/professionals subject to those rules.
HB 1654 requires property owners to pay all back taxes and other charges on their property before being issued certain building or occupancy permits. The bill amends state law to allow building inspectors, with local legislative authorization, to withhold these permits until all outstanding financial obligations are settled. This directly affects property owners with unpaid taxes who seek to build or occupy a property. The key mechanism is that permit issuance is contingent on full payment of all taxes and charges due on the property.
HB 1713 establishes new standards for affordable housing development in New Hampshire by revising zoning laws. It defines "eligible housing" for low-income (80% or less of median area income) and moderate-income (80%-140% of median area income) residents, and authorizes the transfer of surplus state-owned property to the New Hampshire Housing Finance Authority for affordable housing projects. The bill requires affordability restrictions on housing developed on transferred properties, including rules for occupancy, resale, and mixed-income housing. This directly affects state agencies managing surplus property, the Housing Finance Authority, and low/moderate-income residents seeking affordable housing options.
