HB 1356 extends the statute of limitations for minors to sue providers for violating laws prohibiting gender-altering medical procedures. It changes the deadline from 2 years to 10 years after a minor turns 18 to file a private lawsuit. This directly affects minors who received such medical treatments before age 18 and wish to pursue legal action. The bill modifies RSA 332-N:3, II, which governs when claims for violations of the gender-procedure ban must be filed. The fiscal note indicates no state or local cost impact.
HB 1215, titled "Grace’s Law," ensures individuals with developmental disabilities receiving state services can use their preferred communication method, including AAC devices, sign language, letterboards, or speech-generating tools. It requires staff in group homes, schools, and state institutions to accommodate these methods through reasonable efforts. The law applies to all state service providers supporting individuals with developmental disabilities. It takes effect 60 days after passage.
HB 1574 allows New Hampshire school districts to extend free and reduced-price lunch benefits to special education students who are 21 years old but continue their education through age 22, as required by their individualized education plan (IEP). The bill authorizes school boards to maintain eligibility for these students until their IEP is completed or they turn 22, whichever comes first. The state will reimburse school districts for these meals through the general fund at the same rate as federal USDA meal programs. This change directly affects students with IEPs who remain in school beyond age 21, removing a barrier to nutritional support during their extended education. The policy takes effect for the 2026-2027 school year.
HB 1540 establishes statewide rules for accessory dwelling units (ADUs), allowing one ADU per single-family home as a matter of right in most zoning districts without extra lot size or design requirements beyond those for the main home. In protected shoreland areas, municipalities may permit ADUs as a matter of right or through conditional permits, and they can choose to allow detached units if they meet specific environmental and zoning standards. The bill prohibits multiple ADUs per home, ADUs in townhouses (attached multi-family properties), ADUs on rented land, and separate sales of ADUs from the main house without municipal approval. It provides municipalities with clear guidance for zoning, permitting, and environmental protections related to ADUs while standardizing requirements across the state.
HB 1323 defines "parental alienation" as a pattern of behavior damaging a child's relationship with a parent - such as disparaging remarks, manipulation, or unjustified interference with parenting time - while excluding protective actions taken in good faith for safety concerns. The bill requires New Hampshire courts to consider parental alienation as a factor in custody, visitation, and parental rights decisions, including joint decision-making and modifications to parenting plans. It establishes a "family access motion" for parents to seek enforcement of parenting plans when alienation occurs and allows courts to order remedies like adjusted schedules. The law also mandates courts to evaluate parental alienation in grandparent visitation cases and requires attorney fee awards in contempt cases involving failure to comply with court orders related to parental alienation.
HB 1247 requires New Hampshire's Secretary of State to create and distribute clear notices about proposed constitutional amendments. The bill mandates that town and city clerks prominently display these notices (including specific header wording and vote dates) for at least 60 days before a statewide vote, and the Secretary of State must maintain a dedicated webpage with the same information. This directly affects voters who need to understand amendment proposals before voting, as well as local clerks responsible for posting the notices. The key mechanism is standardizing and centralizing information about constitutional amendments to improve voter access to details. The bill focuses on procedural transparency without changing amendment content or voting rules.
This bill prevents a planned 2026 repeal of child care staffing ratio requirements and the associated waiver system. It requires the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services to send annual notices to licensed child care providers about their option to request a waiver of staffing rules. The department must also report waiver applications, approvals, and denials to the legislature annually, starting in 2025. This directly affects child care providers who rely on these staffing rules and waiver options.
HB 1837 updates New Hampshire's boating regulations to increase penalties for violations, raise mooring fees, and add display requirements for vessel registration. It raises fines for unregistered boats to $50 for a first offense and $100 for repeat offenses in the same year, doubles mooring fees from $25 to $50 per field, and requires boat owners to display valid registration numbers and decals. The bill also repeals existing requirements for mandatory boat safety courses (RSA 270:46-a) and rental boat safety checklists (RSA 270-D:2-c). These changes directly affect boat owners, operators, and public mooring field users, taking effect January 1, 2027.
HB 1309 requires New Hampshire towns to clearly state the "intent and effect" of every item on town meeting warrants, eliminating deceptive or ambiguous language. This directly affects all towns holding meetings by mandating that each warrant article explicitly explains what the proposal does and its expected outcome. The bill amends RSA 39:2 to require that "the intent and effect of each warrant article shall be stated without deception or deliberate ambiguity," ensuring voters understand what they are voting on. It applies to all town meeting business, including budget items, though it allows towns to adjust specific funding amounts within existing budget constraints. This change aims to improve transparency in local governance without altering voting procedures or creating new financial obligations.
HB 1444 requires New Hampshire state agencies and local governments (counties, cities, towns) to stop purchasing or acquiring drones not on an official "cleared list" after January 1, 2028. The bill mandates the Department of Safety to create and maintain a public list of security-compliant drones by that date, including models cleared by the Defense Department, meeting federal security standards, or proven incapable of unauthorized data transmission. All state and local procurement must prioritize drones on this list, with contracts for non-listed drones deemed void. The bill has no new funding impact, as noted in its fiscal analysis.
HB 1059 prevents the automatic repeal of existing regulations governing number plate scanning devices, which were scheduled to expire on January 1, 2027. The bill maintains current rules that govern how law enforcement may use these devices to scan license plates. It directly affects police departments and law enforcement agencies that utilize number plate scanning technology. The legislation does not create new rules or restrictions but preserves the existing regulatory framework for these devices. This is a procedural change to ensure the current statute remains in effect indefinitely.
HB 1172 expands New Hampshire's definition of "sexual assault counselor" to explicitly include National Guard sexual assault prevention and response personnel, such as coordinators and victim advocates. This change grants these military and civilian staff the same confidentiality protections already provided to other sexual assault counselors under state law, based on military rules of evidence. The bill, requested by the Department of Military Affairs and Veteran Services, amends RSA 173-C:1 to include these personnel in the existing legal framework for confidential communications. It takes effect on July 1, 2026, directly affecting National Guard staff who support sexual assault victims.
