SB 456 establishes a commission to study children's health and safety issues in New Hampshire, including mental health services, school safety, and childhood diagnoses. The commission, composed of legislative members and 17 appointed experts (such as healthcare professionals, teachers, and parents), will examine specific topics like school mental health programs, youth homelessness, and exposure to harmful content. It must submit annual reports by November 1 to state leaders, including the governor and legislative leaders, with findings and recommendations. This bill creates a study body but does not enact new laws or allocate funding.
SB 472 removes the maximum age limit (currently 65 years) for the deputy adjutant general position within New Hampshire's Department of Military Affairs and Veterans Services. This change directly affects the deputy adjutant general, who oversees state military operations and must have prior National Guard or military service. The bill amends RSA 110-B:8-b by deleting the phrase "or until the officer has reached the age of 65 years" from the tenure provisions. The change allows the appointee to serve beyond age 65, subject to reappointment and other existing requirements like minimum rank and service history. The bill takes effect 60 days after enactment.
SB 608 requires New Hampshire's Department of Health and Human Services to seek federal approval to add family caregiver support services - including counseling, training, and peer support - to the Acquired Brain Disorder (ABD) and Choices for Independence (CFI) home-care programs. It also eliminates all co-payments for child care scholarships when children are in the care of relatives (like grandparents or other legal guardians), removing financial barriers for kinship caregivers. The bill directly affects family caregivers enrolled in ABD/CFI waiver programs and kinship caregivers receiving child care assistance through state programs. These changes aim to reduce financial burdens for caregivers supporting children at home.
SB 451 amends New Hampshire law to change the official title of a position from "senior deputy secretary of state" to "Special Deputy Secretary of State" in RSA 5:2-a. This procedural bill updates the statutory language without altering the duties, responsibilities, or appointment process for the role. The change affects the Secretary of State's office by updating the position's formal designation in state law. The amendment takes effect 60 days after enactment.
SB 622 expands New Hampshire's identity fraud law to explicitly protect businesses, government agencies, and other organizations (referred to as "entities") alongside individuals. It adds a clear definition of "entity" to include corporations, trusts, government bodies, and their departments, and updates the offense to cover fraud committed against these entities. The bill makes it a crime to obtain or use someone's personal information (like account numbers or passwords) without authorization to impersonate an entity or assist others in doing so. This change directly affects organizations that could face financial harm from identity fraud targeting their accounts or data. The law takes effect January 1, 2027, with no estimated state or local cost impact.
HB 126 modifies New Hampshire's prescription rules for certain controlled drugs, specifically allowing pharmacists to fill 92-day supplies of injectable androgens (used to treat chronic low testosterone) under defined conditions. It requires patients to have filled 12 consecutive monthly prescriptions for the same medication from a single medical practice before the longer supply is permitted. The bill also mandates that the prescriber's statement must specify the medication treats "chronic low testosterone." This directly affects patients with chronic low testosterone requiring injectable hormone therapy and pharmacists dispensing these medications. The change amends existing law to clarify this exception to the standard 34-day prescription limit.
HB 59 creates felony-level assault charges for intentionally or recklessly causing serious injury to firefighters (including volunteer and on-call staff), emergency medical care providers, or law enforcement officers while they are performing their duties. It also establishes felony charges for assaults on law enforcement officers due to their employment, even when off-duty. The bill amends criminal code provisions to require warrantless arrests for these offenses and treats such violations as evidence of dangerousness. The law will take effect January 1, 2026, directly affecting these public safety professionals and their legal protections.
HB 348 allows New Hampshire municipalities to require applicants for local assistance to have resided in the town or city for up to 90 days prior to applying. It mandates that local governments create written guidelines covering application processes, eligibility criteria (including acceptable residency proof like leases or utility bills), appeals, and other administrative details. The bill does not change current restrictions on cash payments for assistance. This directly affects individuals seeking local aid and gives municipalities authority to set residency requirements within the 90-day limit.
HB 1157 requires anyone operating a physical facility to transfer 30 or more dogs, cats, ferrets, or 50 or more birds (or other common household pets) to obtain a license as a pet vendor. It directly affects commercial pet sellers or breeders handling large volumes of animals through physical locations. The key provision adds a new licensing requirement to state law, prohibiting unlicensed operation when combined animal transfers exceed these thresholds. The bill has minimal fiscal impact (under $10,000 annually) and takes effect 45 days after enactment.
HB 1515 repeals the child care grant program that provided recruitment and retention grants to New Hampshire child care employers through the Department of Health and Human Services. The bill removes the $7.5 million annual appropriation (from federal TANF funds) that was intended to support these grants, though the program was already unworkable due to federal restrictions. This change directly affects child care providers who previously could have accessed these grants. The repeal has no fiscal impact as the program could not operate under federal guidelines, and no new funding or changes to services are enacted.
HB 1366 requires law enforcement officers to notify military agencies when they have probable cause to believe a service member violated a military protection order. This directly affects active-duty military members (including National Guard personnel) and the law enforcement agencies handling such cases. The key provision mandates that officers must inform the military agency that entered the protection order into the federal database if a service member is suspected of violating it. The bill amends two state statutes to establish this notification requirement, ensuring military and civilian authorities coordinate on protection order enforcement. It takes effect 180 days after passage with no estimated state or local cost impact.
HB 1274 increases the base annual dog license fee by $0.25 for most dogs in New Hampshire. The new fee is $4.75 for neutered or spayed dogs 7 months or older and $7.25 for unneutered dogs 7 months or older, while puppies (4-7 months) rise to $4.75. Seniors aged 65 or older will pay $2.00 for their first dog (instead of the previous $1.75 base fee plus $1.75 population fee) and are exempt from the $1.75 population control fee for that dog. All other dog owners, including seniors with additional dogs, must pay the increased base fee plus the $1.75 population control fee.
