This bill allows students in New Hampshire public schools and camps to use over-the-counter sunscreen without a doctor's note or prescription. School and camp staff may assist with application upon parental permission, and the law requires schools to implement age-appropriate skin cancer prevention education covering UV risks and protective measures like sunscreen and sun-protective clothing (e.g., hats). It also protects staff from liability when following these guidelines, addressing current barriers where some schools prohibited sunscreen due to "medication bans."
This constitutional amendment (CACR 12) would require a two-thirds vote in both the New Hampshire Senate and House of Representatives to pass new broad-based taxes, such as income, sales, or capital gains taxes. It directly affects the legislative process for enacting new taxes that broadly impact many residents or businesses, not existing tax laws. The key mechanism is changing the constitutional requirement for such taxes from a simple majority to a supermajority vote. If approved by voters in 2026, this would apply to all new broad-based tax legislation moving forward.
SB 444 prohibits cosmetic manufacturers and testing facilities in New Hampshire from using animal testing for cosmetic products when scientifically equivalent non-animal methods are available. It requires testing facilities to adopt approved alternative methods (like computer modeling or lab-grown tissues) that provide comparable safety data, and mandates annual reporting to the governor's commission on animal testing. The bill explicitly excludes biomedical research, federal or state regulatory compliance needs, and products requiring traditional animal testing under specific agency approvals. It applies only to cosmetics, defined as products for cleansing, beautifying, or altering appearance (excluding soap), and does not affect testing for drugs or medical research.
SB 433, the "Seizure Safe Schools Act," requires New Hampshire public, charter, and private schools to train at least two staff members per school (by the 2026-27 school year) to recognize seizures and administer FDA-approved seizure rescue medication. It mandates parental consent for medication use, including written authorization, healthcare provider documentation, and individualized "seizure action plans" for students with seizure disorders. Schools must store medication securely and provide 75 minutes of training every two years for relevant staff on seizure recognition and first aid. The law applies only to schools with students requiring FDA-approved seizure medication, ensuring protocols align with medical guidelines while protecting trained staff from liability.
SB 513 requires school districts and chartered public schools to hire an owner's project manager (OPM) before submitting applications for school building aid grants, rather than after. This applies specifically to construction, renovation, or reconstruction projects costing $1.25 million or more, unless the commissioner grants a waiver. The bill mandates that the OPM must carry specific insurance coverage and sets requirements for the state board to establish qualification rules. This change shifts the timing of OPM engagement from after application submission to the application phase itself.
SB 416 replaces New Hampshire's state rule on tip pooling with the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) rules governing how tipped employees can share tips. It directly affects workers in service industries like restaurants and bars who rely on tips, such as servers and bartenders. The bill removes state restrictions and aligns the state with federal regulations, including specific FLSA provisions (29 C.F.R. §§ 531.42, 531.50, 531.54) that allow tip pooling among eligible employees. The law takes effect 60 days after enactment.
SB 648 requires websites and apps that profit from distributing material harmful to minors (defined as content appealing to prurient interest, depicting sexual conduct offensively, and lacking value for minors) to implement age verification. It mandates that commercial entities using reasonable methods (like government ID checks without storing data) verify users are 18+, post clear warnings, and not retain personal information. Parents or guardians can sue for up to $10,000 per violation if a minor accesses such content due to non-compliance, while the attorney general can seek $25,000 penalties. Exemptions include news organizations, libraries, museums, and educational institutions distributing content for legitimate purposes. The law takes effect January 1, 2027.
HB 1128 restricts weather modification activities like cloud seeding to only situations where the governor declares a state of emergency for a catastrophic drought. This requires the drought to pose significant risks to water supply, agriculture, public health, or economic stability, with the declaration published publicly per state law. Before any weather modification occurs, the state must complete a 14-day environmental review and provide public notice in at least four newspapers and online, disclosing the chemicals used, potential health/wildlife impacts, and funding sources. The bill ensures such activities are limited to extreme emergencies with transparency and environmental safeguards.
SB 435 removes the requirement that property owners must prove an unusual hardship to obtain a zoning variance from a local zoning board. This directly affects homeowners, developers, and businesses seeking to modify land use under current zoning rules, as well as the zoning boards reviewing these requests. The bill repeals two specific sections of state law (RSA 674:33, I(a)(2)(E) and I(b)) that previously mandated hardship assessments for variances. The change simplifies the process by allowing boards to grant variances without evaluating hardship, effective 60 days after passage.
HB 1665 would amend New Hampshire's Administrative Procedure Act to grant all parties in administrative hearings (such as regulatory or licensing cases) equal authority to subpoena witnesses and documents. This change directly affects individuals, businesses, and organizations participating in state agency proceedings by giving them the same subpoena powers currently available to government agencies under RSA 516:2-516:4. The bill requires administrative hearings to follow the same subpoena rules as court proceedings, ensuring consistent evidence-gathering procedures. It takes effect January 1, 2027, and does not alter substantive policies but standardizes procedural rights.
HB 1124 establishes the "Right to Compute Act" in New Hampshire, creating a constitutional right for residents to privately own and use computational resources (like computers, software, networks, and AI tools) for lawful purposes. It prohibits government entities from restricting this right except for specific, narrowly defined compelling interests - such as preventing AI infrastructure risks, stopping fraud, protecting minors from deepfakes, or addressing datacenter nuisances. The bill defines "computational resources" broadly to include all technology enabling data processing, and "government action" to cover any rules or policies limiting such tools. It explicitly preserves existing intellectual property laws and does not override federal regulations. This law directly affects all New Hampshire residents using digital tools by strengthening protections against unwarranted government interference.
HB 1037 extends the New Hampshire commission studying off-highway recreational vehicle (OHRV) use by two additional years and adds a representative from the New Hampshire Division of Travel and Tourism Development to the commission's membership. This bill directly affects the existing commission, which includes members from state agencies, law enforcement, recreation groups, landowners, and municipalities. The key mechanism is amending the commission's membership structure to include the tourism department representative (now listed as point 11 in RSA 215-A:44-a) while extending its study deadline. The bill does not change OHRV regulations but ensures the commission continues its work with updated representation.
