This bill requires health insurance companies to pay ambulance service providers directly for medically necessary emergency transport, rather than reimbursing patients who must then pay the providers. The law applies to both individual and group health insurance plans and allows insurers to continue negotiating specific reimbursement rates with non-participating ambulance companies. Insurers may still issue checks to patients if they choose, but direct payment to the provider becomes the standard method. The changes take effect on September 1, 2024.
This bill updates the rules for when child support payments must stop, extending the obligation for most children until they graduate high school or turn 19, whichever comes first. It clarifies that support ends automatically without needing a new court order once these conditions are met, unless the child has a disability. For children with disabilities, the law allows support to continue until age 21 or until they no longer qualify for special education services. The changes will officially take effect on January 1, 2025.
This New Hampshire bill updates state hunting laws to allow hunters to use a wider range of pistol calibers, including any caliber .38 or .357 Magnum and larger, for taking deer. The law specifically limits the ammunition capacity in these hunting pistols to no more than six rounds at any time. These changes take effect on January 1, 2025, and apply to individuals hunting deer under existing regulations.
HB 1060 creates a new Geologic Resources Advisory Committee to oversee the state's long-term plan for geologic mapping. The committee will include representatives from various state departments, consulting firms, universities, and the public, and it will meet at least once a year to decide which mapping projects to prioritize. Its primary function is to select specific geologic mapping projects for submission to the federal National Cooperative Geologic Mapping Program to secure funding from the United States Geological Survey. If federal funding for this program ends, the committee and its authority will automatically be dissolved.
This bill updates the rules for issuing and executing criminal search warrants in New Hampshire, primarily affecting law enforcement officers and judges. It requires officers to identify themselves and announce their purpose before entering a property, unless they have a specific "no-knock" warrant. A no-knock warrant allows entry without knocking or announcing presence only under strict conditions, such as an imminent threat of physical injury, exigent circumstances, or specific cases like human trafficking where evidence could be destroyed. To prevent abuse, the law mandates that officers obtain written approval from a chief law enforcement officer before seeking a no-knock warrant and requires agencies to report their use of these warrants to prosecutors within 48 hours.
HB 1190 adopts the Interstate Social Work Licensure Compact, allowing licensed social workers to practice across multiple states with a single license issued by their home state. This change aims to reduce the burden of obtaining separate licenses for each state while improving public access to social work services, including through telehealth. The bill establishes a commission to oversee the agreement and ensures that social workers remain accountable to the laws of the state where their clients are located. It also includes specific provisions to support military families and facilitate the sharing of disciplinary information among member states.
This bill updates the rules for registering boats and requires owners to display a specific boat fee decal on their vessels to operate them on state waters. It establishes a new $9.50 fee for the decal itself, along with additional charges of $1, $5, and $2 that go toward various state funds for search and rescue, public access, and harbor maintenance. The legislation also clarifies that boats under federal jurisdiction must pay these fees if they are usually kept in the state, while exempting certain types of vessels from registration and decal requirements. Effective January 1, 2025, boat owners must show both their registration numbers and the new decal to avoid penalties for non-compliance.
This bill establishes a new Commission on Higher Education Consolidation to study how New Hampshire's university and community college systems can better align with future workforce needs and demographic changes. The commission will investigate ways to reduce duplicate programs, streamline administrative costs, and improve student access while gathering input from various stakeholders. Its members include legislators, representatives from both higher education systems, business leaders, and state officials, who must submit a strategic plan and report by July 1, 2025. The legislation does not mandate immediate structural changes but instead creates a framework for planning potential future reforms.
This bill requires most charitable organizations to file an annual financial statement with their local municipality by June 1 to maintain their property tax exemption. The statement must detail the organization's financial condition and include any other information needed to prove its eligibility for the tax break. While religious and educational groups already have specific exemptions, this rule applies to other charities and allows for late filings only if the delay was due to an accident, mistake, or misfortune, provided the local tax rate has not yet been approved. The law takes effect on April 1, 2025, and will change how these organizations must document their status to qualify for reduced property taxes.
This bill extends the legal authority of family courts to make support and maintenance orders for minors receiving special education services beyond their 18th birthday. Specifically, it allows courts to retain jurisdiction until a student graduates, turns 21, or exits special education, with the option to extend coverage until age 22 if the student remains in special education programs. The legislation also applies these extended timelines to cases involving neglected, abused, or at-risk children who are still enrolled in school or receiving special education services. Additionally, the bill appropriates $3 million to the Department of Health and Human Services to fund the implementation of these changes.
This bill updates the rules for a specific local tax cap in New Hampshire towns and districts that have already chosen to use it. It clarifies that the estimated tax amount for the upcoming year must include both the operating budget and all other approved spending, ensuring the total does not rise by more than the previously set cap unless adjusted for specific factors. The law applies automatically to existing tax cap programs without requiring towns to pass new local amendments to adopt it. It became effective on September 1, 2024, after being signed into law by the Governor.
This bill prohibits courts from ordering specific family reunification therapies, camps, or programs as part of a parenting plan. It directly affects parents involved in custody cases and the counselors or organizations providing these services. The law bans programs that require no-contact orders, involve overnight stays out of state, transfer custody, or use threats, coercion, or isolation to separate children from their families. Additionally, the bill mandates that any counseling selected by the court must be recommended by the parents and covered by their health insurance. These restrictions take effect on July 1, 2024.
