Healthcare

passed · New Hampshire · Senate Aug 21, 2026

SB 498: relative to children's mental health services for persons 18 years of age and younger.

SB 498 creates the New Hampshire Children's Behavioral Health Association to fund mental health services for children under 18. The association will collect mandatory assessments (fees) from insurance companies, stop-loss carriers, and third-party administrators covering children in the state, excluding Medicaid recipients. Funds gathered will be deposited into a dedicated fund managed by the insurance commissioner and used to pay care management entities providing specific services like intensive in-home therapy, structured outpatient programs, and care coordination. This directly affects insurers (who pay assessments), care management organizations (who receive payments), and children under 18 with covered health plans (who gain access to funded services).

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareCreates mandatory funding for children's mental health services via insurance assessments, directly advancing healthcare access for minors under 18.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

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died · New Hampshire · House Aug 20, 2026

HB 1317: relative to patient privacy protections.

HB 1317 strengthens patient privacy protections in New Hampshire by prohibiting state agencies, contractors, vendors, and grant recipients from sharing personally identifiable medical, disability, or mental health data with the federal government or third parties - unless specific conditions apply. These exceptions include obtaining an individual’s written consent, complying with existing law or court orders, or disclosing data to provide necessary health care services. The bill also requires that any permitted disclosure share only the minimum necessary data and prioritize de-identified information when possible. It explicitly affirms that these state rules do not override federal privacy laws like HIPAA or the ADA, and violations could result in civil penalties enforced by the attorney general.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareStrengthens patient privacy protections for medical, disability, and mental health data, directly advancing healthcare rights and confidentiality standards.95% confidence ✓ ImmigrationSupports ImmigrationProhibits sharing health data with federal government, limiting cooperation with immigration enforcement, supporting immigrant privacy and safety.80% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyBill strengthens health data privacy by prohibiting unauthorized sharing, directly aligning with tech policy focus on data privacy protections.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

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died · New Hampshire · Senate Aug 20, 2026

SB 520: relative to breast surgeries for minors.

SB 520 allows physicians to perform breast surgery on minors for non-medical reasons, expanding existing exceptions. It adds a new provision permitting the procedure "at the election of the minor in consultation with her primary care physician," removing prior restrictions that limited surgery to medical conditions like gynecomastia or congenital deformities. The bill directly affects minors seeking breast reduction or reconstruction surgery who do not qualify under existing medical necessity exceptions. It requires the minor’s consent and physician consultation but does not mandate parental consent. The change modifies New Hampshire law to include this patient-choice option for breast surgeries.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRemoves medical necessity restrictions for minors' breast surgery, expanding access to healthcare services through patient choice and physician consultation.92% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

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signed · New Hampshire · House Jul 16, 2026

HB 1469: relative to the licensing requirements for massage therapy establishments.

HB 1469 requires massage therapy businesses employing more than one therapist to obtain a state license and undergo regular inspections by the Office of Professional Licensure and Certification (OPLC). The bill establishes new health and safety standards for these businesses, including requirements for direct supervision by licensed therapists and procedures for license renewal and disciplinary actions. It also adds compensation for members of the massage therapists' advisory board and creates a new investigative paralegal position within the OPLC, with funding provided for this role. This legislation directly affects massage therapy businesses, the OPLC, and the advisory board by expanding regulatory oversight and operational requirements.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill explicitly makes an appropriation for OPLC inspections and advisory board compensation, directly funding new regulatory requirements under licensing provisions.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRegulates massage therapy businesses with health/safety standards, enhancing service quality and client safety in healthcare services.85% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentRequires health/safety standards for massage therapy workplaces, directly improving workplace safety regulations for employees.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · New Hampshire · House Jul 16, 2026

HB 1735: relative to the practice of pharmacy, the dispensing of certain medications by pharmacists, and permitting treatment of certain severe illness under the right to try act.

HB 1735 expands New Hampshire's Right to Try Act to allow patients with "qualifying severe illness" (defined as chronic and debilitating conditions meeting federal standards) to access investigational treatments, in addition to those with terminal illnesses. The bill amends definitions to include this new category, requiring patients to have exhausted standard FDA-approved treatments and be unable to join clinical trials. It maintains existing requirements like physician oversight, patient consent, and no direct manufacturer compensation for providers. This change directly affects patients with severe chronic conditions who currently lack access to investigational therapies under state law. The bill does not alter cost-sharing or data collection requirements for manufacturers.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands patient access to investigational treatments for non-terminal severe illnesses, improving access to care when standard options fail per Right to Try Act.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

passed both · New Hampshire · House Jul 10, 2026

HB 1219: relative to immunization requirements in foster family homes and relative to financial eligibility for the Medicare savings program.

HB 1219 prevents foster family homes from imposing immunization requirements on children or foster parents that are stricter than those in RSA 141-C:20-a. Specifically, it prohibits requirements exceeding the standard for vaccine type, number of doses, or exemption policies already established for the general population. This bill directly affects foster children and foster parents by aligning their immunization standards with statewide requirements. The law amends RSA 170-E:27-b to ensure foster homes cannot mandate additional or more stringent vaccinations than what is required for children in public schools or the general community.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareAligns foster home immunization with statewide public health standards, preventing unnecessary restrictions on vaccine access for foster children and parents.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

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signed · New Hampshire · House Jul 10, 2026

HB 1705: establishing an employee assistance program for small town and volunteer first responders.

HB 1705 establishes a First Responders Support Fund to cover enrollment costs for small town and volunteer first responders into the state’s existing Employee Assistance Program (EAP). It directly affects first responders in communities with no more than 5 full-time paid staff, including volunteer departments. The fund, administered by the Department of Health and Human Services, uses state appropriations (initially $1 for FY 2026-2027) and accepts gifts, grants, or donations to cover EAP enrollment fees. The EAP provides mental health support, including services for PTSD, with the department required to report annually on fund usage and program outcomes. This bill does not create new services but expands access to an existing state EAP for eligible small-community responders.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareFunds EAP enrollment for first responders, providing mental health support access via state healthcare program.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentProvides funding for first responders' access to Employee Assistance Program, enhancing workplace mental health support and benefits for workers.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · New Hampshire · Senate Jul 9, 2026

SB 408: relative to health insurance coverage for prosthetics.

SB 408 requires health insurance policies in New Hampshire to cover prosthetic devices for adults over 19, expanding existing coverage that previously applied only to children under 19. The bill mandates coverage for activity-specific prosthetics (like those for sports) but limits this to one device every five years. It also requires insurers to cover necessary materials, instruction, and repairs for medically needed prosthetics, without annual limits. The law takes effect January 1, 2027, and applies to most group health insurance plans, excluding Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP) plans.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands health insurance coverage for prosthetics to adults over 19, mandates activity-specific device coverage (limited to one every five years), and removes annual limits on repairs/materials.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · New Hampshire · House Jun 2, 2026

HB 1323: relative to parental alienation, limiting certain prior authorization requirements for physical therapy, occupational therapy, and similar rehabilitative services, relative to children's mental health services for persons 18 years of age and younger.

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.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill strengthens children's mental health services by requiring courts to consider parental alienation in custody decisions, protecting access to care.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

passed both · New Hampshire · Senate May 21, 2026

SB 504: relative to the practice of pharmacy and the dispensing of certain medications by pharmacists, authorizing the establishment of experimental treatment centers, and permitting treatment of certain severe illness under the right to try act.

SB 504 allows licensed healthcare providers to dispense up to a 30-day supply of certain cancer medications directly to patients under a doctor's supervision, requiring clinics to maintain a full-time pharmacist available for consultation. It removes the requirement for pharmacists' names on controlled drug labels and permits advanced pharmacy technicians to perform remote medication processing. The bill updates the definition of "practice of pharmacy" to include modern services like medication therapy management and collaborative care. These changes streamline access to cancer medications while maintaining safety protocols for pharmacy operations.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEnables direct dispensing of cancer meds under supervision, requires pharmacist consultation, and streamlines pharmacy processes to improve patient access and safety in medication management.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

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