Rep. Matt Coker

Maddy summaryHB 612 proposes three separate changes: (1) creating a temporary traditional driver's license for youth operators who will turn 21 soon, allowing them to drive legally during the transition period; (2) requiring employers to provide workers' compensation benefit cost-sharing details to affected employees; and (3) designating the third week in September as "New Hampshire Service Dog Week." If enacted, these provisions would directly affect young drivers nearing 21, workers receiving workers' compensation, and service dog advocates in New Hampshire. The bill remains pending, with its conference committee report not yet filed.

Maddy summaryHB 110 allows New Hampshire counties to create revolving funds specifically for public safety services, such as covering costs for special events, highway construction, or other safety-related activities performed by county employees. Counties can replenish these funds using fees or income from the services they support, with any excess funds deposited into the county’s general fund. The county treasurer manages the fund, and spending requires approval from county commissioners, while the county convention can set limits on how the money is spent. This law takes effect August 23, 2025, and applies directly to county governments seeking to manage public safety expenses more flexibly.

Maddy summaryHB 647 adjusts the fee for newborn lifetime hunting and fishing licenses in New Hampshire. It directly affects newborns and their parents who apply for these licenses, changing the fee amount for the lifetime permit. The bill modifies the existing fee structure without specifying a dollar amount, as the context only confirms the fee adjustment. It became law on June 10, 2025, and takes effect July 10, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 569 establishes unified county-wide communication districts to replace fragmented local systems, directly affecting all counties in the state and their residents who rely on emergency alerts and public safety communications. The bill requires counties to create single, county-level districts for managing communication infrastructure, eliminating separate municipal or regional districts. Key provisions mandate counties to develop and maintain these unified systems by the effective date (August 1, 2025), streamlining coordination for emergency response and public notifications. This policy change shifts administrative responsibility from smaller subdivisions to county governments, creating a more centralized communication framework.

Maddy summaryHB 1229 would require sellers and their agents to provide a "minimum standards" document to buyers before the sale of any property bordering public waters. The buyer must sign an acknowledgment confirming they have read and understood this document, which outlines requirements for water quality protection, and a copy of this signed form must be sent to the Department of Environmental Services within seven days. If a property owner violates these new disclosure rules along with existing shoreland laws, they face a civil penalty of $1,000 for a first offense and $2,000 for each subsequent offense. The bill also ensures that any future changes to shoreland regulations will not apply retroactively to properties already under these rules.

Maddy summaryHB 1034 allows towns and cities in New Hampshire to create their own homestead property tax exemptions for residents who own their primary home. Under this bill, municipalities would set a fixed dollar amount for the exemption each year, but the total discount cannot exceed 35% of the average assessed value of residential property in that town. The law defines eligible properties as those owned by a resident or their spouse and includes specific rules for how applications are filed and how disputes are handled through appeals. Additionally, the bill updates existing tax laws to clarify that people who hold property in a revocable trust are considered owners for the purpose of claiming these exemptions. The changes would officially take effect on April 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits companies owned or controlled by the People's Republic of China or the Chinese Communist Party from purchasing, leasing, or controlling agricultural land and land essential to critical industries like technology, manufacturing, and healthcare. It defines these entities broadly to include various business structures and government agencies within China, ensuring that any such acquisition or lease is illegal. Violations of this rule are classified as felonies, and the law is set to take effect on January 1, 2025.