Rep. Anita Burroughs

Maddy summarySB 547 regulates pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) in New Hampshire to increase transparency and fairness in drug pricing. The bill requires PBMs to act in the best interest of health insurance companies (their clients) and bans them from keeping profits from "spread pricing" - where PBMs charge health plans more than they pay pharmacies for drugs. It defines key terms like "affiliate" and "revenue," and mandates that PBMs pass all rebates from drug manufacturers to health plans rather than retaining them. This directly affects PBMs, health insurers, and pharmacies, aiming to address high drug costs (23% of healthcare spending) and patient cost concerns (25% skip doses due to expense).

Maddy summaryHB 1198 establishes a program to manage paint consumers no longer want (postconsumer paint) by requiring paint manufacturers to create and fund a stewardship plan. The plan must detail how to collect, recycle, or responsibly dispose of unused paint, include a fee added to each paint purchase, and cover consumer education. Manufacturers must submit their approved plans to the state environmental agency within 12 months, and retailers can only sell paint if the manufacturer has an approved plan. This directly affects paint manufacturers, retailers, and voluntary collection sites that participate.

Maddy summarySB 471 allows New Hampshire municipalities to impose fees on new developments (like subdivisions or buildings) that don’t meet local affordable housing requirements. These fees must be kept separate from general funds and spent *only* on affordable housing projects through specific entities like the NH Housing Finance Authority or local housing authorities. Fees are collected when planning approvals or building permits are issued, and municipalities must report annual spending. The bill requires fees to directly address local affordable housing needs without altering existing planning board authority.

Maddy summarySB 636 creates tax credits for small businesses facing increased costs due to federal tariffs. Qualifying businesses - manufacturers with fewer than 50 employees or non-manufacturers with average annual revenue under $500,000 - can claim a credit equal to 25% of documented tariff-related costs (e.g., via invoices or supplier certifications), up to $7,500 per business annually. The total state spending on these credits is capped at $8 million per fiscal year, with applications processed in order of receipt and prorated if the cap is exceeded. Unused credits may be carried forward for up to three years, but credits are non-refundable and applied first against business profits tax.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits the sale, manufacture, or distribution of lithium-ion batteries and electric scooters in New Hampshire unless they are certified by a nationally recognized testing laboratory. The law requires that certified products display the laboratory's logo or name on the packaging, documentation, or the device itself, with specific exceptions for second-hand sales where such documentation is absent. Additionally, the legislation bans the assembly, reconditioning, or sale of second-use batteries intended for electric bicycles and scooters, while allowing these devices if they are registered with the state motor vehicle division. Violations of these safety standards can result in civil fines of up to $250 for a first offense and $1,000 for each subsequent offense.

Maddy summaryThis bill outlines rules for how the state's Public Deposit Investment Pool must manage its money, specifically requiring an investment advisor to keep at least 30 percent of funds in insured or collateralized deposits and to maintain the highest possible credit rating for the pool. It grants the state treasurer and an advisory committee the authority to select an investment advisor through a competitive process and to create detailed rules regarding disclosure, investment limits, and administrative practices. The legislation also repeals previous investment advisor obligations and sets an effective date of December 30, 2030, for the repeal provision, while other parts of the bill take effect immediately upon passage.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires manufacturers and testing facilities in New Hampshire to publicly report their use of animals for product testing starting in 2026. The annual reports must be posted on company websites and include details such as the number and species of animals used, the specific products tested, and the number of times alternative testing methods were applied or waived. These disclosures apply only to testing done for commercial products rather than biomedical research, aiming to increase transparency without changing how the testing itself is conducted.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies an existing law to clarify that primary care physicians are not required to use a specific behavioral health care model. Instead, it mandates that insurance companies must cover services provided when a primary care provider voluntarily chooses to implement this model. The changes apply immediately to insurance coverage rules and take effect 60 days after the bill is passed into law.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands eligibility for free school meals in New Hampshire to include students from households earning up to 300 percent of the federal poverty guidelines. Under the new rules, school districts must provide at least one free meal daily to every student whose family income falls below this threshold, with the state funding the additional costs through the education trust fund. The legislation also updates the definition of the education trust fund to explicitly include money for these expanded meal programs. These changes take effect on September 1, 2023, and aim to ensure more children have access to nutritious food during school hours.

Maddy summaryHB 1633 would have legalized and regulated the sale of cannabis in New Hampshire by creating a new state framework similar to the existing alcohol industry. The bill proposed establishing a licensing system for various businesses, including growers, manufacturers, distributors, and retail stores, while mandating age verification and prohibiting marketing directed at minors. It also included provisions to fund education and treatment programs using tax revenue from legal sales and to ensure all products are tested for safety and contaminants. Although the bill passed a conference committee, it ultimately failed to become law after being removed from the table and the legislative session ended.