Rep. Wendy Thomas

Maddy summaryHB 1722 creates a new regulatory classification for large-energy-use electric facilities (defined as sites using 20+ megawatts at peak demand, such as data centers or processing facilities) and requires the Public Utilities Commission to establish a separate tariff system for them. The bill mandates that costs for serving these facilities be allocated based on their actual service costs or directly assigned to them, preventing cost-shifting to other ratepayers. It also requires 10-year contracts with specific terms, including minimum usage commitments and provisions to address early termination risks. The law aims to protect all electricity customers by ensuring large facilities pay their fair share for grid services and infrastructure.

Maddy summaryHB 1174 requires all bars, restaurants, liquor stores, and state liquor outlets to display a visible sign stating: "According to the Surgeon General, drinking alcoholic beverages may increase cancer risk and women should not drink alcoholic beverages during pregnancy because of the risk of birth defects." The sign must be placed prominently in a contrasting color on the premises. This applies to both on-premises (e.g., bars) and off-premises (e.g., grocery store liquor counters) licensees, as well as state liquor stores. The law takes effect 60 days after passage and has a minimal fiscal impact under $10,000 annually.

Maddy summaryHB 1265 prohibits the construction of new data centers in New Hampshire for one year from its effective date, affecting developers and businesses planning such facilities. It establishes a four-member committee (three House members appointed by the Speaker, one Senate member appointed by the President) to study the environmental impact of data centers. The committee must submit interim findings by November 1, 2025, and a final report by November 1, 2026, to legislative leaders and the governor. The bill does not ban existing data centers or address operational impacts, only pausing new construction while studying environmental effects.

Maddy summaryHB 1534 clarifies how electric utilities recover costs related to default service - the safety-net option for customers who don’t choose a provider. It requires utilities to recover costs (including those from renewable energy compliance) through approved default service rates, ensuring past under- or over-collections are addressed in future rates for the same service tier. The bill also allows the utility commission to implement measures discouraging long-term use of default service, with any revenue from such measures used to offset stranded costs. This directly affects customers on default service plans and utilities managing these rates.

Maddy summaryHB 1082 allows municipalities to remove political signs from state-owned property within their boundaries after election day. Specifically, it amends state law to permit local governments to clear such signs from state-owned land once the second Friday following an election has passed, if the signs remain after that deadline. This directly affects municipalities (which gain authority to remove signs) and candidates (who must remove their own signs by the deadline). The bill does not change the requirement for candidates to remove signs themselves by the second Friday after an election.

Maddy summaryHB 1389 establishes strict liability for owners or operators of facilities that release PFAS chemicals into groundwater, triggering cleanup requirements when contamination reaches 500 parts per trillion or higher. It directly affects businesses handling PFAS (like manufacturers or waste facilities) that caused such contamination. The bill mandates compliance with federal cleanup regulations (40 CFR 265.111 and 265.114) for equipment, piping, and building surfaces used with PFAS. This requires facilities to address contamination through closure, decommissioning, or remediation of affected infrastructure.

Maddy summaryHB 1180 updates New Hampshire's state building code definition to adopt the International Energy Conservation Code 2024 (IECC 2024) instead of the previous 2018 version. This change directly affects builders, architects, and developers who must comply with state building codes for new construction and major renovations. The bill requires all new projects to meet the stricter energy efficiency standards in the IECC 2024, which aims to reduce energy use in buildings. The update takes effect July 1, 2026, with minimal fiscal impact (under $10,000 annually through 2029).

Maddy summaryHB 1258 requires New Hampshire's Department of Environmental Services to publish PFAS testing results on its public website. The bill mandates the department to include data from public water systems, private wells tested through state programs, and environmental samples like soil, water, and fish tissue. Published data must be searchable by location, date, and contaminant type, with updates every six months while protecting private well owners' personal information. This law directly affects public access to PFAS contamination data and the department's reporting obligations.

Maddy summaryHB 1724 requires New Hampshire electric utilities to submit annual public reports detailing transmission costs, wholesale electricity market impacts, capacity market auctions, and generation resource adequacy. These reports must include project-specific transmission cost breakdowns, wholesale purchase strategies, capacity auction results, and specific analyses of data center interconnection costs (for facilities 5+ MW). Utilities must also propose how ratepayers will be protected from costs if data centers fail or withdraw, with reports due annually starting January 1, 2027. The New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission will hold public hearings every three years to review these filings.

Maddy summaryHB 1745 prohibits public utilities from including certain costs in customer bills. Specifically, it blocks recovery of legal fees from contested proceedings (like attorney costs), trade association dues (e.g., to groups under IRS 501(c)(6)), and marketing/promotional expenses unless the Public Utilities Commission confirms they directly benefit customers. This means utilities cannot pass these costs to ratepayers, potentially lowering bills for households and businesses. The fiscal note estimates the state could save up to $20,000 annually in a large rate case (e.g., $2 million in legal costs with state representing 1% of sales), though savings for local governments are expected to be smaller.