Rep. Brian Cole

Maddy summaryHB 1103 expands tax relief credits for municipalities by allowing them to apply community revitalization tax credits to more property types. Specifically, it enables tax credits for converting existing office, commercial, or industrial buildings to residential use, and for new residential construction meeting affordability standards. Properties must be located in designated housing opportunity or residential conversion zones, with tax relief lasting up to 11 years if workforce housing is created. This directly affects property owners and municipalities seeking to incentivize housing development in targeted areas. The bill amends New Hampshire’s tax code to broaden eligibility beyond current standards, effective April 1, 2027.

Maddy summaryHB 1734 authorizes New Hampshire to establish experimental treatment centers that provide medical treatments using investigational drugs, biologics, or devices that have completed Phase 1 clinical trials but are not yet FDA-approved for general use. These centers must be approved by the Department of Health and Human Services and can only treat eligible patients who have a physician's recommendation, provided written informed consent (including discussion of alternative FDA-approved treatments and potential costs), and understand insurance may not cover the treatment. The bill creates a new legal framework distinct from existing medical licensing, requiring centers to follow specific consent protocols and safety standards documented by qualified medical institutions. It directly affects patients seeking innovative treatments, healthcare providers, and manufacturers of investigational medical products.

Maddy summaryHB 1037 extends the New Hampshire commission studying off-highway recreational vehicle (OHRV) use by two additional years and adds a representative from the New Hampshire Division of Travel and Tourism Development to the commission's membership. This bill directly affects the existing commission, which includes members from state agencies, law enforcement, recreation groups, landowners, and municipalities. The key mechanism is amending the commission's membership structure to include the tourism department representative (now listed as point 11 in RSA 215-A:44-a) while extending its study deadline. The bill does not change OHRV regulations but ensures the commission continues its work with updated representation.

Maddy summaryHB 1426 requires New Hampshire's Department of Environmental Services (DES) to ensure every program area with regulatory, permitting, or enforcement duties has at least one certified professional available on call. This applies to all DES program areas and can be met through hiring certified staff, training existing employees, or contracting with certified individuals. The bill specifies that certified personnel must hold valid program-specific certifications and exempts them from certain fee requirements or conflict-of-interest certification maintenance. DES estimates potential annual costs between $100,000 and $500,000 starting in 2028, though it does not provide new funding. The requirement takes effect July 1, 2027.

Maddy summaryHB 1204 allows New Hampshire-harvested softwood timber (above 44°N latitude) to be classified as spruce-pine-fir (SPF) if it meets national structural and visual grading standards. It requires state-funded building projects in New Hampshire to prioritize lumber harvested within the state, unless design needs require imported materials. The bill directly affects New Hampshire timber growers by expanding eligibility for SPF grading and state construction projects by changing procurement rules. These provisions become effective 60 days after the bill's passage.

Maddy summaryHB 1516 requires New Hampshire municipalities to include visual aids and digital links on property tax bills showing how tax dollars are spent. Specifically, tax bills must feature a pie chart breaking down tax categories (state education, school, city/town, county, and precincts), a 10-year line graph of spending trends, and QR codes linking to detailed budget information online. Municipalities must post this data annually on their websites (or in physical locations if no website exists), including links to budget adoption minutes, reports, and tax cap details. The bill takes effect April 1, 2027, with estimated costs under $10,000 per municipality for implementation.

Maddy summaryHB 1048 repeals the general prohibition on possessing or selling blackjacks, slung shots, and metallic knuckles for adults, while maintaining a ban on these items for people under 18. The bill specifically makes it illegal for anyone under 18 to carry these weapons and prohibits selling them to minors. This change allows adults to possess and sell these weapons to other adults, but continues to prohibit minors from having them or being sold to them. The bill takes effect on January 1, 2027.

Maddy summaryThis resolution urges all federal agencies and contractors operating at federal facilities (such as National Parks, museums, and government offices) to accept physical U.S. cash as legal tender, in alignment with 31 U.S.C. §5103. It specifically targets situations where cash is refused while electronic payments incur "convenience fees," violating the legal tender law. The resolution demands that federal services accept cash without additional charges for all transactions. It does not create new laws but calls for compliance with existing federal currency regulations.

Maddy summarySB 478 aims to lower prescription drug costs for New Hampshire residents by regulating pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs). It bans "spread pricing" (where PBMs keep the difference between what they pay pharmacies and charge insurers), requires all manufacturer rebates to reduce consumer out-of-pocket costs or premiums, and prohibits retroactive fees on clean claims. The bill also mandates transparent pricing lists, allows audits to prevent misuse, and prioritizes the lowest net-cost drugs in formularies. These changes directly affect patients, pharmacies, insurers, and PBMs by making drug pricing more transparent and reducing hidden costs.

Maddy summaryThis constitutional amendment (CACR 18) would cap annual increases in New Hampshire state and local government spending and tax rates based on inflation and population growth. Specifically, it limits annual spending increases to a four-year average inflation rate (capped at 2.5%) plus the prior year's population change, with excess revenues up to 10% directed to a rainy day fund. It also grants citizens the right to sue the state or local governments for violations, including recovery of attorney fees and up to 20x those costs if successful. The amendment requires voter approval in the 2026 general election.