Rep. Brian Cole

Maddy summaryHB 1281 establishes certification standards for "facility comfort dogs" used by public agencies like hospitals, schools, and emergency services to provide emotional support. It requires these dogs to earn an American Kennel Club Canine Good Citizen certificate by 18 months and complete quarterly training, while banning prong/electronic collars during deployment. Handlers must obtain specific certifications including Mental Health First Aid and Emergency First Aid for Dogs, and agencies must maintain detailed training records. The bill also sets care standards, such as prohibiting raw diets, requiring spaying/neutering, and mandating retirement policies for the dogs. These requirements directly affect public safety agencies, their handlers, and the comfort dogs they deploy.

Maddy summaryHB 1713 establishes new standards for affordable housing development in New Hampshire by revising zoning laws. It defines "eligible housing" for low-income (80% or less of median area income) and moderate-income (80%-140% of median area income) residents, and authorizes the transfer of surplus state-owned property to the New Hampshire Housing Finance Authority for affordable housing projects. The bill requires affordability restrictions on housing developed on transferred properties, including rules for occupancy, resale, and mixed-income housing. This directly affects state agencies managing surplus property, the Housing Finance Authority, and low/moderate-income residents seeking affordable housing options.

Maddy summaryHB 1351 establishes statewide standards for home-based businesses in New Hampshire, directly affecting homeowners operating such businesses and local municipalities that regulate them. The bill defines "no-impact" businesses (e.g., invisible, no customer visits) as allowed without permits in all zoning districts, while "low-impact" businesses (with up to 4 non-resident employees and ≤20 daily customer visits) require only ministerial registration. It preempts local rules that conflict with these standards, such as banning outdoor storage compliant with the bill, imposing stricter employee limits, or requiring special permits. Municipalities can no longer enforce categorical bans on home businesses unrelated to health/safety, like 2-client caps or blanket signage prohibitions. The law aims to standardize regulations while preserving residential character and neutral nuisance standards.

Maddy summarySB 477 requires hospitals and other 340B-covered entities in New Hampshire to submit annual public reports to the Department of Health and Human Services by April 1. These reports must detail patient usage of 340B drugs (by insurance type), financial data including acquisition costs and reimbursements for drugs and other services, net revenue, and charity care costs. The bill mandates separate reporting for hospitals, their practice locations, and contracted pharmacies, along with CEO/CFO attestations confirming accuracy. It aims to increase transparency by making 340B program financial data publicly available and preventing duplicate discounts.

Maddy summaryHB 1181 changes how municipalities must notify the public about zoning board appeals. It replaces the current requirement to publish hearing notices in newspapers with a new rule: notices must be posted on the municipality’s public website for at least 5 days before the hearing. This applies to all towns and cities with zoning boards of adjustment. The change aims to reduce costs for municipalities, as they will no longer need to pay for newspaper advertising - estimated savings are under $10,000 per municipality annually.

Maddy summaryHB 1754 repeals the statewide requirement for New Hampshire schools to use the multi-tiered system of supports for behavioral health and wellness (MTSS-B), a tiered approach to student mental health support. The bill directly affects public schools across New Hampshire by removing this mandated framework from state law. It eliminates the legal obligation under RSA 135-F:3, III(l) for schools to implement MTSS-B as part of their mental health care systems for students. The change takes effect 60 days after enactment, shifting oversight of student mental health support to local school districts.

Maddy summaryHB 1474 changes how New Hampshire distributes revenue from its meals and rooms tax to local governments. It creates a new "meals and rooms municipal revenue fund" and establishes a formula that prioritizes towns, cities, and unincorporated areas with an average property value per adjusted resident of $500,000 or less. The formula adjusts population by excluding residents in exempt housing (like colleges, prisons, and nursing homes), then calculates distributions based on how far each community’s property value per person falls below $500,000. This replaces the previous distribution method without changing the total tax revenue amount. The new system takes effect July 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 1169 shortens the required notice period for excavators to contact utility damage prevention systems from 72 to 48 hours (excluding weekends and 6 specified holidays), and extends the validity of excavation notifications from 30 days to one year if site conditions remain unchanged. This directly affects construction companies, contractors, and anyone planning underground excavation work in New Hampshire. The key changes streamline notification timing for excavators while allowing longer validity for unchanged sites, reducing repeated notice requirements. The bill modifies existing laws in RSA 374:51 regarding excavation notifications.

Maddy summaryHB 1543 updates the process for transferring state-owned highway, federal, or turnpike-funded property to local municipalities. It requires the state to first offer such property to the local town, city, or county government where it’s located, with municipalities having 90 days to respond or be deemed to have approved. For active road segments (class I/II highways), disposal needs either municipal approval or a rehab agreement before the state can transfer it. Proceeds from sales must go back to the original funding source (highway, federal, or turnpike fund), and the state must provide a "turnback condition report" verifying highway infrastructure is repaired before transfer.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the New Hampshire Third-Party Litigation Funding Transparency Act to regulate companies that provide funding for consumer lawsuits. It requires these funding companies to register with the state, provide clear disclosures in contracts (including a 10-day right to cancel without penalty), and limit charges to 36% annually. The bill prohibits practices like paying referral fees to attorneys and restricts funding companies from influencing legal decisions or settlement choices. It also requires disclosure of funding arrangements to other parties in legal claims and sets out registration requirements and penalties for violations. The law takes effect January 1, 2026.