Rep. Mary Murphy

Maddy summaryHB 1526 modifies procedures for New Hampshire towns and school districts that use a municipal budget committee. It standardizes the wording of town meeting votes about establishing or changing the committee (e.g., "Shall we change the number of members from X to Y?") and adjusts the timeframe for appointing initial members in cooperative school districts from 15 to 30 days. The bill also clarifies how committees can be rescinded or how membership size or election method can be changed, requiring votes to take effect after the next annual meeting. This affects all towns and school districts operating under RSA 32:14 or 195:12-a.

Maddy summaryHB 1581 requires New Hampshire municipalities to mail property owners a notice within 14 days if their property's assessed value changes, unless the change is part of a town-wide revaluation. The notice must include the town hall's contact information and details on accessing assessment data online, if available. This applies to all property owners affected by individual assessment adjustments, not just those in municipal-wide revaluations. The bill has minimal fiscal impact, with estimated costs under $10,000 per municipality for printing and mailing notices.

Maddy summaryHB 1272 would allow New Hampshire towns and school districts to choose whether to print candidates' party affiliations on local ballots, after voters approve the change at a town meeting. If approved, party affiliations (using the first three letters of the party name, like "DEM," or "UND" for unaffiliated candidates) would appear after each candidate's name. This applies only to town and school district elections, not state-level races, and requires voter approval each time the policy is adopted or rescinded. The bill does not mandate this change but gives communities an option to implement it.

Maddy summaryHB 1342 requires New Hampshire election officials to publicly share basic voter information for absentee and UOCAVA (Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act) voters, including names, addresses, and ballot status. However, it prohibits releasing overseas mailing addresses and electronic contact details (like email or phone numbers) for UOCAVA voters who are members of the uniformed services. The bill also bans disclosure of how ballots were voted and mandates that records be made available within one business day of a request. Officials who fail to comply face civil fines up to $1,000 for the first offense or misdemeanor charges for repeated violations.

Maddy summaryHB 1617 requires New Hampshire's Department of Business and Economic Affairs to include domestic and international corporate relocation logistics and investment tracking in its annual reports and strategic planning. The bill amends existing statutes to mandate that the department report on business relocation opportunities, investment pledges, and the effectiveness of recruitment programs as part of its annual strategy. This directly affects the department's reporting obligations and aims to help the state better track and pursue economic investment opportunities, particularly following national business investment pledges exceeding $7.4 trillion. The key change is making relocation logistics and investment data a formal requirement in the department's annual reports and economic development plans.

Maddy summaryHB 1644 allows any single town within a cooperative school district to initiate withdrawal from the district without needing approval from the entire district. Previously, a 3/5 supermajority vote of all district voters could block a town's withdrawal; this bill removes that requirement. The process now begins when a town's voters approve withdrawal by a 3/5 majority at a town meeting, after which the state board reviews the withdrawal plan. This change directly affects towns in cooperative school districts by giving them unilateral authority to leave the arrangement.

Maddy summaryHB 1292 expands New Hampshire's Right to Try Act to allow patients with "qualifying severe illness" access to unapproved treatments. The bill adds new rules for regenerative stem cell therapies, requiring patient consent, facility accreditation, and clear advertising disclosures. It specifically prohibits the use of stem cells derived from fetal or embryonic sources after an abortion. This policy change directly affects New Hampshire residents with severe illnesses who seek experimental treatments not yet approved by the FDA.

Maddy summarySB 635 establishes a tax credit program for New Hampshire employers that use health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs) instead of traditional group health insurance. Employers with more than one employee (classified as "qualified taxpayers") can claim a credit of up to $400 per covered employee in the first year (reducing to $200 in the second year), with annual limits of $20,000 per employer in year one and $10,000 in year two. The credit is applied against state tax liability, with a total annual cap of $10 million across all claims, and unused credits may be carried forward for up to three years. This policy directly affects employers transitioning to HRAs and aims to offset costs for covering employee health expenses through tax incentives.

Maddy summaryThis House Resolution (HR 29) requests the New Hampshire Supreme Court to clarify the scope of specific constitutional provisions regarding the separation of powers. It asks the court to provide an opinion on how Articles 4, 72-a, and 73-a interact, particularly concerning the legislature's authority versus judicial power in areas like court administration, budgeting, and rulemaking. The resolution lists 11 specific legal questions about whether the legislature retains authority over matters not strictly defined as "judicial power" under the constitution. As a procedural request for a court opinion, it does not create new law or directly affect any individuals or entities. The resolution seeks clarification on existing constitutional language to resolve ambiguities about legislative and judicial responsibilities.

Maddy summaryHB 1660 allows New Hampshire municipalities to use project-based credit enhancement agreements (CEAs) to incentivize specific housing developments without requiring a full tax increment financing (TIF) district. It directly affects municipalities and developers building qualifying housing projects, such as senior housing, skilled care facilities, workforce housing, or other community-identified housing needs. The bill clarifies that housing-related captured tax revenue will be excluded from equalized property valuation calculations, preventing towns from facing artificially inflated state tax bases. This change streamlines support for housing projects while excluding conversions of existing homes, luxury developments, or individually owned units like single-family homes. The law aims to address housing shortages by making municipal financial tools more accessible for housing-focused initiatives.