Rep. Diane Pauer

Maddy summarySB 211 requires New Hampshire public schools to establish eligibility rules for female-designated sports programs, directly affecting student athletes in those programs. The bill mandates that schools cannot exclude students solely based on transgender status but sets specific criteria: students must identify as female in daily life, not transfer teams mid-season for competitive advantage, and meet other criteria tied to the sport's educational purpose. It also requires all schools to adopt privacy policies by September 2025, allowing any student needing increased privacy (regardless of reason) to access single-stall restrooms or private changing areas. The law takes effect July 1, 2025, and applies to all public school sports programs in the state.

Maddy summarySB 33, titled the "Right To Challenge Act," requires New Hampshire public school districts to establish policies by September 1, 2026, restricting materials deemed "harmful to minors" in schools. It defines such materials as those depicting nudity, sexual conduct, or sadomasochistic abuse in a way that appeals to minors' prurient interest, lacks serious value for them, and is inappropriate for their age. School boards must create complaint procedures allowing parents to submit written concerns about materials, requiring schools to investigate within 10 days and respond in writing within 15 days with their decision. The bill directly affects school districts, educators, and parents seeking to challenge materials in school settings.

Maddy summarySB 36 requires health care providers and medical facilities to collect and report standardized abortion statistics to the state health department. It directly affects hospitals, clinics, and physicians performing abortions by mandating specific data collection on procedures, including patient demographics and gestational age. The bill establishes a uniform reporting system to track abortion data, replacing inconsistent current practices. This focuses on improving data accuracy for public health analysis, not altering abortion access or policy.

Maddy summaryHB 257 would establish a new criminal offense for severe child neglect, creating a legal definition for cases where caregivers fail to provide essential needs like food, shelter, or medical care, resulting in serious harm or risk to a child. This bill directly affects individuals (such as parents or guardians) whose neglect reaches a criminal threshold, moving beyond typical child welfare interventions into criminal prosecution. Key provisions would define specific acts constituting criminal neglect and establish potential penalties, including fines or imprisonment, for convicted offenders. The bill aims to provide clearer legal tools for holding accountable those whose actions cause significant harm to children.

Maddy summaryHB 104 would require the U.S. Congress to formally declare war before the New Hampshire National Guard can be activated for service in a foreign country. This bill directly affects the New Hampshire National Guard and the governor, who would need congressional authorization to deploy troops overseas. The key provision mandates that the governor cannot activate the Guard for foreign military operations without an official declaration of war from Congress. The bill does not apply to domestic emergencies or humanitarian missions within the United States.

Maddy summarySB 103 requires New Hampshire towns and cities to provide at least one polling place for every 15,000 registered voters in presidential elections, unless they submit and get approval for a detailed plan addressing potential voter delays. The plan must cover traffic flow, parking, staffing levels, equipment availability (like electronic poll books), and other operational factors specified by the Secretary of State and Attorney General. Approval of such plans is conditional on meeting specific measures to prevent delays, and the officials may request additional information before granting approval. This bill directly affects local election planning for all towns and cities holding presidential elections.

Maddy summaryHB 71 prohibits public school facilities from being used to house non-citizens and requires health department contracts to align with this restriction. It also mandates that local governments provide public notice before reassessing property values for tax purposes. The bill directly affects school districts, health agencies, and property owners who may face new administrative requirements. These provisions focus on restricting shelter use in schools and ensuring transparency in property tax assessments.

Maddy summaryHB 143 makes it a crime for anyone to use AI-powered communication tools (like chatbots) to facilitate, encourage, offer, solicit, or recommend harmful acts to a child. It directly affects developers and operators of generative AI services interacting with minors, imposing criminal penalties for violations. The bill also creates a private right to sue for individuals harmed by such interactions. It became law on August 1, 2025, and takes effect January 1, 2026.