Rep. Ross Berry

Maddy summaryHB 529 creates a new "Restaurant Delivery License" allowing existing restaurant license holders to deliver alcoholic beverages (wine, liquor, and beer) to customers. To qualify, restaurants must pay a $250 annual fee, deliver only when their business is open, and always include food ordered by the customer. Deliveries must use tamper-proof containers labeled with alcohol content details and health warnings, and drivers must be W-2 employees over 21. The bill prohibits deliveries to schools, libraries, parks, and areas where alcohol sales are banned.

Maddy summaryHB 365 provides $50,000 in state funding to reimburse local municipalities for costs incurred when indigent voters need to obtain birth certificates or equivalent proof of U.S. citizenship for voter registration. The bill directly affects low-income voters who face financial barriers to proving citizenship and local election offices that process these requests. Key provision: the state will cover voucher costs under RSA 654:12, II-a(b), ensuring municipalities aren't burdened by these expenses. This is a funding mechanism, not a new voting requirement, and takes effect 60 days after passage.

Maddy summaryHB 610 would eliminate the office of the Consumer Advocate by repealing the law that created it. This directly affects the office's staff and consumers who previously relied on its services for assistance with issues like utility bills or product safety. The bill's key mechanism is removing the legal foundation for the office, ending its operations and associated duties. The committee has recommended passing the bill with an amendment, but the core change remains the dissolution of the office.

Maddy summaryHB 340 would prohibit public employees, including those appointed by local officials, from campaigning for candidates, political parties, or ballot measures while performing official duties. It bans using government resources like phones, computers, or vehicles for electioneering and defines prohibited actions - such as distributing campaign materials, making biased statements, or organizing events that advocate for specific candidates. Exceptions include neutral voter registration drives, sharing official election information without bias, and university surveys. Violations would be classified as misdemeanors.

Maddy summaryHB 481 moves New Hampshire's state primary election from September to the second Tuesday in June of even-numbered years, as amended in RSA 653:8. This change directly affects all voters registered in the state and candidates seeking state offices who must file for primaries. Key provisions include adjusting registration deadline windows (restricting party affiliation changes from March 1 to the day before the June primary) and updating filing periods for candidates to align with the new June date. The bill modifies multiple election statutes to implement this timing shift, ensuring consistency across primary election procedures.

Maddy summaryHB 459 addresses zoning rules for single-family homes by proposing changes to minimum lot size requirements (acreage) where sewer infrastructure is needed. It would directly affect homeowners, developers, and local governments managing land use near sewage systems. The bill's specific provisions are not detailed in the provided context, but it aims to adjust how property size requirements interact with sewer planning. As of its current status, the bill was referred for an interim study without a committee vote advancing it further. The exact policy changes remain unclear without access to the bill's full text.

Maddy summaryHB 155 reduces the tax rate for the business enterprise tax, directly affecting businesses subject to this specific tax. The bill lowers the percentage rate applied to business profits, providing a direct reduction in tax liability for qualifying entities. Key provisions include modifying the tax calculation formula to reflect the new, lower rate without changing the tax base or exemptions. This policy change aims to decrease the tax burden on eligible businesses through a straightforward rate adjustment. The bill passed committee with amendments but faces opposition in the minority report.

Maddy summaryHB 224 establishes a renewable energy fund to support solar, thermal, electrical, and offshore wind initiatives in New Hampshire. Any excess funds in the renewable energy fund - after covering program costs, administrative expenses, and specific initiatives like offshore wind development - must be rebated to all electricity customers in the state. The rebates are calculated based on each customer’s kilowatt-hour usage and distributed promptly. This policy directly affects all residential and commercial electricity ratepayers by returning unused program funds to their bills. The bill modifies existing law to ensure continuous funding for renewable programs and automatic rebates when surplus funds exist.

Maddy summaryHB 100 would prohibit the use of state funds for new passenger rail projects. This directly affects state agencies and any organizations seeking state financial support for developing new rail infrastructure. The bill's key provision is a direct ban on allocating state money for such projects, preventing new investments. It does not impact existing rail systems or federal funding for rail initiatives.

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.