Rep. Heather Raymond

Maddy summaryHB 1114 requires New Hampshire legislative committees to preserve all written public comments received on bills - including those submitted via in-person hearings, written submissions, and the state's remote sign-in system - and to create reports explaining how these comments influenced their recommendations. Committees must detail in these reports why specific arguments from public comments were or were not considered when forming their bill recommendations. The reports, overseen by committee leadership, must be submitted to the legislative clerk and retained in the bill’s permanent record, with exclusions allowed for duplicate, out-of-state, lobbyist-submitted, or erroneous comments. This bill increases transparency in how public input shapes legislative decisions without altering policy outcomes.

Maddy summaryHB 1744 requires health insurance companies operating in New Hampshire to submit annual reports by March 1st starting in 2026, detailing their mental health and substance use disorder coverage practices. These reports must include data on claims denial rates, average wait times for appointments, provider network availability, and compliance with federal parity laws. The insurance commissioner will review these reports and make de-identified data publicly available, while the state Medicaid program must also report annually starting in 2027 on similar metrics. This bill establishes new transparency requirements without authorizing new funding or positions.

Maddy summaryHB 1806 creates a process for educators with revoked or suspended licenses (not due to criminal conduct) to petition for removal from the state's public registry of educator misconduct. To qualify, petitioners must provide documentation showing rehabilitation and proof the revocation wasn't criminal. The Department of Education must review petitions within 90 days and may remove names if the individual poses no current risk to students and removal aligns with public interest. The bill also requires biennial registry reviews to remove deceased individuals and ensure accuracy, while mandating annual anonymized reporting of removals.

Maddy summaryHB 1129 allows school superintendents or their designees to approve students' limited use of personal laptops and tablets for specific educational activities during school hours, under direct teacher supervision. This use would be exempt from existing school policies that typically prohibit personal electronic devices like cell phones. The bill does not change the general rule banning personal devices but creates a clear exception for learning purposes when approved by school leadership. It directly affects students and schools in New Hampshire by modifying cell phone policy frameworks to support educational technology use.

Maddy summaryHB 1280 establishes a 19-member commission to study public school open enrollment in New Hampshire. The commission, including school superintendents, local school board members, legislators, parents, and business administrators, will develop a system for open enrollment that addresses state funding, equitable access, transportation, special education responsibilities, and budget documentation. It must propose revisions to existing law (RSA 194-D) covering enrollment processes, timelines, and funding mechanisms to prevent direct invoicing between schools. The bill suspends current RSA 194-D rules until the commission submits its final report to the legislature. This directly affects New Hampshire public schools, students, and families by shaping future enrollment policies.

Maddy summaryHB 1212 establishes a 18-member commission to review draft rules for minimum standards in public school approval and state academic standards before they are submitted to the New Hampshire state board of education or legislature. The commission includes representatives from school administrators, principals, curriculum specialists, teachers (elementary, middle, and high school), and a competency-based education expert, appointed through specific educational organizations. It requires the commission to provide written recommendations within 120 days of receiving draft rules, ensuring reviews incorporate competency-based education principles, research-based practices, and accountability measures outlined in existing law. This bill directly affects the New Hampshire Department of Education and state board of education when developing or revising school standards.

Maddy summaryHB 1789 establishes a program requiring producers of packaged goods to cover the cost of managing their product packaging after consumer use. This applies to manufacturers, brands, and importers selling products in New Hampshire under their brand, excluding medical packaging, certain agricultural products, and beverage containers under existing deposit programs. Producers will pay fees to a non-profit organization (managed by the Department of Environmental Services) to fund packaging reduction initiatives, reusable/refillable systems, recycling infrastructure, and reimbursements to local governments for recycling costs. The bill defines key terms like "packaging" and "producer" to clarify responsibilities under this extended producer responsibility framework.

Maddy summaryHB 1835 updates New Hampshire's funding formula for special education by requiring the state to reimburse school districts 80% of the actual costs for services provided to students with disabilities, as defined by federal law (IDEA). This reimbursement must be paid within 90 days of the district submitting billing information, addressing delays in current funding cycles. School districts can now borrow funds in advance of receiving state payments and count those borrowed amounts as revenue when setting property tax rates. The bill directly affects all public school districts serving students with disabilities and aims to align state payments more closely with documented special education expenses.

Maddy summaryHB 431 establishes a commission to study the costs associated with special education programs in the state. The commission would examine funding requirements and operational expenses affecting school districts and students with disabilities. The bill was referred to the Education Committee but was later deemed "inexpedient to legislate" by the committee on May 15, 2025, effectively halting its progress. This procedural bill does not create new programs or funding but would have directed a study into existing special education cost structures.

Maddy summaryHB 519 allocates state funds to the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) specifically to support the Waypoint youth and young adult shelter, directly benefiting homeless or at-risk youth in need of housing and services. The bill also adds a new provision prohibiting DHHS from entering contracts with any hospital found violating the Patients' Bill of Rights (RSA 151:21). This means DHHS must ensure hospitals it partners with fully comply with patient rights protections before approving contracts. The measure combines direct funding for youth shelter services with a safeguard to uphold healthcare consumer rights.