Rep. Clayton Wood

Maddy summarySB 535 defines two key terms for animal transfer regulations: a "residential breeder" (an individual breeding dogs/cats at home, raising litters as part of the household, transferring no more than 50 animals yearly, and not importing animals) and an "imported animal" (the offspring of an animal imported while pregnant). These definitions apply specifically to animal transfers within New Hampshire, clarifying which operations fall under certain regulations. The bill directly affects home-based breeders and animal transfer operations by setting clear boundaries for their activities. It becomes effective 60 days after passage, with no additional policy changes beyond these definitions.

Maddy summaryHB 1541 requires New Hampshire's Secretary of State to provide all voting precincts with secure, lockable, tamper-evident containers for storing ballots before each election. These containers must be reusable, stackable, transportable, numbered, and designed to accommodate different ballot sizes. The bill mandates annual progress reports tracking container replacements and locations, using existing Help America Vote Act (HAVA) funds without new state appropriations. It directly affects all local election offices statewide by standardizing ballot storage equipment.

Maddy summaryHB 1306 requires town clerks and moderators to record seven specific absentee ballot counts on a standardized "absentee ballot certificate" during election processing. These counts include total ballots received, mailed to voters, spoiled, remaining before/after polls, and those cast on election day. The bill mandates that three copies of this certificate be kept by the clerk and moderator, with one copy sent to the Secretary of State. It directly affects local election officials in New Hampshire towns and wards, not voters or the voting process itself. This procedural change standardizes documentation for absentee ballot counts without altering voting rules.

Maddy summaryHB 1384 requires commercial litigation financiers to disclose certain information about their funding agreements for civil lawsuits. The bill defines "commercial litigation financing agreements" as third-party funding arrangements that create a financial interest in case proceeds, while excluding contingency fee agreements between lawyers and clients, health insurance arrangements, and standard loans. It also restricts funding from "foreign entities of concern" as defined by U.S. sanctions lists. The legislation aims to increase transparency around who is financing lawsuits and under what terms. This would affect law firms, claimants, and third-party financiers entering into such agreements.

Maddy summarySB 502 updates outdated references in New Hampshire state law by removing mentions of the "Department of Business and Economic Affairs" and "Office of Planning and Development." It specifically amends statutes related to the Department of Energy, Geographic Information System committees, and regional planning commissions to reflect current department structures (replacing "Office of Planning and Development" with "Division of Planning and Community Development" under the Department of Business and Economic Affairs). This is an administrative correction to ensure legal references match the state's current organizational structure. The bill affects how state agencies and commissions are referenced in statutes but does not create new policies or funding.

Maddy summaryHB 1388 requires that each constitutional amendment appear as a single ballot question, preventing voters from casting a single vote on multiple amendments. The bill mandates specific wording above amendment questions (e.g., "Questions Relating to Constitutional Amendments Proposed by the Legislature") and requires the ballot to include the full text of the proposed amendment and the vote history on the amendment’s passage. This applies to all ballots containing constitutional amendment questions in New Hampshire. The law takes effect upon passage.

Maddy summaryHB 1247 requires New Hampshire's Secretary of State to create and distribute clear notices about proposed constitutional amendments. The bill mandates that town and city clerks prominently display these notices (including specific header wording and vote dates) for at least 60 days before a statewide vote, and the Secretary of State must maintain a dedicated webpage with the same information. This directly affects voters who need to understand amendment proposals before voting, as well as local clerks responsible for posting the notices. The key mechanism is standardizing and centralizing information about constitutional amendments to improve voter access to details. The bill focuses on procedural transparency without changing amendment content or voting rules.

Maddy summaryHB 1295 requires nonprofit housing projects seeking property tax exemptions in New Hampshire to meet stricter eligibility criteria. Key provisions include mandating that at least 20% of residents receive services free or at reduced cost based on income, requiring transparent fee policies published online, and prohibiting the use of excess funds for personal benefit. The bill directly affects charitable housing facilities serving elderly (62+) and disabled residents that rely on tax exemptions. These requirements take effect April 1, 2027, and apply to projects operated under state law or federal housing programs.

Maddy summaryHB 1224 modifies how towns calculate their default budget when no new budget is approved by the deadline. It specifically allows funding for vacant public safety positions (like police, fire, or emergency medical roles) that were listed in last year's approved budget, provided they remain vacant before the previous budget was approved. Unspent funds for these positions must reduce local taxes instead of being reallocated to other budget areas. This change directly affects New Hampshire towns using the default budget process for official ballot town meetings. The bill takes effect January 1, 2027.

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.