Rep. Carol McGuire

Maddy summaryThis bill updates zoning laws in New Hampshire to make it easier for families to operate home-based child care businesses. It allows family and group family child care to be used as an accessory to any residential property without needing a special site plan review, provided they meet state health and safety standards. Local governments must permit these facilities by right or through a conditional use permit, and providers can start operating immediately if their state permit is pending while waiting for local approval. The changes take effect 60 days after the law is passed.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates the rules for plumbing apprenticeships in New Hampshire by limiting each plumbing license holder to employing a maximum of two apprentices. It clarifies that a master plumber is not required to register an apprentice in a state-approved program, though such registration is still permitted if the program meets federal Department of Labor standards. The law defines a plumbing apprentice as someone learning to install plumbing and drainage systems under the supervision of a licensed professional. These changes take effect 60 days after the bill is signed into law.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates the composition and qualifications for the New Hampshire Board of Pharmacy and adjusts requirements for the Certified Public Accountant examination. It increases the number of board members from five to seven, adding a pharmacy technician and a public member while raising the pharmacist representation to five, with stricter rules on terms and financial conflicts of interest. The legislation also mandates that pharmacist and technician board members have at least ten years of licensure and five years of practice in the state, and it sets a passing grade of 75 for all sections of the CPA exam. These changes aim to ensure the board reflects current industry roles and to standardize examination standards for accountants.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a new Personnel Appeals Board within the Department of Administrative Services to handle specific disputes for state employees. The five-member board will be appointed by the governor and must include at least one attorney, one labor relations expert, and one public personnel professional, with no member working full-time for a state agency. The board has the authority to hear appeals regarding classification decisions and adverse actions resulting from performance evaluations, while excluding disputes over unpaid leave refusals and certain aspects of job classification. It will operate with its own budget, issue final decisions within 50 days of a hearing, and submit annual reports to the governor. The board will also have the power to subpoena witnesses, review administrative rules, and hire necessary staff to manage its operations.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates pesticide laws to allow licensed agricultural pilots to use drones for spraying chemicals at heights of 20 feet or less. It specifically exempts these drone operations from certain notification requirements that would otherwise apply to aerial pesticide use. The law takes effect on September 1, 2024, and only covers applications conducted by individuals holding valid state registration or permits.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates New Hampshire's state building code by establishing new certification requirements for public building contractors and adjusting the structure of the State Building Code Review Board. Key changes include setting the board member terms to three years, requiring the board to review code updates for cost impacts and public safety, and creating a simplified electronic form to verify residential energy compliance. The legislation also expands the board's authority to hear appeals from specific professional licensing boards while repealing older provisions related to local code amendments and specific building types. These measures are designed to streamline code enforcement, improve consistency in building standards, and clarify the roles of various state agencies and professionals.

Maddy summaryThis law updates regulations for physician assistants in New Hampshire by adding a specific requirement for continuing medical education for those who hold certification but choose not to maintain it. It also clarifies that physician assistants are exempt from certain licensing rules when performing their professional duties. The changes take effect on September 1, 2024, and were signed into law by the Governor in July 2024.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates the definition of New Hampshire's state fire code and officially ratifies amendments approved by the state board of fire control as of September 20, 2023. It changes the required edition of the National Fire Protection Association codes from 2018 to 2021 for both the Life Safety Code and the Uniform Fire Code. The law ensures that any other national standards referenced within these codes are also included unless specifically amended by the state board. These changes apply to all individuals and entities subject to the state fire code, including building owners, managers, and safety inspectors. The new requirements will become effective 60 days after the bill is passed.

Maddy summaryThis bill grants local governments in New Hampshire the authority to create their own building and fire safety rules, provided these local standards are not less strict than the state's current codes. Municipalities can adopt additional regulations or choose to use nationally recognized codes that are not already part of the state code, as long as they receive approval from the state Building Code Review Board or the State Fire Marshal. To ensure consistency and safety, any new local rules must be submitted for review within 60 days of taking effect, and they cannot be enforced until the state agency confirms they do not conflict with or weaken state requirements. The law also clarifies that all buildings must comply with both state and local codes, while allowing cities to file copies of their adopted codes for public inspection.

Maddy summaryThis bill would have changed how the New Hampshire Retirement System calculates the base compensation for certain public employees who were not yet fully vested before 2012. Under the proposed rules, the system would have included mandatory overtime pay in the base rate used to determine retirement benefits, while keeping other types of extra pay separate. The legislation also specified that the employer defines what counts as mandatory overtime for this calculation. Although the bill passed initial committee stages, it was ultimately killed by the legislature on May 23, 2024, and will not take effect.