Rep. Tony Caplan

Maddy summaryHB 1666 requires New Hampshire’s 10-year energy strategy to include two new elements: (1) electric capacity planning for emerging sectors like housing, transportation, technology, and data centers, with expert consultations every 3 years; and (2) analysis of demand-side measures (such as efficiency, conservation, and load management) to cost-effectively meet energy needs. The bill directly affects the state’s energy planning process and the Department of Energy, which must update the strategy accordingly. It does not provide new funding or change existing energy infrastructure requirements. The changes aim to align long-term planning with evolving energy demands without specifying new construction or operational mandates.

Maddy summaryHB 1534 clarifies how electric utilities recover costs related to default service - the safety-net option for customers who don’t choose a provider. It requires utilities to recover costs (including those from renewable energy compliance) through approved default service rates, ensuring past under- or over-collections are addressed in future rates for the same service tier. The bill also allows the utility commission to implement measures discouraging long-term use of default service, with any revenue from such measures used to offset stranded costs. This directly affects customers on default service plans and utilities managing these rates.

Maddy summaryHB 1290 requires New Hampshire's Department of Energy to create rules for the installation, interconnection, and use of customer-owned energy storage systems (like home batteries). These rules will guide the Public Utilities Commission when approving utility tariffs and making decisions about customer compensation for such systems. The bill does not change existing net metering rules or electrical permit requirements for installers. It directly affects homeowners, businesses, and utilities by establishing a regulatory framework for customer energy storage. The rules must be adopted by the Department of Energy, with the Commission using them to approve tariffs and orders.

Maddy summaryHB 1399 appropriates $5 million from New Hampshire's Revenue Stabilization Reserve Account (the "Rainy Day Fund") to reimburse the Claremont School District for part of the costs of renovating Stevens High School in 2015. The bill specifically addresses a project completed during a building aid moratorium, which the district needed to restore accreditation and maintain eligibility for future aid. This funding directly benefits the Claremont School District and Stevens High School, covering costs the district incurred but could not recover during the moratorium. The appropriation is a one-time payment from the state's rainy day fund, effective 60 days after passage.

Maddy summaryHB 1024 prohibits the New Hampshire retirement system from investing in businesses owned by the current U.S. president or their immediate family. This directly affects the state's retirement funds, which manage pension investments for public employees. The bill amends investment rules to explicitly ban such investments, adding a new restriction to the retirement system's investment guidelines. The policy change takes effect 60 days after the bill's passage.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits restaurants, retail food stores, and large food facilities from automatically providing single-use plastic items like utensils, straws, and condiment packets to customers, requiring them to ask first instead. It mandates that these businesses display signs explaining the ban and its environmental goals, while also requiring online ordering platforms to let customers explicitly choose whether they want these items. The rules apply to large facilities starting in 2025 and to all other food service establishments and retail stores by 2026, with a $100 daily fine for violations. Exceptions allow businesses to provide certain items like cup lids and sleeves without a request to prevent spills during takeout or delivery, and pre-packaged items like those in juice boxes remain unaffected.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $600,000 in state general funds to the Department of Transportation for the town of Warner. The money is designated as matching funds to support a federal grant that will help build a section of a rail trail connecting Contoocook Village with downtown Warner. The legislation authorizes the governor to issue a warrant for these funds, which will be spent during the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires electric and gas utilities in New Hampshire to submit detailed ten-year distribution plans to the state commission within five years of its effective date. These plans must include forecasts for future energy demand, assessments of efficiency programs and infrastructure needs, and evaluations of alternative solutions like non-wires options for electricity and non-pipeline options for gas. The commission will review each plan through a public process, approving, rejecting, or modifying it within one year, with the goal of improving grid reliability, resilience, and cost-effectiveness while aligning with the state's broader energy strategy.