Rep. Wayne MacDonald

Maddy summarySB 478 aims to lower prescription drug costs for New Hampshire residents by regulating pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs). It bans "spread pricing" (where PBMs keep the difference between what they pay pharmacies and charge insurers), requires all manufacturer rebates to reduce consumer out-of-pocket costs or premiums, and prohibits retroactive fees on clean claims. The bill also mandates transparent pricing lists, allows audits to prevent misuse, and prioritizes the lowest net-cost drugs in formularies. These changes directly affect patients, pharmacies, insurers, and PBMs by making drug pricing more transparent and reducing hidden costs.

Maddy summarySB 477 requires hospitals and other 340B-covered entities in New Hampshire to submit annual public reports to the Department of Health and Human Services by April 1. These reports must detail patient usage of 340B drugs (by insurance type), financial data including acquisition costs and reimbursements for drugs and other services, net revenue, and charity care costs. The bill mandates separate reporting for hospitals, their practice locations, and contracted pharmacies, along with CEO/CFO attestations confirming accuracy. It aims to increase transparency by making 340B program financial data publicly available and preventing duplicate discounts.

Maddy summaryHB 1385 prohibits municipalities with minimal or no public education costs from using negative property tax rates, which would otherwise require the state to pay the municipality for taxable property. The bill specifically targets towns or cities that have taxable property but allocate little or nothing to public education in their budgets. It requires the Department of Revenue Administration to reject any negative tax rate proposals from these localities. This change takes effect immediately upon the bill's passage and applies statewide to all qualifying municipalities.

Maddy summarySB 609 requires hospitals, ambulatory surgical centers, and emergency medical care centers to develop evidence-based screening and treatment plans for venous thromboembolism (VTE), including annual training for nonphysician staff. It mandates these facilities to report specific patient data - such as age, race, zip code, diagnosis method, and treatment - to a statewide VTE registry starting July 2027. The Department of Health must contract with a qualified nonprofit entity to maintain the registry, using nationally recognized data collection standards. The registry will track VTE incidence, outcomes, and treatment patterns to improve care systems and ensure compliance with national guidelines. This bill directly affects healthcare facilities and patients treated for blood clots, focusing on standardized screening and data-driven care improvements.

Maddy summarySB 506 directs New Hampshire's Department of Health and Human Services to implement federal work and community engagement requirements for Medicaid eligibility under the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025." It requires the state to submit a plan to CMS (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) by December 2026, after legislative review, and mandates quarterly reports to lawmakers on implementation progress. The bill suspends existing state law provisions related to these requirements while federal rules are in effect, with automatic reinstatement if federal rules end. It does not provide new state funding or create positions, aligning state Medicaid operations with federal guidelines.

Maddy summaryHB 1749 reinstates the death penalty as a sentencing option for capital murder, first-degree murder, and second-degree murder in New Hampshire, replacing mandatory life imprisonment without parole. The bill amends statutes (RSA 630:1, 630:1-a, and 630:1-b) to allow courts to impose death instead of life sentences for these offenses. It also establishes a formal process requiring prosecutors to file notice of intent to seek the death penalty, specify aggravating factors, and hold a separate sentencing hearing where juries weigh aggravating and mitigating evidence. This bill directly affects defendants convicted of the specified murder charges in New Hampshire courts.

Maddy summaryHB 1628 requires New Hampshire public schools to provide excused absences for students attending religious instruction courses (called "released time courses") for up to five hours weekly, contingent on parental written consent and specific conditions like attendance tracking by the sponsoring organization. Schools must adopt policies ensuring no school district funding is used for these courses, transportation and liability fall to the sponsor, and students assume responsibility for missed work. The bill also permits schools to award academic credit for completed courses based solely on secular criteria - such as course hours, syllabus content, and instructor qualifications - without considering religious content or denominational affiliation. This law aims to facilitate religious education access while maintaining neutral, non-discriminatory evaluation standards for credit.

Maddy summaryHB 1714 authorizes New Hampshire to issue up to $1.08 billion in bonds to support public school funding, with proceeds deposited into the state’s Education Trust Fund. The bill requires school districts to submit detailed financial data (including student enrollment and budgets) for public audit to establish statewide funding formulas, while ensuring bond amounts are limited to necessary school funding needs. It does not alter existing education funding formulas but creates a new mechanism for bond financing, with debt service payments projected at approximately $119 million annually starting in 2029 over a 20-year repayment period. The bill directly affects state financial operations and school districts through reporting obligations, but the fiscal note states it will not change current state expenditures to school districts.

Maddy summaryHB 704 would provide state funding for caregiver respite services and senior volunteer programs. The bill directly affects family caregivers needing temporary relief and seniors participating in volunteer initiatives. It includes a specific appropriation (funding allocation) to support these programs but does not detail exact eligibility rules or program structures. The bill is currently pending in committee after receiving a "ought to pass" recommendation with an amendment. (Note: Specific provisions like funding amounts or program requirements are not described in the provided context.)

Maddy summarySB 118 establishes the Hampstead Hospital and Residential Treatment Facility Capital Investment Fund to support capital projects at that facility. It requires the Department of Health and Human Services to deposit lease and administrative revenue from the facility into the fund, with a $3 million reporting threshold for excess revenue. The fund is nonlapsing (can be used year after year) and may only be used for required capital investments at Hampstead Hospital, not for other purposes. The fund provisions take effect July 1, 2025, while related sections about nursing home allowances and staff appropriations (mentioned in the title but not detailed in the bill text) have separate effective dates. The bill does not address cannabis cultivation, as that appears to be an error in the provided title.