Rep. Susan Porcelli

Maddy summaryHB 1623 requires charter schools in New Hampshire to use uniform, clear billing practices for special education services, prohibiting varying rates for identical services. It directly affects charter schools and school districts that provide special education, ensuring parents and oversight bodies can easily understand costs. The bill mandates transparent billing by July 1, 2026, with no new state funding or staffing authorized to implement it. This policy change aims to simplify cost structures for families and improve accountability without altering service delivery.

Maddy summaryHB 1334 repeals a section of New Hampshire law (RSA 194-F:2, II(o)) that previously gave the Education Freedom Accounts (EFA) scholarship organization authority to approve certain educational expenses for scholarship recipients. This bill removes the organization's decision-making power over which expenses - such as textbooks, supplies, or fees - qualify for EFA scholarships. The change shifts this authority away from the scholarship organization and directly to the legal framework governing EFA programs. The bill takes effect upon passage and does not alter scholarship eligibility or funding amounts.

Maddy summaryHB 1513 requires the scholarship organization managing New Hampshire's Education Freedom Account program to provide detailed, public transparency reports. It mandates that the organization publish annual data on account expenses by category and education provider within 45 business days of fund release, in a standard sortable electronic format on its website - without personally identifiable information. The bill also requires the organization to provide requested data to oversight bodies (like the legislative committee and Department of Education) within 45 business days and ensures all qualifying educational expenses are accessible. This directly affects the scholarship organization administering the program, adding specific reporting obligations to enhance public accountability.

Maddy summaryHB 1401 expands the definition of "scholarship organization" for New Hampshire's Education Freedom Accounts (EFAs) to include for-profit entities approved by the Department of Education. This change directly affects families using EFAs, as it allows for-profit organizations - not just non-profits - to administer and implement the program. The key provision amends RSA 194-F:1 by adding "a qualified entity approved by the department of education" to the definition of eligible scholarship organizations. The bill does not alter eligibility for EFA funds but changes who can manage the scholarship distribution process. It takes effect 60 days after passage.

Maddy summaryHB 1434 allows New Hampshire towns and cities to hold votes on whether to permit keno gambling within their borders. It replaces a prior law that only let municipalities vote to *ban* keno with a system where they can vote to *allow* it. The bill requires a public hearing and a ballot vote (via town meeting or municipal election) with a majority "yes" vote needed to authorize keno operations. It also repeals outdated keno administration laws from 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 1163 requires New Hampshire's Secretary of State to create and maintain a uniform system for managing all election records, including both paper and electronic documents. The system must capture every record, use consistent naming and indexing, track record movement for accountability, and allow efficient search and retrieval by authorized users (including citizens, as legally permitted). It also mandates documenting record creation dates, updates, purpose, authorization, and required training. The bill does not provide funding, with an estimated one-time cost of $200,000 to $500,000 for system modifications, to be covered by the General Fund.

Maddy summaryHB 1011 repeals a state law (RSA 674:16, VIII) that previously prohibited municipalities from creating occupancy rules based on household size or bedroom count in residential areas. This bill directly affects local governments, homeowners, and renters by removing restrictions that limited how communities could regulate housing occupancy. The key provision eliminates the state barrier, allowing towns to establish their own rules for things like multi-family housing or shared living arrangements. The bill takes effect 60 days after passage.

Maddy summaryHB 1016 repeals RSA 674:32, which currently requires New Hampshire municipalities to allow manufactured housing development opportunities. This bill removes a legal mandate forcing towns and cities to permit such housing. After passage, municipalities will no longer be obligated to provide space for manufactured housing developments. The change takes effect 60 days after enactment.

Maddy summaryHB 1382 requires non-military overseas voters in New Hampshire who qualify under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) to submit proof of U.S. citizenship once to maintain voter eligibility. It directly affects U.S. citizens living abroad who are not active-duty military members or their families, mandating submission of documents like passports, birth certificates, or citizenship certificates by January 1, 2027. Military members and their families are exempt from this requirement, as specified in federal UOCAVA law. The New Hampshire Secretary of State will verify submissions through a secure portal or mail, update voter records upon confirmation, and provide education materials to affected voters. This bill aims to verify voter eligibility under state law while maintaining federal voting rights protections for military voters.

Maddy summaryHB 693 would permit election officials to manually count ballots as an alternative to machine tabulation during election processing. This directly affects local election administrators and voters, as it provides a procedural option for verifying results through hand-counting. The bill's key provision allows jurisdictions to choose manual counting for specific ballot sets, such as during audits or recounts, without requiring machine use. However, the bill was deemed "Inexpedient to Legislate" by the committee in September 2025 with a 17-0 vote, meaning it did not advance further.