Rep. Lorie Ball

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a study commission to examine and improve New Hampshire's legal processes for individuals found incompetent to stand trial or deemed insane. The commission will include representatives from the judiciary, health and human services, corrections, law enforcement, defense attorneys, and mental health advocacy groups to review current laws and treatment standards. Its primary tasks involve updating the state's outdated definition of insanity, aligning care with the new forensic hospital, and developing a comprehensive plan to increase the number of people who successfully regain competency and return to court. The group is required to hold multiple meetings and submit interim and final reports with recommendations for new legislation by November 2024 and November 2025.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates New Hampshire's child support guidelines to better reflect modern family arrangements by clarifying definitions and adjusting calculations. It formally defines terms like "eligible child care costs," "parenting time," and "substantially similar incomes" to provide clearer standards for courts and parents. The law introduces a new framework where child support obligations may be reduced or eliminated if both parents have similar incomes and share parenting time equally, while still allowing for adjustments in cases of significant health needs, long distances, or abuse. These changes aim to ensure that child support orders are fair and do not leave one parent with a higher adjusted income than the other when both are actively involved in raising the children. The provisions will take effect on January 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates New Hampshire's Clean Lakes Program to include specific authority for managing cyanobacteria blooms, which are harmful algal growths that can degrade water quality. It empowers the Department of Environmental Services to take short-term actions like chemical or physical treatments to control these blooms and to reduce the nutrient inputs that cause them. The legislation also allows the department to provide financial grants to local groups and individuals for managing both exotic aquatic weeds and cyanobacteria, while requiring consultation with other state agencies before implementing certain treatments. Effective September 1, 2024, the program will focus on diagnosing water issues, implementing long-term solutions, and ensuring safe conditions for public recreation.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates the state's child care scholarship program to prioritize applications from current child care employees and eliminate waiting periods for those who reapply after being denied due to missing information. It also mandates that child care providers contracted for preventive and protective services begin training in trauma-informed care starting July 1, 2021. Additionally, the law clarifies that child care services provided as preventive or protective measures are available to grandparents who serve as legal guardians or primary caretakers for their grandchildren. These changes aim to improve access to care for specific worker groups and caregivers while enhancing staff training standards.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates the rules for when child support payments must stop, extending the obligation for most children until they graduate high school or turn 19, whichever comes first. It clarifies that support ends automatically without needing a new court order once these conditions are met, unless the child has a disability. For children with disabilities, the law allows support to continue until age 21 or until they no longer qualify for special education services. The changes will officially take effect on January 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates the rules for how public agencies charge fees when individuals request government records under the Right-to-Know law. It clarifies that agencies can only charge for copying costs or for employee time spent beyond ten hours, setting a maximum hourly rate of $25 for those additional hours. The legislation also requires agencies to provide clearer explanations when denying requests and mandates that multiple requests made within a 30-day period be treated as a single request to prevent fee stacking. Additionally, it establishes a requirement for agencies to create transparent policies for calculating these costs and allows requesters to file complaints if they believe the estimated fees are unreasonable.

Maddy summaryHB 1298 creates a new pathway for part-time educators to receive adjunct authorization in specific shortage subject areas. To qualify, individuals must work less than 20 hours per week, hold a relevant bachelor's degree, pass required exams, and provide proof of five years of related work experience. The bill also mandates criminal background checks for these hires and clarifies that this temporary authorization does not lead to a standard teaching certificate unless the educator completes a formal preparation program. Additionally, the law updates the professional code of ethics to explicitly include part-time teachers and excludes anyone with a revoked teaching license from eligibility.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all New Hampshire elementary schools to provide specific, evidence-based literacy and math instruction to every student through fifth grade. Starting in the 2027-2028 school year, the law mandates that teachers follow a structured approach covering reading skills like phonics and comprehension, as well as writing, speaking, listening, and mathematics. The goal is to ensure every child receives support tailored to their individual learning needs while meeting state educational standards. The changes become effective 60 days after the bill is signed into law.

Maddy summaryThis bill restricts the ability of incarcerated individuals, parolees, and those convicted of violent felonies or crimes against children to change their legal names. To obtain a name change, these individuals must now prove to a probate court that the change is necessary, and they must notify relevant government agencies and the original prosecuting authority. The law also requires the prosecutor to attempt to inform the victim or the victim's family, allowing them to share their views with the judge before a decision is made. These rules apply specifically to serious offenses such as murder, assault, kidnapping, and sexual crimes, while the changes take effect on July 30, 2024.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows school districts to keep a supply of epinephrine auto-injectors on hand to treat severe allergic reactions. It authorizes school nurses to decide how many doses to keep and permits doctors to write prescriptions in the name of the school district so pharmacies can fill them. Schools can buy these devices at reduced prices or through donations, and they must report annually on how often the medication is used.