Rep. J.D. Bernardy

Maddy summaryHB 1289 makes it illegal to use small drones (unmanned aircraft systems) to secretly record people engaging in private activities - like at home, with family, or in other settings where they reasonably expect privacy - without permission. It creates a class A misdemeanor for capturing such images and a class B felony for sharing them publicly. Law enforcement can still use drones for investigations into suspected illegal activity, as specified in the bill. The law takes effect January 1, 2027, with no expected state or local costs.

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 427 amends New Hampshire's Uniform Commercial Code to clarify which state law governs certain financial transactions involving investment securities. It specifies that New Hampshire law will apply to these transactions and changes priority rules so that customers holding securities through intermediaries (entitlement holders) have priority over creditors if a financial institution cannot cover all claims. The bill also updates definitions, clarifying that "deposit accounts" exclude investment property like stocks or bonds. These changes directly affect banks, brokers, and investors using financial assets in New Hampshire transactions.

Maddy summaryHB 693 allows voters to request hand-counting of their ballots instead of using electronic devices at polling places. It also permits selectmen and town clerks to conduct supplemental hand counts to verify election results for specific races or ballots not processed by machines. The bill amends New Hampshire election laws to clarify these procedures, requiring privacy folders for both voter-requested and official hand counts. This directly affects voters seeking manual counting, election officials, and polling locations handling ballot processing. The bill does not create new funding or positions but may increase local costs if many voters request hand counts.

Maddy summaryHB 1437 proposes a constitutional amendment requiring all New Hampshire elections to use hand-counted, serial-numbered ballots with perforated voter receipts matching ballot numbers. It mandates strict ballot handling procedures, including 24/7 monitored storage for 60 months, dual-signature chain-of-custody logs, and random county audits by citizen reviewers after each election. The bill directly affects all local election officials (moderators, clerks) and voters, limiting polling locations to 5,000 voters and requiring annual training for election staff. This amendment must be approved by voters in the 2026 general election before taking effect.

Maddy summaryHB 314 prohibits state, local, and federal government entities from using public funds to pay for lobbying activities. It directly affects government agencies, departments, and local municipalities that receive public funding, preventing them from spending taxpayer money to influence legislation or government decisions. The key provision bans the allocation of any public budget resources toward hiring lobbyists or covering lobbying-related expenses. This bill aims to restrict the use of taxpayer dollars for advocacy efforts within the legislative process.

Maddy summaryHB 232 seeks to protect medical professionals' rights to refuse providing certain medical services based on personal beliefs, such as specific procedures or treatments. It directly affects doctors, nurses, and other healthcare workers who may object to participating in services conflicting with their conscience. The bill would establish legal protections preventing employers or institutions from forcing such professionals to provide those services, while requiring referrals to other providers. This is a policy change focused on expanding professional autonomy in healthcare decision-making.

Maddy summarySB 34 requires written parental consent for each new medical service (defined by a new ICD code) provided to Medicaid-enrolled students through the Medicaid to Schools program. It mandates an annual report to state lawmakers detailing the program's costs and enrollment. The bill also states the program terminates statewide if federal or state policy opposes parental control over children's medical services, or in a single school district if local policy changes. This directly affects Medicaid-enrolled students and their parents in schools participating in the program.

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.

Maddy summarySB 15 proposes a sentencing option called "hard labor" for individuals convicted of capital murder or severe sexual assault on children under 13, correcting a mismatched title referencing drug distribution. The bill requires a separate jury sentencing hearing where 9 of 12 jurors must unanimously agree the crime was "especially heinous" or involved deliberate cruelty, before imposing life imprisonment at hard labor. Hard labor would involve 8+ hours daily of physically demanding tasks like construction or farming, with strict medical exemptions for documented health conditions requiring independent review. The bill also mandates prison staff training on constitutional standards and annual reporting on exemption requests, but remains pending committee approval.