Rep. Joseph Pitre

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes moving any leftover money in New Hampshire's education trust fund to the state's general fund at the end of each fiscal year. The change would allow the general fund to access these surplus funds, which are currently restricted to education purposes. The legislation does not alter how the education trust fund is collected or spent, but rather changes the destination of any excess balance. Although the bill was introduced, it was ultimately removed from consideration before the legislative session ended.

Maddy summaryHB 1665 raises the annual household income limit for students to qualify for New Hampshire's Education Freedom Account program from 350 percent to 500 percent of the federal poverty guidelines. This change directly affects families with higher incomes who currently do not meet the eligibility requirements to use these accounts for private or home schooling options. The bill also adjusts the definitions of average daily membership in attendance and residence to align with the updated eligibility criteria. By expanding the income threshold, the legislation allows more students to access state-funded education vouchers, while excluding students in the special school district within the Department of Corrections.

Maddy summaryThis bill strengthens privacy protections for student data by requiring schools to obtain written parental consent before sharing personally identifiable information with third parties. It mandates that parents be notified at least 14 days in advance whenever their child's data is released, specifying who received the data, what information was shared, and the educational purpose for its use. The law explicitly excludes internal transfers between state departments and local schools from these notification requirements while ensuring that third parties cannot further share the data without additional parental permission.