Rep. Kelley Potenza

Maddy summaryCACR 28 proposes a constitutional amendment to New Hampshire's Article 6, granting towns, parishes, religious societies, and other groups the right to elect and contract with their own teachers for religious and moral instruction within Christian denominations. It would prohibit compelling individuals to pay for teachers of a different Christian denomination and ensure all Christian groups receive equal legal protection without establishing religious hierarchies. This amendment requires voter approval in the November 2026 general election to take effect.

Maddy summaryHR 35 is a New Hampshire House Resolution urging the prohibition of intentional releases of polluting emissions, such as cloud seeding and weather modification, within the state. It declares that activities like stratospheric aerosol injection (SAI) or solar radiation modification (SRM) harm human health, the environment, agriculture, and state security. The resolution requires the state's Environmental Services Commissioner to notify 27 federal agencies - including NOAA, NASA, and the EPA - within 30 days and post the resolution online. This resolution does not create binding law but expresses the legislature's position and urges federal action to protect New Hampshire's atmosphere.

Maddy summaryHB 1096 establishes a legislative committee to study how to manage the disposal of vapes and e-cigarettes. The committee, composed of three House members (appointed by the Speaker) and one Senate member (appointed by the President), will examine solutions like extended producer responsibility and commercial sales regulations. It must report its findings and recommendations to state leaders by November 1, 2026. This bill does not create new laws but directs a study on disposal management for these products.

Maddy summaryHB 1821 requires election officials to publicly post ballot images and cast vote records (voter selections captured by electronic machines) within 48 hours after an election, making this data accessible online. It mandates secure backups at both state and municipal levels, standardized formats for counting devices, and audit logs tracking access to prevent tampering. The bill exempts records involving fewer than 10 absentee ballots or specific ballot designs from standard public access rules but requires all other records to be posted publicly. Officials face civil fines of $250-$1,000 per violation for failing to meet the 48-hour deadline. This applies directly to local election clerks and the secretary of state’s office, ensuring transparency in election results.

Maddy summaryHB 1465 requires certain state employees, including court staff, judges, attorneys, and bar association members, to report suspected civil rights violations or breaches of judicial conduct rules committed by judicial branch members. If they have reasonable cause to believe a violation occurred (e.g., in person or reported to them), they must immediately notify the Attorney General’s office. Failure to report is punishable as a misdemeanor, with a $1,500 fine and up to one week in jail. The Attorney General forwards reports to the court administrative office, county sheriffs, and the chief justice, while protecting good-faith reporters from retaliation. The bill takes effect January 1, 2027.

Maddy summaryHB 1462 creates a standardized complaint form for alleging that voters wrongfully claimed New Hampshire domicile to vote. The Department of Justice must provide this form (available online, at their office, or the Secretary of State's office) and investigate only complaints filed using it. Investigators may ask specific questions about voting history, domicile changes, or false information at registration, but are strictly prohibited from inquiring about unrelated private matters like medical care, utility bills, or family relationships. This procedural bill establishes clear limits on election complaint investigations without changing voter eligibility or voting rules.

Maddy summaryHB 1564 removes the phrase "gender identity" from multiple New Hampshire statutes that currently include it as a protected characteristic in discrimination laws. This affects provisions related to equal employment (RSA 21-I:42), classified employment protections (RSA 21-I:52), cable TV service access (RSA 53-C:3-g), hate crime reporting (RSA 106-B:14-c), police training (RSA 106-L:2), racial profiling definitions (RSA 106-O:1), and mental health services (RSA 135-C:13). The bill deletes all instances of "gender identity" except in RSA 332-M:2, III-a. It does not create new policies but eliminates existing language from these statutes. The direct effect is removing gender identity as a specified protected category in these legal provisions.

Maddy summaryHB 1392 removes a requirement that municipal governing bodies or budget committees provide written recommendations on warrant articles (budget items) appearing on town meeting ballots. Currently, local governments must include notations stating whether the governing body or budget committee supports or opposes specific budget proposals. This bill eliminates that requirement, meaning towns will no longer need to include such written recommendations on ballots for budget-related votes. The change directly affects all New Hampshire municipalities that use warrant articles for budget approvals, streamlining the ballot information without altering the voting process itself.

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes a constitutional amendment to establish legislative oversight of New Hampshire's judicial branch. It would create a commission (primarily composed of state legislators) with authority to investigate complaints against judges, hold hearings, recommend disciplinary actions (including censure, suspension, or removal), and publish annual performance reports. The measure directly affects judges and the judicial branch by shifting oversight from the current system (where the judiciary self-regulates, with impeachment as the sole remedy) to legislative authority. If approved by voters in the 2026 election, it would amend the state constitution to grant the general court this new power. The amendment requires a two-thirds majority vote in the election to take effect.

Maddy summaryThis bill harmonizes New Hampshire's criminal code and the Fetal Life Protection Act by setting the gestational age limit for abortion restrictions at 20 weeks instead of 24 weeks. It amends the homicide statute to exempt pregnancy terminations performed before 20 weeks and updates the Fetal Life Protection Act to prohibit abortions after 20 weeks (except in medical emergencies or for fatal fetal abnormalities). Health care providers performing abortions after 20 weeks without meeting these conditions would face class B felony charges. The law takes effect January 1, 2027, correcting an inconsistency between existing statutes.