Rep. Dave Bickford

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a process for municipalities to return excess education property tax payments to the state for deposit into the education trust fund. It requires local governments to submit these surplus funds by March 15 each year, ensuring that only the actual excess amount is remitted while allowing municipalities to keep any remaining balance for unrestricted use. The legislation also mandates the creation of specific reporting forms and updates the timeline for issuing tax warrants to ensure the correct calculation and transfer of these funds. Effective July 1, 2024, the changes clarify how the state determines education grants by subtracting these excess payments from the total tax warrant issued to municipalities.

Maddy summaryHB 1595 updates the state's child support guidelines to more accurately reflect parenting time, medical expenses, and child care costs. The bill defines "parenting time" as the total number of days a child spends with each parent and introduces a calculation factor that adjusts support amounts based on how much time each parent has, capping the adjustment at a maximum value. It also modifies how income is calculated by allowing parents to deduct actual child care and medical support payments from their gross income before determining their share of the support obligation. These changes apply to new child support orders issued on or after January 1, 2025, while existing orders remain unchanged until their next scheduled review.

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 removes the legal requirement for grandparents in New Hampshire to provide financial support for their minor grandchildren. By repealing the existing statute, the law no longer holds grandparents personally liable for child support obligations. The change takes effect 60 days after the bill is passed, meaning grandparents will not be legally responsible for paying for their grandchildren's needs under this specific provision.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates child support guidelines to ensure that a parent's time in prison is never counted as voluntary unemployment when calculating their income. By explicitly excluding incarceration from the definition of voluntary unemployment, the law prevents courts from reducing child support payments based on the assumption that a parent chose to be in prison. Starting January 1, 2025, judges will no longer have the discretion to treat imprisonment as a reason to lower a parent's reported earnings for support purposes. The change applies to all parents subject to child support orders, ensuring that incarceration does not automatically result in reduced financial obligations to their children.

Maddy summaryThis bill clarifies that citizens can request government records electronically without needing to visit public offices in person. It allows public bodies to accept and provide records via digital means, such as email or online portals, while still permitting physical copies through traditional methods like printing or photography. The law applies to all public agencies and ensures that electronic requests are treated the same as written requests for existing records. These changes take effect 60 days after the bill is passed into law.