Rep. Len Turcotte

Maddy summaryHB 1255 repeals a law requiring more evidence than a campaign contribution to prove that a vote, appointment, or nomination involved a corrupt practice. This change directly affects elected officials, appointees, and candidates whose actions might be linked to campaign contributions. The bill removes the specific evidentiary standard that previously demanded proof beyond just the contribution itself. It simplifies the legal standard for investigating potential corruption in political decisions. This is a procedural change to corruption statutes with no direct fiscal impact.

Maddy summaryHB 1386 allows residents of a school district to petition for a financial audit if the district has a budget deficit. Specifically, citizens domiciled in the district can submit a petition with signatures from 1% of registered voters to their school board. If the petition qualifies, the school board must hold a vote on conducting a forensic audit within 90 days to identify the cause of the deficit. The audit results must then be shared at the next school board meeting. This bill directly affects school district residents and school boards in New Hampshire municipalities.

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 1136 simplifies rules for accessory dwelling units (ADUs), like backyard cottages or in-law suites, making them easier to build on single-family properties. It allows municipalities to permit ADUs automatically (without special permits) or through standard processes, permits multiple ADUs per home, and sets a 750-square-foot minimum size. The bill clarifies that towns without ADU rules must allow one ADU by default (beyond basic building permits), expands access standards to all ADUs, and prohibits ADUs in townhouses, manufactured housing, or rented land. Homeowners, local governments, and potential renters are directly affected by these changes to zoning and construction rules.

Maddy summaryHB 1434 allows New Hampshire towns and cities to hold votes on whether to permit keno gambling within their borders. It replaces a prior law that only let municipalities vote to *ban* keno with a system where they can vote to *allow* it. The bill requires a public hearing and a ballot vote (via town meeting or municipal election) with a majority "yes" vote needed to authorize keno operations. It also repeals outdated keno administration laws from 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 1639 creates a new process for county-level "petition-initiated special grand juries" that can be activated when 500 qualified voters in a county sign a petition. These grand juries, housed under county sheriffs' offices, would investigate public institutions, detention facilities, financial entities, election/tax administration, and corporate misconduct. Counties would cover all costs for convening these juries and conducting investigations, including audits of public entities receiving taxpayer funds. The bill requires counties to support these juries' operations while granting them authority to inspect facilities, review records, and issue public reports on findings. This directly affects county governments, public agencies, and facilities receiving public funding by establishing a new voter-driven oversight mechanism.

Maddy summaryHB 1496 removes a legal limit on the number of parking spaces municipalities can require for new residential buildings. This bill directly affects local governments (cities, towns, counties) and housing developers, as it allows them to set any number of parking spaces per dwelling unit without restriction. The key provision repeals a specific law (RSA 674:16, VII) that previously capped parking requirements, giving communities full authority to regulate parking needs based on local conditions. The change takes effect 60 days after enactment and applies to new residential developments.

Maddy summaryHB 1531 requires applicants for new or renewed licenses to operate gaming facilities (including "games of chance" facilities and game operator employer licenses) to negotiate and sign agreements with the local municipality where the facility will operate. These "host community agreements" must address specific impacts like infrastructure, emergency response, security, public inquiries, and local hiring, negotiated in good faith. Before finalizing, the municipality must provide public notice and allow a 14-day comment period, with the agreement submitted to the licensing commission as a prerequisite for approval. Existing license holders are exempt until their licenses expire and they renew.

Maddy summaryHB 1012 repeals existing state laws that defined and permitted accessory dwelling units (ADUs) and detached accessory dwelling units (DADUs) in New Hampshire. The bill removes specific legal provisions (RSA 674:71, 674:72, and 674:73) that allowed these secondary housing units on single-family properties. This repeal would directly affect property owners who previously could build ADUs or DADUs as independent living spaces on their lots. The bill does not create new rules but eliminates the legal framework that enabled these unit types, taking effect 60 days after enactment.

Maddy summaryHB 1011 repeals a state law (RSA 674:16, VIII) that previously prohibited municipalities from creating occupancy rules based on household size or bedroom count in residential areas. This bill directly affects local governments, homeowners, and renters by removing restrictions that limited how communities could regulate housing occupancy. The key provision eliminates the state barrier, allowing towns to establish their own rules for things like multi-family housing or shared living arrangements. The bill takes effect 60 days after passage.