Rep. Gary Merchant

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all properly noticed meetings and hearings of municipal agencies to be livestreamed for public viewing or, if technology fails, video recorded and made accessible online. Local governments must post these recordings on their websites within 72 hours and keep them archived for at least five years. To fund this requirement, municipalities must vote to raise money at their annual town meetings, except those already livestreaming their meetings. The law takes effect on July 1, 2025, and explicitly states that it does not change existing rules about emergency meetings or allow officials to attend meetings remotely.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows pharmacists in New Hampshire to replace prescribed biological products, such as vaccines and blood derivatives, with FDA-approved interchangeable versions. Under the new rules, pharmacists must inform patients when a substitution occurs and cannot make the change if a doctor marks the prescription as medically necessary. The law also requires pharmacies to record the specific product dispensed and share that information with the prescribing doctor through electronic systems or other communication methods. Additionally, all dispensed biological products must display the nonproprietary name and the manufacturer on their labels.

Maddy summaryThis bill allocates $3 million to the Lead Paint Hazard Remediation Fund to help address lead paint dangers in homes. The money will come from either leftover federal funds from the American Rescue Plan Act or the state's Drinking Water and Groundwater Trust Fund, depending on what is available by September 2024. The Governor's office for emergency relief and recovery will decide which source to use, and the Housing Finance Authority will manage the spending. This act takes effect on July 1, 2024.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies New Hampshire's Administrative Procedure Act to improve how government agencies create and enforce new rules. It requires agencies to send earlier and broader notices to affected occupational licensees and legislators before holding public hearings on proposed regulations. Additionally, the bill shifts the burden of proof to agencies in court challenges, requiring them to demonstrate that a contested rule is legal, consistent with legislative intent, and in the public interest. If an agency cannot meet this burden, a court may invalidate the rule and order the agency to pay the challenger's legal fees.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a Commission on the Interdisciplinary Primary Care Workforce to study and report on strategies for improving healthcare access in New Hampshire. The commission will examine the state's loan repayment program and health professions survey, submitting an interim report in 2026 and a final report with recommendations in 2029. It also expands the commission's membership to include a representative from Direct Primary Care Frontier and requires the Office of Professional Licensure and Certification to share data with the State Office of Rural Health to support primary care initiatives. These changes aim to gather information and propose future legislation to address workforce needs in the state's healthcare system.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the New Hampshire Vaccine Association to manage the state's financial liability for childhood vaccines and respiratory syncytial virus treatments. It creates a new funding mechanism where health insurance companies and other assessable entities must pay an annual assessment to cover these costs for children under 19. The law also requires the association to set aside up to 10 percent of anticipated costs as a reserve fund for unexpected expenses and ensures these payments are treated as high-priority debts if an insurer faces financial trouble.

Maddy summaryThis bill reestablishes a committee to study non-drug treatment options for patients suffering from chronic pain. The committee will be composed of seven state legislators and tasked with designing a pilot program that encourages patient-centered care while keeping costs low and using existing medical networks. Its specific duties include researching payment models for state health programs, investigating funding opportunities, and creating educational resources for doctors to better integrate these treatments. The group must submit an interim report by November 2024 and a final report by November 2025, which may include recommendations for new laws based on their findings.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates the composition and qualifications for the New Hampshire Board of Pharmacy and adjusts requirements for the Certified Public Accountant examination. It increases the number of board members from five to seven, adding a pharmacy technician and a public member while raising the pharmacist representation to five, with stricter rules on terms and financial conflicts of interest. The legislation also mandates that pharmacist and technician board members have at least ten years of licensure and five years of practice in the state, and it sets a passing grade of 75 for all sections of the CPA exam. These changes aim to ensure the board reflects current industry roles and to standardize examination standards for accountants.