Rep. John Cloutier

Maddy summaryHB 1682 establishes registration fees for small battery-operated vehicles used on public roads in New Hampshire. It charges $20 annually for municipal on-road use (vehicles under 400 lbs) and $30 for public road use (401-1,000 lbs), with fees paid to the owner's municipality or deposited in the highway fund. The bill exempts motorized electric vehicles used exclusively off-road from registration requirements. It also requires the Department of Safety to report annual fee revenue to transportation committees. This affects owners of small electric scooters, bikes, or similar devices operating on public roads.

Maddy summaryHB 1518 requires county commissions and delegations in New Hampshire to permit members to participate remotely in public meetings when in-person attendance is not reasonably practical. The bill directly affects county-level government bodies by mandating that remote participation must be allowed, with reasons for remote attendance recorded in meeting minutes. Key provisions include requiring physical presence of a quorum (except in emergencies), ensuring public access to all meeting discussions via audio, and treating remote participants as physically present for voting purposes. The bill does not change voting procedures but specifies that all remote meetings must maintain real-time public accessibility and comply with existing public meeting laws.

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 would allow the state to sell or lease surplus real estate to nonprofit organizations at prices below fair market value specifically for building affordable housing. The governor and council would determine the discounted price, and the state would attach legal restrictions to ensure the property remains dedicated to affordable housing purposes. Directly affecting state property management and nonprofit developers, the measure aims to provide discounted assets to support low-income housing projects. Although the bill passed a committee, it was ultimately tabled and did not become law during the 2024 session.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows property owners to remove woody debris and blockages from waterways and structures like culverts without needing a special permit. The exemption applies only if the work minimizes sediment disturbance and does not create any new permanent changes to the riverbed. It is designed to help communities clear flood debris after natural disasters or flooding events. The law takes effect 60 days after it is passed.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates the rules for inspecting state dams and creates a new committee to study how to better fund their upkeep. It requires the Department of Environmental Services to regularly inspect dams that could threaten public safety and sets specific conditions under which a dam previously classified as safe must be re-evaluated. The legislation also directs that money earned from leasing or selling state dams be used to pay off existing debt and repair other dams, while establishing a committee of legislators to review current funding methods and propose new solutions by November 2024.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a commission to study ways to replace the current road toll and vehicle registration fees as sources of funding for highway and bridge improvements. The commission will be composed of legislators, state agency representatives, and members from the automotive and non-profit sectors, with the specific goal of examining how electric, hybrid, and fuel-efficient vehicles should contribute to infrastructure costs. The group is tasked with analyzing the environmental impact of these technologies, reviewing past studies, and recommending new revenue methods by December 2026. Once the commission completes its work, it will submit a final report to state officials with any proposed legislation to replace the existing toll system.

Maddy summaryThis bill would have required state construction contracts to mandate the separation of hazardous materials from general construction and demolition debris at the job site before transport. The provision aimed to clarify that "construction and demolition debris" carries the same legal definition found in existing environmental statutes. Although the bill introduced a specific requirement for waste management protocols, it was ultimately killed by the legislature on May 15, 2024, due to a determination that it was inexpedient to legislate.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a state-level disaster relief program in New Hampshire to help municipalities repair roads and bridges after natural disasters, even without a federal declaration. It allows the state to declare emergencies based on local damage assessments and provides up to $5 million per municipality per year for critical infrastructure repairs when local funds are insufficient. To qualify, a town must show that damage costs at least half of its annual budget and that it cannot wait for federal aid, while accepting state money means forfeiting future FEMA reimbursement for those specific repairs. The legislation also creates and consolidates two state funds to finance these emergency responses and sets up a committee to review requests for individual assistance.