Rep. Hope Damon

Maddy summarySB 604 appropriates $14 million to New Hampshire's University System for fiscal year 2027 to restore funding reduced in 2025, and $3.5 million to the Community College System to maintain a freeze on credit-hour tuition rates. The bill directly affects public universities and community colleges in the state, providing concrete funding for operations and tuition stability. It authorizes the governor to draw these funds from the General Fund, effective July 1, 2026, with no additional revenue impact.

Maddy summaryHB 1835 updates New Hampshire's funding formula for special education by requiring the state to reimburse school districts 80% of the actual costs for services provided to students with disabilities, as defined by federal law (IDEA). This reimbursement must be paid within 90 days of the district submitting billing information, addressing delays in current funding cycles. School districts can now borrow funds in advance of receiving state payments and count those borrowed amounts as revenue when setting property tax rates. The bill directly affects all public school districts serving students with disabilities and aims to align state payments more closely with documented special education expenses.

Maddy summaryHB 1664 directs New Hampshire’s Department of Natural and Cultural Resources to remove the Hannah Duston Memorial and its historic marker in Boscawen. The bill states the memorial distorts history by not acknowledging Native American perspectives and glorifies the violent act of scalping and killing 10 Native people (including six children), as described in the memorial’s legend. The department must remove the memorial and marker, with options to destroy them or store them for potential future display in an accurate, objective manner that respects all historical participants. This bill specifically targets the physical memorial site, not broader historical narratives or policies.

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 summaryHB 1307 establishes a 11-member commission to study developing a statewide civics curriculum for New Hampshire public schools. The commission includes educators (elementary, middle, and high school teachers), student representatives, state officials (like the Secretary of State and Education Commissioner), and legislative appointees. It will create a curriculum framework aligned with educational standards, design teacher training programs, and submit recommendations to the state education department and legislature by November 1, 2026. This bill directly affects public school teachers and students by initiating a formal process to enhance civics education, though it does not mandate curriculum changes itself.

Maddy summaryHB 1341 establishes a legislative committee to investigate the New Hampshire Department of Education's role in a financial crisis affecting School Administrative Unit 6 (SAU 6). The committee will examine oversight failures and decisions by the department and its former commissioner that contributed to the crisis, including subpoenaing documents and holding hearings. It must report findings and recommendations to state leaders by November 1, 2026. The bill directly affects SAU 6 (the school district facing financial issues) and the Department of Education (the agency under investigation). The committee consists of 5 members (2 Senate, 3 House) with powers to gather evidence and propose future safeguards.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires insurance companies in New Hampshire to cover specific diabetes supplies and services for both individual and group health plans. It mandates that insurers provide coverage for glucose monitoring devices, such as continuous and traditional blood glucose monitors, along with necessary supplies like sensors and test strips, without requiring prior authorization or an endocrinology referral. The legislation also sets a maximum $30 copayment for insulin prescriptions and limits the out-of-pocket cost for diabetes equipment to $30 per 30-day supply, ensuring these items are not subject to deductibles. While the bill includes requirements for patients to attend follow-up care with their doctors every six months for the first 18 months and annually thereafter, it guarantees coverage for new FDA-approved devices without imposing restrictions based on insulin usage or testing frequency.

Maddy summaryHB 1602 would expand the authority of the Housing Appeals Board to review and modify final decisions made by state agencies and municipal boards regarding housing permits, fees, and licenses. The bill allows applicants and other aggrieved parties with legal standing to appeal these decisions directly to the board, while also requiring municipalities to be parties in such cases. A key provision is that appeals of local decisions can only proceed after all local remedies have been exhausted. Although the bill was referred for an interim study, the committee ultimately did not recommend it for future legislation.

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 proposes to add eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa, to the list of qualifying conditions for the state's therapeutic cannabis program. If enacted, it would allow individuals diagnosed with these specific conditions to legally access medical cannabis under the existing framework. The legislation includes a provision to include other specified feeding and eating disorders alongside the named examples. The bill was ultimately not passed and died on the table before the legislative session concluded.