Sen. Donovan Fenton

Maddy summarySB 273 requires drivers approaching highway emergencies involving stopped or standing vehicles to take specific safety actions, such as slowing down, changing lanes if safe, and activating hazard lights. It directly affects all motorists traveling on highways in Massachusetts when encountering emergency situations like disabled vehicles or accidents. The law mandates these proactive steps to protect emergency responders and other motorists at the scene. Signed into law on July 15, 2025, it becomes effective September 13, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 12 expands eligibility for state disability placards to include veterans with service-connected disabilities who previously did not qualify under existing criteria. This directly affects veterans with documented service-related disabilities that limit mobility, allowing them to obtain temporary or permanent disability placards. The bill modifies current eligibility rules to explicitly include this veteran group without requiring additional medical documentation beyond their service-connected disability status. The law takes effect September 13, 2025, after being signed by the governor on July 15, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 98 extends the program allowing private donations to regional career and technical education centers. This bill directly affects these centers by maintaining their access to private funding streams without altering eligibility or donation rules. The extension preserves the existing donation framework, ensuring continued support for workforce training programs. It became law on July 15, 2025, and takes effect September 13, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 258 establishes a new criminal offense for knowingly using a gift card or its redemption information that the person suspects was obtained through deception or forgery to get money, goods, services, or other value. It directly affects individuals who use gift cards they believe were fraudulently acquired, such as stolen or counterfeited cards. The law specifically targets the act of using such cards for transactions, making it illegal to do so with knowledge or belief of the card's fraudulent origin. The bill was signed into law on July 1, 2025, and will take effect on January 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 178 requires foster parents to advocate for foster children with disabilities during case planning meetings and decision-making processes within the foster care system. It directly affects foster children with disabilities and their foster parents by mandating that foster parents ensure these children’s specific needs are addressed in their care plans. The key provision establishes a formal role for foster parents to represent the child’s perspective in meetings involving medical, educational, and developmental services. The bill became law on June 23, 2025, and takes effect August 23, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 235 allows New Hampshire's Fish and Game Department to use federal Pitman-Robertson conservation funds specifically for protecting threatened and endangered species, and permits the department to collect donations at approved sites without needing governor or council approval. It establishes that donation funds must go into the Fish and Game Fund and can only be used for conservation, restoration, management, or educational efforts related to fish, game, and wildlife. The bill directly affects the Fish and Game Department by expanding its funding sources and flexibility for species conservation programs. Key mechanisms include setting up donation collection points through the executive director's approval and explicitly restricting fund use to conservation purposes. The bill was signed into law on June 24, 2025, and takes effect August 23, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 252 allows doctors, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners (APRNs) to prescribe certain highly regulated prescription drugs - including opioids - from Schedules II through IV via telemedicine. It requires an initial in-person patient visit before telemedicine prescribing begins and mandates an annual in-person follow-up evaluation for all such prescriptions. The law applies specifically to drugs in Schedules II-IV (tightly controlled medications) and requires all telemedicine prescriptions to comply with federal and state regulations. The bill takes effect August 23, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 92 updates New Hampshire's birth worksheet requirements to include current and prior names of parents and standardized Apgar scores at 1, 5, and 10 minutes for newborns. It directly affects parents, newborns, and the Vital Records Administration by restricting the personal information shared with the CDC - banning names, birth dates of parents, medical IDs, and addresses - but allowing release of parents' birth years and the baby's birth date. The bill's key mechanism requires the Vital Records Administration to omit specific identifiers when sending birth data to the CDC for public health reporting. The changes take effect June 30, 2026.

Maddy summarySB 206 requires all public school districts and chartered public schools in New Hampshire to create and implement policies banning student use of personal cell phones and electronic devices during instructional hours - from the first bell until the dismissal bell. The policy must include approved exceptions for medical needs (like insulin pumps), disabilities (per IEPs or 504 plans), or language support programs for multilingual students. Schools must develop these policies with input from parents and teachers and review them annually. The law takes effect July 1, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 210 primarily creates a statewide open enrollment system, allowing New Hampshire parents to transfer children to any public school district within the state without tuition fees. It amends residency rules to clarify legal residence for school attendance and requires districts to publicly report school capacities and enrollment decisions. The bill establishes that military-connected students receive admission preference over non-residents and mandates districts to post capacity data monthly. The bill’s title mentions bullying prevention, but the text contains no actual provisions addressing bullying; the focus is solely on expanding school choice through open enrollment mechanisms.