Sen. Kevin Avard

Maddy summarySB 449 requires commercial or industrial entities with solar or wind systems between 1 and 5 megawatts (called "industrial hosts") to consume at least 33% of their own electricity generation annually. This applies to new systems installed after January 1, 2027, that participate in net metering. The rule does not apply to low-income customers as defined by utility regulations. The bill modifies New Hampshire's net metering rules to ensure larger systems primarily offset their own electricity use, rather than exporting excess power.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows New Hampshire electric utilities to recover storm-related repair costs by issuing special bonds (rated AAA) to finance infrastructure resilience. Utilities would apply to the Public Utilities Commission for approval to issue these bonds, which would be repaid through a small fee added to customers' electricity bills. The bill defines "storm costs" as prudently incurred expenses for storm preparation, restoration, and response, requiring Commission approval within 60 days. This mechanism aims to provide faster cost recovery while potentially keeping overall electricity rates lower than traditional rate-based recovery methods.

Maddy summaryHB 1505 requires towns, cities, and municipalities that have adopted local tax caps or budget caps to submit detailed documentation to the New Hampshire Department of Revenue Administration annually. This documentation must include calculations of the tax or budget cap for the year, proposed and voted appropriations, estimated revenues, and counts of any ballot votes taken to override the cap. The bill amends existing laws to clarify how these caps are calculated (e.g., adjusting for estimated revenues reported to the Department) and ensures transparency by mandating formal submission of compliance evidence. It directly affects all local governments with adopted caps, requiring them to verify adherence to these financial limits through standardized reporting.

Maddy summarySB 521 prohibits unauthorized camping on private property in New Hampshire municipalities with over 10,000 residents. It requires campers to have either written permission from the property owner or the owner's continuous presence on-site to legally camp. Violations are punishable as misdemeanors, with offenders liable for property damage costs. The law applies to tents, camping devices, and sleeping on the ground, excluding regulated campgrounds. It takes effect January 1, 2027.

Maddy summaryHB 1134 clarifies how town meeting budget items are counted for tax and budget cap calculations. It requires that total appropriations in warrant articles (budget items) be accumulated in the order they are voted on during annual town meetings, rather than by their position on the agenda. This directly affects towns operating under the town meeting form of government, ensuring consistent application when determining if a budget exceeds the 10% expenditure limit or triggers a tax cap override. The bill makes this procedural change to prevent ambiguity in budget voting outcomes.

Maddy summarySB 83 establishes a fund to reimburse municipalities for property tax revenue lost due to exemptions for elderly, disabled, blind, and deaf residents. The bill authorizes video lottery terminals (VLTs) at facilities licensed for charitable gaming, requiring them to operate with an 88% minimum payback rate and distributing 40% of VLT revenue to charitable organizations (35%), a special fund (25%), the reimbursement fund (25%), and retirement benefits (50%). It also creates a voluntary statewide self-exclusion database to help people with problem gambling avoid gambling venues. The bill renames the state lottery commission to the "New Hampshire lottery and gaming commission" and sets a July 1, 2025 effective date.

Maddy summarySB 659 defines what constitutes an "adequate education" for New Hampshire public schools by listing 11 required subject areas, including English, math, science, civics, arts, health, physical education, and computer science. It establishes that the state must determine the cost of this defined education for each municipality based on student enrollment. The bill directly affects all public elementary and secondary schools in New Hampshire by setting mandatory curriculum standards for funding and accountability. It replaces previous definitions with specific, measurable learning areas that school districts must provide.

Maddy summaryThis bill grants election moderators in New Hampshire the authority to conduct a hand count of ballots to verify machine-tabulated vote totals for any election race. If the hand count differs from the machine count, the hand count results must be used for certification, and the moderator must report the discrepancy to the city or town clerk. The clerk is then required to publicly post both the machine count, hand count, and the difference within 7 days on municipal websites and social media. The bill directly affects local election officials and the verification process for municipal election results.

Maddy summarySB 612 modifies eligibility rules for nursing facility and home and community-based care under New Hampshire Medicaid by adding "mobility" to the list of activities of daily living (ADLs) considered for qualification. This means applicants must now demonstrate a need for assistance with mobility (such as walking or using a wheelchair) to meet clinical eligibility requirements. The bill also requires the state Department of Health and Human Services to obtain a medical determination of long-term care needs from the applicant’s primary care provider, physician assistant, or advanced practice nurse, and to consider input from other health providers like physical therapists. These changes directly affect Medicaid applicants seeking nursing facility or home-based care services in New Hampshire.

Maddy summarySB 566 expands New Hampshire's National Guard recruiting incentives by allowing any current or former Guard member to refer recruits for a $1,000 cash bonus (previously limited to certain ranks), increases reenlistment/reclassification bonuses to $8,000 (from $6,000), and adds up to $4,000 in reimbursement for military job-related credentialing costs when federal reimbursement isn't available. It directly affects New Hampshire National Guard members who refer new recruits, reenlist, or need job-specific training certifications. The bill requires state funding for these expanded incentives, with the Department of Military Affairs estimating an additional $125,000 annually starting in FY 2027 to cover the costs. The bill itself does not provide new funding but modifies existing program parameters.