Sen. Kevin Avard

Maddy summaryHB 729 allocates state funds to the Department of Education to hire an attorney specifically tasked with reorganizing and updating the state's existing education laws into a clearer, more accessible format. This administrative effort would streamline how the department references and manages education statutes but does not change the content of the laws themselves. The bill provides the necessary budget for this organizational task, focusing solely on improving the structure of current legal references. It was referred to an interim study committee for further review.

Maddy summarySB 211 requires New Hampshire public schools to establish eligibility rules for female-designated sports programs, directly affecting student athletes in those programs. The bill mandates that schools cannot exclude students solely based on transgender status but sets specific criteria: students must identify as female in daily life, not transfer teams mid-season for competitive advantage, and meet other criteria tied to the sport's educational purpose. It also requires all schools to adopt privacy policies by September 2025, allowing any student needing increased privacy (regardless of reason) to access single-stall restrooms or private changing areas. The law takes effect July 1, 2025, and applies to all public school sports programs in the state.

Maddy summarySB 33, titled the "Right To Challenge Act," requires New Hampshire public school districts to establish policies by September 1, 2026, restricting materials deemed "harmful to minors" in schools. It defines such materials as those depicting nudity, sexual conduct, or sadomasochistic abuse in a way that appeals to minors' prurient interest, lacks serious value for them, and is inappropriate for their age. School boards must create complaint procedures allowing parents to submit written concerns about materials, requiring schools to investigate within 10 days and respond in writing within 15 days with their decision. The bill directly affects school districts, educators, and parents seeking to challenge materials in school settings.

Maddy summarySB 34 requires written parental consent for each new medical service (defined by a new ICD code) provided to Medicaid-enrolled students through the Medicaid to Schools program. It mandates an annual report to state lawmakers detailing the program's costs and enrollment. The bill also states the program terminates statewide if federal or state policy opposes parental control over children's medical services, or in a single school district if local policy changes. This directly affects Medicaid-enrolled students and their parents in schools participating in the program.

Maddy summarySB 268 clarifies that classifying individuals by biological sex (male/female) in three specific areas does not constitute unlawful discrimination under New Hampshire law. It permits such classification for restroom/locker room use, athletic competitions where physical attributes like strength or speed are relevant, and operations of correctional facilities or similar institutions. The bill does not require entities to separate people by sex, only that doing so in these defined circumstances would not violate anti-discrimination laws. This affects public and private organizations operating in these settings, explicitly limiting the scope of protections under existing statutes.

Maddy summarySB 44 allows voters in precincts using electronic ballot-counting devices to request a hand count of their individual ballot when submitting it to the election moderator. This directly affects voters who wish to have their ballot manually counted instead of processed by the machine. The bill requires moderators to place such requested ballots in a designated compartment on the side of the electronic device, creating a separate handling process for hand-counted ballots. The policy change provides an option for voters to verify their ballot's count without altering the standard machine-counting procedure for other ballots.

Maddy summarySB 36 requires health care providers and medical facilities to collect and report standardized abortion statistics to the state health department. It directly affects hospitals, clinics, and physicians performing abortions by mandating specific data collection on procedures, including patient demographics and gestational age. The bill establishes a uniform reporting system to track abortion data, replacing inconsistent current practices. This focuses on improving data accuracy for public health analysis, not altering abortion access or policy.

Maddy summarySB 15 proposes a sentencing option called "hard labor" for individuals convicted of capital murder or severe sexual assault on children under 13, correcting a mismatched title referencing drug distribution. The bill requires a separate jury sentencing hearing where 9 of 12 jurors must unanimously agree the crime was "especially heinous" or involved deliberate cruelty, before imposing life imprisonment at hard labor. Hard labor would involve 8+ hours daily of physically demanding tasks like construction or farming, with strict medical exemptions for documented health conditions requiring independent review. The bill also mandates prison staff training on constitutional standards and annual reporting on exemption requests, but remains pending committee approval.

Maddy summaryHB 158 would allow the public to inspect lists showing who voted absentee in elections. It directly affects voters and election observers by providing transparency into absentee ballot usage. The bill requires election officials to make these lists available for public review, typically at designated locations or online. This is a procedural change focused on election transparency, not a substantive policy shift. The bill is currently in committee with a majority committee report recommending passage.

Maddy summarySB 162 requires anyone leasing or buying property within 10 miles of a military installation to file a notarized affidavit confirming they are not a foreign government, foreign entity, or agent. This applies to all property transactions, with the affidavit due within one business day of closing or key delivery. Failure to file incurs a $500 civil penalty, with a 60-day cure period for individuals (no cure period for entities). The bill also mandates that sellers/landlords provide written notice of this requirement to buyers/tenants before signing agreements.