Sen. Keith Murphy

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes strict standards for sexual education in New Hampshire K-12 schools, mandating that instruction be delivered exclusively by licensed nurses and requiring written parental consent before any class begins. The curriculum must cover medically accurate topics such as anatomy, hygiene, and disease prevention while explicitly prohibiting discussions on gender identity, sexual orientation, and lifestyle choices. Additionally, the law requires schools to provide parents with curriculum materials and a 14-day notice period for any proposed lessons, along with an opt-in mechanism for families who do not wish their children to participate.

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes changing New Hampshire's official time zone from Eastern Standard Time to Atlantic Standard Time, effectively making daylight saving time permanent for the state. To implement this change, the legislation requires approval from the U.S. Department of Transportation, as federal law mandates that time zone changes must be adopted by a majority of neighboring states. The bill also establishes an Interstate Commission on Atlantic Standard Time to coordinate policy and collect data among member states before any final transition occurs. Although the text includes findings supporting the move based on a 2017 commission report, the bill was not recommended for future legislation after an interim study in 2024.

Maddy summaryThis bill directs the Department of Energy to conduct a comprehensive investigation into energy storage solutions, specifically focusing on both behind-the-meter systems installed at customer sites and utility-scale projects. The study will examine how to create fair pricing for storage, identify regulatory hurdles like building codes, and review successful practices from other states to encourage investment from both utilities and private owners. The department is required to submit its findings and recommendations to state legislative committees by December 30, 2025, for customer-focused issues and by December 30, 2026, for utility-scale matters. Ultimately, the report will propose necessary changes to state laws and regulations to facilitate the growth of energy storage while aiming to protect ratepayers from increased costs.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a fee structure for New Hampshire state parks that provides financial discounts to state residents compared to nonresidents. It mandates that entry fees for residents collected online or at park entrances must be no more than 50% of the fees charged to nonresidents. Additionally, the law allows park officials to set separate rates for specific services like camping or parking, requiring resident fees to be capped at 90% of nonresident rates. Residency for these purposes can be verified through various documents such as state ID cards, utility bills, or vehicle registrations. The changes are scheduled to take effect on April 1, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 321 establishes a rule requiring courts to detain defendants who have failed to appear in court three or more times for serious offenses within the past three years, or twice on the current charge. Under this provision, a judge must presume that releasing such individuals would not ensure they return for their trial, though the defendant still has the right to present evidence to try to overcome this presumption. The law applies specifically to cases involving felonies, class A misdemeanors, and driving under the influence charges, both in New Hampshire and equivalent out-of-state crimes. If a defendant successfully rebuts the presumption during a bail hearing, the court may then decide whether to release them pending trial. The bill is set to take effect on January 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a formal process for the Department of Environmental Services to transfer ownership of state-owned dams to local towns or groups of landowners before the dams are removed. Under the new rules, the department must offer the dams to affected municipalities first, providing them with detailed information about the dam's condition and estimated repair costs, and only proceed with removal if no one accepts the transfer within a set timeframe. To support these transfers and future maintenance, the legislation creates a loan program funded by a state dam maintenance fund, offering 20-year loans at a 5 percent interest rate to towns or associations that take ownership. The bill also mandates that any loans taken must be repaid using local budget appropriations or property taxes from areas bordering the impoundment, with a cap of 50 percent of those taxes. Additionally, the process includes an exemption for dams deemed to be in imminent danger of failure, allowing the state to remove them immediately without offering a transfer.

Maddy summarySB 425 increases the fee for bail commissioners from $40 to $60. This change applies to individuals who act as bail commissioners in criminal cases, though those who are already full-time, salaried law enforcement officers or court staff will not receive the fee unless they are working outside their regular duties. The bill also specifies that the collected fees should be sent to the local town or city if the commissioner is a government employee, and it maintains the existing rule that fees must be waived for indigent defendants.