Sen. Keith Murphy

Maddy summaryHB 1665 raises the annual household income limit for students to qualify for New Hampshire's Education Freedom Account program from 350 percent to 500 percent of the federal poverty guidelines. This change directly affects families with higher incomes who currently do not meet the eligibility requirements to use these accounts for private or home schooling options. The bill also adjusts the definitions of average daily membership in attendance and residence to align with the updated eligibility criteria. By expanding the income threshold, the legislation allows more students to access state-funded education vouchers, while excluding students in the special school district within the Department of Corrections.

Maddy summarySB 354 requires health insurance companies to apply money from independent charity patient assistance programs toward an enrollee's cost-sharing obligations, such as copayments and deductibles. This rule applies to group accident and health insurance plans that cover prescription drugs, but it excludes drugs that have generic or other covered alternatives available. The law also mandates that insurers receive specific details about assistance payments made on behalf of patients, while exempting high-deductible and catastrophic health plans from these requirements until the enrollee's annual deductible is met. Taking effect on January 1, 2026, the bill aims to streamline how charitable funds interact with insurance billing processes.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows the Cost of Care Fund to pay third parties directly for expenses related to caring for animals involved in cruelty cases. It authorizes arresting officers to apply for grants to cover costs incurred while animals are in pretrial care, between seizure and the final resolution of the case. The Department of Agriculture, Markets, and Food will review these applications within 15 days and limit payments to $500,000 per application. The changes take effect on July 30, 2024.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires local towns and school districts to publicly display on their websites the total amount of state funding they receive within 30 days of getting the money. It also changes vehicle inspection rules by allowing new cars bought in their model year to skip inspections for the first two years after purchase. Additionally, the legislation exempts older vehicles that are at least 20 years old from needing a certificate of title, while keeping annual safety checks for most other cars. These changes aim to increase transparency in government spending and reduce the number of inspections required for newer and classic vehicles.

Maddy summaryThis bill has two main parts: it allocates $40 million in state funds to design and construct a replacement for the New Hampshire State Prison for Men, and it establishes a system to share mental health court records with federal firearms background check databases. The prison funding is intended for architectural planning, engineering, and construction documents to build a new correctional facility. The second part, known as "Bradley's Law," allows courts and the Department of Safety to report specific mental health adjudications to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, which can lead to a person being prohibited from buying or possessing firearms. Additionally, the bill creates a process for individuals to petition the court for relief from these firearm disabilities if their mental health status has improved.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands legal liability for PFAS contamination by establishing strict liability rules that require owners or operators of PFAS facilities to cover state cleanup costs and provide safe drinking water to affected property owners. It defines PFAS and related terms to clarify which facilities are subject to these rules while exempting public water systems and wastewater treatment plants from certain provisions. Additionally, the bill modifies tenancy laws to require landlords of leases lasting six months or longer to give tenants at least 30 days' written notice before a lease expires and is not renewed. These changes aim to streamline the process for holding polluters accountable and ensuring residents have access to clean water without needing to prove negligence.

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes creating a dedicated fund to finance the design and construction of noise barriers along state highways. It would allow the state to sell up to $10 million annually in toll credits from the turnpike, with the proceeds restricted to this new fund. The commissioner of transportation would use these funds for projects that meet specific noise reduction criteria, subject to approval by legislative committees. The bill aims to address highway traffic noise by establishing a clear funding source for barrier construction.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits companies owned or controlled by the People's Republic of China from purchasing, leasing, or controlling real property within 10 miles of military installations or critical infrastructure in New Hampshire. The law defines critical infrastructure broadly to include essential systems such as energy facilities, communications networks, transportation hubs, and government buildings. Any violation of this prohibition is classified as a misdemeanor, and the restrictions take effect on January 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes to formally establish the Woodsville fire district in Haverhill as an independent village district with its own governing board and legal status. It transfers full responsibility for maintaining local roads and providing fire protection from the town of Haverhill to the district, while also allowing the district to share expenses with other communities. The legislation sets up a specific funding formula where the town compensates the district for these services based on the district's share of the town's road mileage, property value, and population. Additionally, residents of the district retain the right to vote on whether to return these responsibilities to the town at any time.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits undocumented immigrants from driving in New Hampshire if they hold out-of-state driver's licenses issued specifically to individuals without lawful presence in the United States. Under the new law, anyone caught driving with such a license commits a class B misdemeanor, and the Department of Safety must maintain a public list of these invalid license types on its website. The measure also updates the state's driver license compact to explicitly exclude recognition of these specific foreign licenses, while requiring the department to update its systems and potentially hire staff to manage the new list.