Sen. Howard Pearl

Maddy summaryHB 1386 allows residents of a school district to petition for a financial audit if the district has a budget deficit. Specifically, citizens domiciled in the district can submit a petition with signatures from 1% of registered voters to their school board. If the petition qualifies, the school board must hold a vote on conducting a forensic audit within 90 days to identify the cause of the deficit. The audit results must then be shared at the next school board meeting. This bill directly affects school district residents and school boards in New Hampshire municipalities.

Maddy summaryHB 1058 amends New Hampshire law to allow carrying a loaded firearm on an off-highway recreational vehicle (OHRV), such as an ATV or dirt bike, when operating it on private property with the landowner's permission. Currently, the law prohibits carrying a loaded firearm on an OHRV, but this bill creates a specific exception for private property use (excluding public trails, rights-of-way, or designated OHRV corridors). The change does not affect existing exceptions for law enforcement officers or for carrying pistols/revolvers. The bill takes effect January 1, 2027.

Maddy summarySB 506 directs New Hampshire's Department of Health and Human Services to implement federal work and community engagement requirements for Medicaid eligibility under the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025." It requires the state to submit a plan to CMS (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) by December 2026, after legislative review, and mandates quarterly reports to lawmakers on implementation progress. The bill suspends existing state law provisions related to these requirements while federal rules are in effect, with automatic reinstatement if federal rules end. It does not provide new state funding or create positions, aligning state Medicaid operations with federal guidelines.

Maddy summaryHB 1198 establishes a program to manage paint consumers no longer want (postconsumer paint) by requiring paint manufacturers to create and fund a stewardship plan. The plan must detail how to collect, recycle, or responsibly dispose of unused paint, include a fee added to each paint purchase, and cover consumer education. Manufacturers must submit their approved plans to the state environmental agency within 12 months, and retailers can only sell paint if the manufacturer has an approved plan. This directly affects paint manufacturers, retailers, and voluntary collection sites that participate.

Maddy summarySB 479 allows alternative treatment centers (ATCs) to operate as for-profit businesses, previously requiring them to be non-profit entities. This bill amends state law to permit ATCs organized as business corporations or limited liability companies (instead of only non-profit voluntary corporations) to sell cannabis to qualifying patients. Key provisions remove the mandatory non-profit status requirement and establish procedures for non-profit ATCs to legally convert to for-profit structures. The change directly affects ATC operators seeking to pursue commercial models while maintaining existing patient access to therapeutic cannabis.

Maddy summaryHB 1254 defines key agricultural products including biostimulants (substances that boost plant health without adding nutrients), plant regulators (chemicals affecting growth), nutritional chemicals (products improving nutrient use), and vitamin hormone products. It directly affects farmers, manufacturers, and sellers of these agricultural inputs by creating clear legal definitions for the first time. The bill requires New Hampshire's Department of Agriculture commissioner to establish rules within 120 days governing the sale and use of these products. This provides regulatory clarity for the agricultural industry while ensuring products meet defined standards before being marketed.

Maddy summarySB 556 amends New Hampshire's solid waste management laws to include used syringes and similar medical devices in the definition of "special waste." It makes improper disposal of this waste a felony, with individuals facing a class B felony charge and organizations facing a standard felony charge. The law directly affects healthcare facilities, clinics, and any entity handling medical waste, requiring proper disposal through designated channels. The bill takes effect January 1, 2027, and does not impose direct state or local costs but may impact judicial and correctional systems.

Maddy summarySB 579 modifies New Hampshire's school transfer rules to allow parents to request transfers to any school within their school administrative unit (SAU), not just within their immediate district. It directly affects parents or guardians seeking to move their children to another public school within the same SAU or to schools outside the SAU. Key provisions include giving superintendents or service providers authority to approve transfers based on student needs (e.g., academic or social factors) and requiring them to consider school capacity for within-SAU requests. The bill also clarifies tuition arrangements for out-of-SAU transfers and specifies that parents are responsible for transportation. This change streamlines intra-SAU transfers while maintaining existing processes for district-wide moves.

Maddy summaryHB 1104 changes how New Hampshire school districts and chartered public schools are ranked for building aid grants. It removes the previous rule that automatically prioritized applications from the prior year that didn't receive funding due to budget limits, as well as applications with "critical needs" (like unsafe conditions). Instead, all applications will now be ranked solely based on the standard scoring criteria outlined in the law, including factors like unsafe facilities, overcrowding, ADA compliance, and school district fiscal capacity. This change affects every school district applying for building aid grants by altering the ranking process used to determine funding order.

Maddy summarySB 637 creates a tax credit for New Hampshire grocery stores that purchase at least 10% of their products from registered local farms, requiring them to reduce prices on those items by 10%. The credit equals 10% of qualifying purchases and can offset the store’s business profits tax liability, with unused portions carryable for up to five years. Grocery stores must verify purchases from farms in a voluntary state registry and provide proof of price discounts. This policy directly affects grocery stores and supports New Hampshire farms by incentivizing local sourcing.