Sen. Howard Pearl

Maddy summaryThis bill increases penalties for businesses repeatedly violating laws governing the sale of seeds, plants, and nursery stock in New Hampshire. It establishes a three-tier penalty system for "habitual offenders": a six-month sales ban at the violation location for a second offense, a one-year ban for a third offense, and permanent prohibition for a fourth violation. The Department of Agriculture will define "habitual violation" through rules, and penalties apply specifically to the business location where violations occur. These changes take effect January 1, 2027, directly affecting sellers of agricultural products who face repeated enforcement actions.

Maddy summaryThis bill increases the state's maximum guarantee limit from $200 million to $500 million for the Business Finance Authority. It raises the total amount of state-backed financial guarantees (like loan assurances for businesses) that can be active at one time, effective March 1, 2026. The change directly affects the authority's ability to support business financing through state guarantees. This is a procedural adjustment to an existing financial limit, not a new program.

Maddy summarySB 507 limits school districts' financial responsibility for continuing education services for students expelled due to assaulting school staff. It requires districts to cover only the average per-pupil cost for such students, rather than full educational expenses. The bill does not change expulsion rules or relieve parents of their obligation to educate their children. This applies specifically to students expelled for assault against staff and takes effect 60 days after enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes consumer protections for digital kiosks that allow people to buy, sell, or transfer digital assets (like cryptocurrency) using cash. It requires kiosks to hold first-time transactions for 48 hours (with a cancellation option), limit daily spending to $5,000 for new users and $15,000 for existing users, and display clear warnings about scams (e.g., "no government agency will ever demand payment by crypto"). Operators must verify identities, block transactions to known scam addresses, disclose all fees and reference prices, and provide detailed receipts. These rules directly affect kiosk operators and consumers, particularly older adults targeted by scammers.

Maddy summarySB 470 allows licensed professionals (like doctors, lawyers, or contractors) who faced minor disciplinary actions - such as reprimands, fines, or administrative penalties - to petition to have those records removed from public view. To qualify, they must have completed the disciplinary action over 3 years ago, have no further violations, no pending investigations, and maintain a good license standing. For cases involving only reprimands or fines, approval is automatic if requirements are met; for other cases, petitioners must show expungement aids rehabilitation without harming public safety. The bill does not cover cases involving permanent license revocation.

Maddy summarySB 502 updates outdated references in New Hampshire state law by removing mentions of the "Department of Business and Economic Affairs" and "Office of Planning and Development." It specifically amends statutes related to the Department of Energy, Geographic Information System committees, and regional planning commissions to reflect current department structures (replacing "Office of Planning and Development" with "Division of Planning and Community Development" under the Department of Business and Economic Affairs). This is an administrative correction to ensure legal references match the state's current organizational structure. The bill affects how state agencies and commissions are referenced in statutes but does not create new policies or funding.

Maddy summarySB 589 requires New Hampshire to create a task force studying electricity needs for interstate trucking charging stations, port electrification, and transmission corridors, with a report due by June 2027. It authorizes a pilot program for microgrid development at up to five locations to improve energy resilience, collaborating with utilities and businesses. The bill also mandates the Department of Energy to develop cybersecurity guidelines for distributed energy systems like solar and battery storage. These provisions directly affect state agencies, transportation infrastructure planners, port operators, and energy providers by setting new planning and safety requirements.

Maddy summarySB 464 changes New Hampshire's civil rights enforcement standard by requiring that prohibited conduct (like threats or violence) be "substantially motivated by hostility" toward a victim's protected characteristic - such as race, gender identity, or disability - to be considered a civil rights violation. This applies directly to enforcement agencies and courts when investigating or prosecuting civil rights cases. The bill modifies RSA 354-B:1 to clarify that conduct must be clearly driven by bias, not just coincidental, to trigger civil rights protections. It takes effect January 1, 2027, with no estimated state or local cost impact.

Maddy summaryHB 1742 protects customers who generate their own electricity (like solar panel owners) from being accidentally enrolled in third-party power programs without their consent. It requires utilities to investigate such cases within 10 business days and restore affected customers to their standard utility service within 5 days if confirmed. For up to six months prior to restoration, utilities must apply retroactive net metering credits for electricity they exported to the grid but weren't credited for during the incorrect enrollment. This ensures customers aren't financially penalized for errors in enrollment.

Maddy summarySB 496 exempts private residences designated by broker-dealers as supervisory locations from being classified as branch offices under securities regulations. The bill adds a definition for "residential supervisory location" as a private home used for supervising agents, provided it complies with FINRA Rule 3110.19. This directly affects broker-dealers and their associates by reducing regulatory burden for using home offices to supervise field staff. The policy change clarifies that such residences are not treated as formal branch offices for registration or supervision purposes.