Sen. Victoria Sullivan

Maddy summarySB 549 prohibits state and local governments from using public funds to support organizations that distribute drug paraphernalia, including needles and syringes through syringe service programs (SSPs). It specifically blocks state funds - such as those from opioid settlement money - from being used for SSPs that provide such paraphernalia, except during disease outbreak responses under existing law. The bill affects funding for public health programs by restricting how state and local resources can be allocated to organizations distributing drug-related items. The fiscal note indicates this would reduce annual funding for SSPs by approximately $1.7 million, though it clarifies this does not represent net savings but potential cost shifts to other healthcare services.

Maddy summarySB 512 requires courts to waive the $125 filing fee for individuals seeking to annul criminal records related to charges that resulted in a not-guilty verdict, case dismissal, or lack of prosecution. It directly affects people with unresolved criminal charges that didn’t lead to conviction, removing a financial barrier to clearing their records. The bill amends state law to mandate fee waivers when petitioners provide proof of these outcomes, streamlining the annulment process. The change takes effect January 1, 2027, and aims to support rehabilitation by reducing costs for affected individuals.

Maddy summarySB 642 repeals New Hampshire's Committee for the Protection of Human Subjects and its associated rulemaking authority. The bill ends a committee responsible for overseeing research involving human participants, requested by the Department of Health and Human Services. This repeal will save approximately $59,000 annually by ending a $63,000 yearly contract with the Mental Health Center of Greater Manchester, while retaining $4,000 for federal record-keeping compliance. The change affects administrative functions related to human subjects research oversight but does not alter research regulations.

Maddy summarySB 456 establishes a commission to study children's health and safety issues in New Hampshire, including mental health services, school safety, and childhood diagnoses. The commission, composed of legislative members and 17 appointed experts (such as healthcare professionals, teachers, and parents), will examine specific topics like school mental health programs, youth homelessness, and exposure to harmful content. It must submit annual reports by November 1 to state leaders, including the governor and legislative leaders, with findings and recommendations. This bill creates a study body but does not enact new laws or allocate funding.

Maddy summaryHB 1734 authorizes New Hampshire to establish experimental treatment centers that provide medical treatments using investigational drugs, biologics, or devices that have completed Phase 1 clinical trials but are not yet FDA-approved for general use. These centers must be approved by the Department of Health and Human Services and can only treat eligible patients who have a physician's recommendation, provided written informed consent (including discussion of alternative FDA-approved treatments and potential costs), and understand insurance may not cover the treatment. The bill creates a new legal framework distinct from existing medical licensing, requiring centers to follow specific consent protocols and safety standards documented by qualified medical institutions. It directly affects patients seeking innovative treatments, healthcare providers, and manufacturers of investigational medical products.

Maddy summarySB 643 requires cities and towns to hold a public hearing with at least 30 days' notice and a 60-minute public comment period before voting to override a local tax or spending cap. It mandates a roll call vote for the override, recording each council member's vote, and requires publishing the results (including each member's name and vote) on the next property tax bill. This bill does not change existing requirements for supermajority votes or voter approval to override caps but adds transparency measures to inform taxpayers about how officials vote on tax increases. The law directly affects municipalities seeking to raise taxes or spending above locally adopted limits.

Maddy summaryHB 1793 prohibits New Hampshire public colleges and universities from restricting the possession or carrying of firearms and non-lethal weapons (like pepper spray or stun guns) on campus. It directly affects public institutions of higher education and any student, faculty, staff, or visitor who lawfully carries such items under state law. The bill requires schools to allow constitutional carry without requiring permits or licenses and permits individuals harmed by school policies to sue for at least $10,000 in damages. This law takes effect January 1, 2027, aligning with New Hampshire’s existing constitutional carry framework.

Maddy summaryHB 1175 updates New Hampshire's law against fraud using scanning devices or reencoders to specifically cover payment card chips (like those in modern credit cards), not just magnetic strips. It makes it illegal to scan or reencode chip data without permission to defraud cardholders, card issuers, or merchants. The bill expands existing criminal penalties to address current fraud methods targeting chip-based payment technology. The law takes effect January 1, 2027.

Maddy summarySB 503 amends New Hampshire's building code to allow New Hampshire-grown spruce-pine-fir-south (SPFS) lumber - currently graded as a separate, slightly weaker classification - to be used interchangeably with Canadian-sourced spruce-pine-fir (SPF) lumber in construction. This directly affects local sawmills, loggers, and builders who previously faced higher costs and logistical hurdles when using New Hampshire wood, as it was often exported, regraded as SPF in Canada, and reimported. The key provision requires building codes to accept SPFS lumber (harvested and milled in New Hampshire) wherever SPF is specified, using published SPFS design values for structural calculations. This removes an artificial barrier based on political borders, recognizing that New Hampshire's climate and wood quality are comparable to Canadian SPF. The bill does not change grading standards but ensures local wood meets code requirements without requiring re-importation.

Maddy summarySB 480 prohibits health insurers from requiring prior authorization for the first 12 visits of physical therapy, occupational therapy, or similar rehabilitative services for each new health condition or condition not treated within the previous 60 days. Patients seeking these therapies and their insurers are directly affected by this change. Insurers may still deny coverage if treatment is determined not to be medically necessary. The law takes effect 60 days after enactment.