Sen. Regina Birdsell

Maddy summaryThis bill updates regulations for the New Hampshire Board of Optometry by expanding the types of pharmaceutical agents that licensed optometrists can dispense to patients, including specific oral pain relievers and certain vaccines. It establishes a dedicated funding source to support health professional licensing boards and clarifies that pharmacy inspections will be conducted by trained pharmacists rather than the Office of Professional Licensure and Certification. Additionally, the legislation amends the legal definition of the practice of optometry to explicitly include the diagnosis and treatment of acute angle closure glaucoma while listing specific surgical procedures that remain outside the scope of optometric practice.

Maddy summaryThis bill, known as the Anti-Sanctuary Act, would require state and local law enforcement agencies in New Hampshire to cooperate with federal immigration authorities. It explicitly prohibits any government entity from adopting policies that limit cooperation with federal immigration requests, such as honoring detainers or withholding inmate information. While the law mandates efforts to support federal enforcement, it includes specific exceptions that prevent the use of immigration status information against victims or witnesses of certain serious crimes like domestic violence and sexual assault. If a local agency violates these requirements, the state attorney general could file a lawsuit to stop the policy and seek court orders to enforce compliance.

Maddy summarySB 340 updates New Hampshire special education laws to improve communication and oversight between parents, schools, and the state. The bill allows school districts to send Individualized Education Program (IEP) notices via email unless a parent prefers mail, and it requires districts to report rejected IEPs or placements within five days so the state can promptly inform parents of available dispute resolution options. Additionally, the Office of the Advocate for Special Education gains expanded authority to review student records and complaints without public disclosure, while the Department of Education must publish an annual report detailing disability statistics, funding, and progress on compliance plans. The legislation also encourages local school districts to create and share their own alternative dispute resolution programs to help families resolve conflicts more efficiently.

Maddy summaryThis law allows pharmacists and their trained staff in New Hampshire to administer a wide range of vaccines, including flu and COVID-19 shots, without needing special permission from the state legislature. To qualify, these healthcare workers must hold current licenses, carry at least one million dollars in liability insurance, and complete specific training on injection techniques and emergency response. The bill also requires them to document each vaccination in the state registry, report any side effects to the CDC, and notify the patient's primary care provider when requested. These changes are designed to make it easier for people to get vaccinated at pharmacies while maintaining safety standards through mandatory oversight and record-keeping.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes stricter rules for placing children in state care into residential facilities, prioritizing placement with relatives or in foster homes as the first options. It mandates that residential care be used only as a last resort for children aged 12 and older, unless there is a specific medical or therapeutic need, and requires all such facilities to meet new state certification standards before receiving funding. To enforce these standards, the Department of Health and Human Services will create a team to inspect and certify programs, conduct regular unannounced visits, and report quarterly on their oversight activities and spending. Additionally, the bill requires special approval from the state director before placing any child in a facility outside of New England.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates New Hampshire's safe haven laws to allow parents to anonymously surrender infants up to 61 days old, matching the age limits of other New England states. It expands the definition of safe haven devices to include containers installed in hospitals, police stations, and fire departments, provided they are staffed around the clock and have alarms. The legislation also clarifies that parents who surrender a baby cannot be prosecuted solely based on evidence found during that surrender, while still permitting investigations into other crimes not directly linked to the act of surrendering the child.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a formal process for the Department of Environmental Services to transfer ownership of state-owned dams to local municipalities or other interested groups before removing them. Under the new rules, the department must offer the dam and its associated rights to the local municipality at least one year in advance, providing detailed information on the dam's condition and repair costs. If the municipality declines or cannot afford the necessary debt, the offer extends to associations of landowners or other public entities capable of maintaining the structure. The department may only proceed with dam removal if no party accepts the transfer, provided the dam is not in imminent danger of failure or removal does not serve a compelling environmental interest.

Maddy summaryThis bill, known as the Bradley Haas Act, provides a one-time death benefit of $100,000 to the family of a New Hampshire hospital security officer who is killed while performing their duties. The legislation specifically allocates these funds to the beneficiaries of Bradley Haas, who was fatally shot at a hospital in 2023, and distributes the money according to existing state rules for law enforcement death benefits. Additionally, the bill expands the definition of "police officer" for death benefit purposes to include security officers employed directly by the state of New Hampshire. This change ensures that state-employed security guards are eligible for the same financial support as other sworn law enforcement officers if they die in the line of duty.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Hampshire to add cytomegalovirus (CMV) screening to the results reported for infants who fail their newborn hearing tests. The law allows parents to choose not to have their baby undergo this specific screening. Additionally, the state must report progress on this new targeted screening program to a health oversight committee by March 1, 2025. These changes are designed to help identify CMV infections early in life, and the rules will officially begin on January 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis bill officially renames a specific stretch of Route 127 in Franklin, New Hampshire, from Central Street to the Sanbornton town line as the Chief Bradley Haas Memorial Highway. The legislation requires the state Department of Transportation to create and install appropriate signs along the designated route, with the design subject to departmental approval. While the City of Franklin is responsible for maintaining these signs, the state covers all costs associated with their design, manufacturing, and installation through general funds. The changes become effective 60 days after the bill is signed into law.