Sen. Lou D'Allesandro

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes the Department of Health and Human Services and the Office of Professional Licensure and Certification to share data for verifying the licenses of Medicaid providers. By matching provider names with their social security or taxpayer identification numbers, the two agencies can confirm that doctors and other healthcare professionals currently hold valid state licenses before they deliver services to Medicaid patients. The law takes effect on July 1, 2024, and establishes a formal process for these agencies to cross-reference their records to ensure provider eligibility.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands the definition of a school transportation vehicle to include private passenger cars used by contracted companies to transport students to public and private schools. It allows school districts and private schools to hire these providers, provided the vehicles are approved by the Department of Safety and driven by certified school bus operators. The legislation also requires stricter background checks for drivers, including criminal history reviews, and mandates that all drivers maintain specific qualification files accessible to the state department. Additionally, the state director gains the authority to inspect these vehicles before they are used to ensure they are fit for transporting children.

Maddy summaryThis bill designates a specific stretch of Route 111 in Hudson as the Senator Robert E. Clegg Jr. Memorial Highway to honor the late legislator. It requires the Department of Transportation to install a memorial marker in the right-of-way and allows the department to direct the design and placement of any associated signage. The legislation explicitly states that the costs for creating and maintaining these markers will not be funded by the state.

Maddy summaryThis bill raises the minimum legal age for marriage in New Hampshire from 16 to 18 years old. It directly affects all individuals by making any marriage entered into by a person under 18 automatically invalid and prohibiting town clerks and religious officials from issuing licenses or performing such ceremonies. The law also removes special exceptions that previously allowed minors to marry with parental consent or court approval, while simultaneously banning marriages by proxy. Finally, the legislation repeals several older statutes that governed the process for minors seeking marriage permits and annulments.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies the rules and funding for the Youth Development Center settlement fund, which provides compensation to former residents who experienced abuse while in state care. It updates legal definitions to clearly specify what counts as sexual, physical, or other abuse and introduces a new category for "egregious sexual abuse" that may qualify for additional compensation. The legislation establishes an independent, neutral attorney as the administrator to oversee the claims process, while ensuring the fund remains separate and is continually funded until 2032.

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 law requires a legislative committee studying New Hampshire's adult parole system to submit a second report by November 1, 2024, in addition to an earlier one due in 2023. The additional report must include findings and any recommendations for new laws and will be sent to state officials including the governor and legislative leaders. The bill also officially repeals the original 2023 law that established the committee and sets the effective date for these changes to January 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a Corrections Education and Vocational Planning Group to design and oversee career and educational programs within New Hampshire state prisons. The group will include representatives from corrections, higher education, community colleges, and formerly incarcerated individuals to assess labor market needs, plan curriculum, and address barriers to reentry. Key tasks include creating credit transfer agreements with colleges, evaluating facility resources, and exploring funding options to support inmates pursuing degrees. The group is required to submit annual reports to state officials starting in December 2024 to track its progress and recommendations.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates the rules for pre-trial competency evaluations in New Hampshire to ensure defendants are assessed by qualified professionals before facing trial. It allows courts to order evaluations by state or private psychiatrists or psychologists and expands where these exams can take place, including secure units, local clinics, or even remotely via electronic means, provided no party objects to the remote format. The law sets strict deadlines for completing these exams, requiring them within 45 days for incarcerated individuals and 90 days for others, while also mandating that courts review bail status or schedule status conferences if the evaluation is delayed. Additionally, the bill requires courts to provide forensic examiners with relevant medical and mental health records from the past three years and establishes that defendants must participate in the evaluation or face potential court sanctions.