Sen. Rebecca Perkins Kwoka

Maddy summarySB 236 transfers management of the Electric Assistance Program from its current administrator to the Department of Energy. This bill directly affects low-income households that receive utility bill assistance through the program. The key provision is the formal transfer of administrative authority and oversight responsibilities to the Department of Energy, streamlining program management under a single state agency. The bill became law on June 24, 2025, and takes effect August 23, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 292 revises New Hampshire's funding formula for special education costs, providing state aid to school districts when their special education expenses exceed 3.5 times the state's average per-pupil cost for the prior school year. Districts are responsible for costs up to 3.5 times the average plus 20% of additional costs (capped at 10 times the average), with the state covering the rest through automatic entitlement. The bill allocates $250,000 annually for emergency aid to small districts (under 1,000 residents) facing financial harm from special education costs, and specifies that unused emergency funds must support broader special education cost increases. It takes effect August 24, 2025, and is funded from the state education trust fund.

Maddy summaryHB 633 creates a legislative committee to study housing investment trusts - funds that pool private capital to finance housing projects - in New Hampshire. The committee will examine how these trusts could work in the state, including potential benefits and challenges for housing development. This study aims to inform future housing policy decisions without directly creating new housing programs. The bill became law after passing the legislature unanimously and being signed by Governor Ayotte on June 23, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 235 allows New Hampshire's Fish and Game Department to use federal Pitman-Robertson conservation funds specifically for protecting threatened and endangered species, and permits the department to collect donations at approved sites without needing governor or council approval. It establishes that donation funds must go into the Fish and Game Fund and can only be used for conservation, restoration, management, or educational efforts related to fish, game, and wildlife. The bill directly affects the Fish and Game Department by expanding its funding sources and flexibility for species conservation programs. Key mechanisms include setting up donation collection points through the executive director's approval and explicitly restricting fund use to conservation purposes. The bill was signed into law on June 24, 2025, and takes effect August 23, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 173 modifies the rules governing legal agreements (covenants) that restrict how residential properties financed through the Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program can be managed. It directly affects developers and property managers of LIHTC housing by changing how long certain restrictions on these properties can remain in place. The bill establishes new requirements for updating or removing these covenants, aiming to provide more flexibility in property management while maintaining affordability commitments. This law took effect on July 1, 2025, after being signed by the governor.

Maddy summarySB 252 allows doctors, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners (APRNs) to prescribe certain highly regulated prescription drugs - including opioids - from Schedules II through IV via telemedicine. It requires an initial in-person patient visit before telemedicine prescribing begins and mandates an annual in-person follow-up evaluation for all such prescriptions. The law applies specifically to drugs in Schedules II-IV (tightly controlled medications) and requires all telemedicine prescriptions to comply with federal and state regulations. The bill takes effect August 23, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 210 primarily creates a statewide open enrollment system, allowing New Hampshire parents to transfer children to any public school district within the state without tuition fees. It amends residency rules to clarify legal residence for school attendance and requires districts to publicly report school capacities and enrollment decisions. The bill establishes that military-connected students receive admission preference over non-residents and mandates districts to post capacity data monthly. The bill’s title mentions bullying prevention, but the text contains no actual provisions addressing bullying; the focus is solely on expanding school choice through open enrollment mechanisms.

Maddy summarySB 233 directs New Hampshire's Grid Modernization Advisory Group to study four specific topics related to electricity reliability and energy storage, including grid challenges, storage's role, market solutions for storage, and an indexing credit model. The bill amends the group's mandate to explicitly include these considerations in its work. It does not impose new regulations or costs but guides the advisory group's focus. The bill became law on June 17, 2025, after passing both chambers and receiving the governor's signature. The advisory group itself is the primary entity affected by this directive.

Maddy summarySB 78 amends New Hampshire law to set a specific 45-day deadline for filing appeals to a zoning board of adjustment, replacing the previous vague "reasonable time" standard. This directly affects applicants, property owners (abutters), and local government officials who wish to challenge zoning decisions made by municipal administrative officers. The key provision requires appeals to be filed within 45 days by submitting a notice specifying grounds to both the officer who issued the decision and the zoning board. This change aims to create clearer timelines for appeals while maintaining existing eligibility for those challenging zoning actions.

Maddy summarySB 30 designates the Virginia opossum (*Didelphis virginiana*) as New Hampshire’s official state marsupial, amending state law to recognize this species. The bill directly affects New Hampshire residents and state identity by formally naming the opossum as a symbolic representative of the state. Key provisions include updating legal references to identify opossums found in New Hampshire as "New Hampshire opossums." The bill contains no provisions related to fertilizer penalties - the mention of "fertilizers" in the title appears to be an error, as the actual text focuses solely on the marsupial designation. This is a symbolic, non-regulatory change with no practical impact on policy or enforcement.