Sen. Debra Altschiller

Maddy summaryHB 1783 creates new benefits for community-based water and wastewater treatment projects that enable residential construction on smaller lot sizes. The Department of Environmental Services will determine if projects qualify, and qualifying projects may receive priority for housing grants, preferred financing rates from the municipal bond bank, or expedited approvals. These benefits apply specifically to innovative regional water/wastewater systems that reduce minimum lot size requirements for homes, as defined under existing law. The bill does not provide new state funding for these benefits.

Maddy summarySB 554 repeals a law that previously shielded firearm manufacturers from lawsuits related to specific design features of guns. This change directly affects firearm manufacturers by removing their legal protection for certain product designs, making them potentially liable for related claims. The bill does not create new regulations but eliminates an existing exemption in state law (RSA 507-D:6). It takes effect 60 days after enactment. The bill focuses solely on removing this liability limitation without altering other firearm regulations.

Maddy summaryHB 1018 prohibits the use of four specific rat poisons (brodifacoum, bromadiolone, difenacoum, and difethialone) in New Hampshire, primarily affecting pest control businesses, property owners, and general commercial users. The ban takes effect January 1, 2027, with key exceptions allowing these products for public health activities (like protecting drinking water or controlling documented infestations), medical waste facilities, and certain agricultural settings including food storage warehouses, slaughterhouses, and breweries. The law does not ban all rodenticides, only these four second-generation anticoagulant types. It directly changes pesticide regulations under RSA 430:41.

Maddy summarySB 621 establishes a cold case commission to serve as a middle person between New Hampshire's Department of Justice Cold Case Unit and families of homicide victims in unresolved cases. The commission, made up of two Department of Justice staff, two family members of victims (appointed by the governor), and one representative from a missing/murdered persons coalition, handles communications about case status to families and the public. It cannot investigate cases or access information protected by law, but requires the Department of Justice to share sufficient details to fulfill its communication role. The bill does not create new investigations but aims to improve transparency and support for families in long-unresolved homicide cases.

Maddy summaryHB 1399 appropriates $5 million from New Hampshire's Revenue Stabilization Reserve Account (the "Rainy Day Fund") to reimburse the Claremont School District for part of the costs of renovating Stevens High School in 2015. The bill specifically addresses a project completed during a building aid moratorium, which the district needed to restore accreditation and maintain eligibility for future aid. This funding directly benefits the Claremont School District and Stevens High School, covering costs the district incurred but could not recover during the moratorium. The appropriation is a one-time payment from the state's rainy day fund, effective 60 days after passage.

Maddy summaryHB 1389 establishes strict liability for owners or operators of facilities that release PFAS chemicals into groundwater, triggering cleanup requirements when contamination reaches 500 parts per trillion or higher. It directly affects businesses handling PFAS (like manufacturers or waste facilities) that caused such contamination. The bill mandates compliance with federal cleanup regulations (40 CFR 265.111 and 265.114) for equipment, piping, and building surfaces used with PFAS. This requires facilities to address contamination through closure, decommissioning, or remediation of affected infrastructure.

Maddy summaryHB 1258 requires New Hampshire's Department of Environmental Services to publish PFAS testing results on its public website. The bill mandates the department to include data from public water systems, private wells tested through state programs, and environmental samples like soil, water, and fish tissue. Published data must be searchable by location, date, and contaminant type, with updates every six months while protecting private well owners' personal information. This law directly affects public access to PFAS contamination data and the department's reporting obligations.

Maddy summaryHB 1034 prohibits individuals from knowingly possessing firearms on public school property, including buildings, grounds, and school buses, with violations classified as class A misdemeanors. Exceptions include parents transporting firearms in vehicles while dropping off/delivering students, law enforcement officers, and personnel specifically authorized by a school board after a public hearing and background check. The bill also bans public schools from hiring "armed guards" whose sole role is security, requiring any armed personnel to meet standard employment background checks. This affects all public schools and charter schools in New Hampshire, directly impacting school staff, parents, and security personnel.

Maddy summaryHB 1273 creates "Flood Resilience Incentive Zones" (FRIZ) to help homeowners in flood-prone areas make resilience improvements. It allows municipalities to offer tax credits (minimum $100 annually), property tax relief, and low-cost loans for qualifying projects like elevating homes, installing flood barriers, using natural water management systems (e.g., bioswales), or upgrading electrical systems to reduce flood damage. Municipalities can also collect a fee of up to $0.50 per $1,000 property value to fund these initiatives through revolving funds. The bill directly affects residential property owners in designated FRIZ areas and gives local governments new tools to support flood mitigation.

Maddy summaryHB 1049 requires all firearm owners in New Hampshire to securely store firearms when not in use to prevent unauthorized access by minors or prohibited individuals. The bill mandates that firearms be kept in locked containers, equipped with approved safety devices (like trigger locks or lockboxes), or stored via personalized firearm safety features. It also expands criminal penalties for negligent storage and requires safety devices to accompany all private and commercial firearm transactions. This applies to all firearm owners, including private sellers and licensed dealers, but excludes antique firearms. The law aims to reduce incidents of firearms falling into unauthorized hands, particularly minors.