Sen. David Watters

Maddy summaryThis bill updates New Hampshire insurance laws to ensure coverage for autism spectrum disorder and Down syndrome under the state's mental health and developmental disability mandates. It achieves this by renaming the existing category for autism from "pervasive developmental disorder" to "autism spectrum disorder" and adding Down syndrome as a distinct condition requiring coverage. Additionally, the legislation removes previous limits on the amount of insurance coverage available for these conditions. These changes directly affect insurance companies and policyholders by expanding the scope of covered services and eliminating financial caps on treatment costs.

Maddy summaryHB 1621 requires the liquor commission to create and display educational materials in all state liquor stores to help customers identify signs of alcohol use disorder. These materials include a brochure given with every liquor purchase and posters available for public viewing, both developed in partnership with the bureau of drug and alcohol services. The bill also allows the commission to share this information through other print, signage, or electronic methods as it sees fit. This legislation aims to increase awareness of alcohol-related health risks and provide resources for those concerned about their drinking habits.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits the distribution of artificial intelligence-generated media that falsely depicts a specific person without their consent and without a clear label indicating the content is synthetic. It applies to anyone who shares such misleading text, images, videos, or audio with the intent to deceive others about what the person actually did. The law creates a stricter penalty for content used near elections or intended to harm a candidate, classifying those offenses as felonies in repeat cases or when violence is provoked. Violations of the general rule are punishable as misdemeanors, while election-related violations carry heavier penalties under specific circumstances. The legislation takes effect on July 1, 2024.

Maddy summarySB 425 increases the fee for bail commissioners from $40 to $60. This change applies to individuals who act as bail commissioners in criminal cases, though those who are already full-time, salaried law enforcement officers or court staff will not receive the fee unless they are working outside their regular duties. The bill also specifies that the collected fees should be sent to the local town or city if the commissioner is a government employee, and it maintains the existing rule that fees must be waived for indigent defendants.

Maddy summaryThis bill strengthens protections for tenants facing eviction because their landlord plans to renovate their home. It requires landlords to give tenants at least 60 days' notice and provide a detailed description of the planned work and its timeline. To successfully evict a tenant under these circumstances, landlords must prove that the repairs cannot be done safely while the unit is occupied, will take more than 30 days, and that the tenant was offered a comparable unit at the same rent price. Additionally, the bill gives judges the authority to pause the eviction process for up to six months if they choose to do so. These changes apply specifically to properties classified as restricted rental housing.

Maddy summarySB 328 aims to protect consumers from deceptive practices in the secondary ticket market by requiring online sellers and resellers to clearly display the total price of tickets, including all fees, before a purchase is made. The bill also prohibits resellers from selling "speculative tickets," which are tickets the seller does not actually possess or own at the time of sale, while allowing them to offer services to help consumers find tickets if those services are clearly distinguished from direct ticket sales. Additionally, the law forbids websites from using a ticket issuer's trademarks or logos in a way that could mislead buyers into thinking they are on the official site. These rules take effect on January 1, 2025, and apply to anyone selling or reselling tickets for entertainment events.

Maddy summaryThis bill reduces the time required for state employees to earn permanent retirement benefits from 10 years to 5 years. It directly affects members of the state retirement system, including teachers, police officers, and firefighters, by allowing them to qualify for disability retirement or deferred benefits after just five years of service. The legislation also adjusts the age requirements for certain split-benefit retirement options for those with combined service in different employee groups. By lowering the vesting threshold, the law aims to provide earlier financial security for workers who leave their jobs due to injury or other reasons before completing a decade of employment.

Maddy summaryThis bill allocates $2,000,000 from the state's General Fund to the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024. The funds are designated to repair off-highway vehicle and snowmobile trails that were damaged by weather events in 2023. The money will be distributed through an existing grant-in-aid process and is classified as nonlapsing, meaning the funds remain available until fully spent. The legislation also authorizes the governor to issue a warrant to access these funds from the treasury.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits discrimination in New Hampshire public schools and workplaces based on hairstyles historically associated with race, such as braids, locs, and twists. It expands the legal definition of race to include hair texture and protective hairstyles, allowing individuals to file complaints with the state's human rights commission or in court if they face unfair treatment. The law explicitly excludes employees of the Department of Corrections from its protections and is set to take effect on January 1, 2025.