Sen. David Watters

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 requires probation and parole officers to review their caseloads annually to recommend eligible parolees for a reduction in their maximum sentence. The law allows the parole board to grant a sentence reduction equal to one-third of the time a person has spent on parole, provided they meet specific criteria. When making these decisions, the board must consider factors such as the parolee's risk of reoffending, their compliance with supervision rules, and input from victims or survivors. The changes apply to individuals currently on parole from state prison and take effect on January 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires dogs, cats, and ferrets entering the state to be held for at least 48 hours at a licensed facility or a veterinarian's separate area before they can be transferred. The law allows the state veterinarian to create rules permitting littermates of certain ages to share enclosures during this holding period. Additionally, it sets limits on the daily boarding and care costs for animals that are confiscated by animal control officers. These measures aim to standardize how animals are quarantined and cared for after crossing state lines.

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 summaryHB 1155 prohibits life and long-term care insurance companies in New Hampshire from denying coverage, canceling policies, or charging higher premiums to individuals solely because they have donated an organ or tissue. The law also forbids insurers from making organ donation a condition for receiving or keeping an insurance policy. These protections apply to all such policies offered, issued, or renewed in the state on or after July 1, 2024, ensuring that living organ donors are not discriminated against by insurance providers.

Maddy summaryThis bill directs the New Hampshire Department of Energy to report annually by November on how the renewable energy fund is used, including details on net metering capacity and group host registrations. It expands the department's authority to create new incentive and rebate programs for renewable energy projects located in political subdivisions, such as towns and cities, without being subject to the same funding limits as other projects. Additionally, the legislation updates how funds are distributed between residential and nonresidential sectors, requiring a specific portion of money to support low- and moderate-income households and public housing residents. The bill also repeals previous rules regarding small residential renewable generation incentives to align with these new funding priorities.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies the Land and Community Heritage Investment Program in New Hampshire by removing a rule that required the state to hold a future interest in every easement purchased with program funds. Under the new law, easements acquired through the program will be held directly by the municipalities, political subdivisions, or nonprofit corporations that purchase them, rather than being shared with the state. This change allows local entities to have full ownership of conservation easements without the state retaining a legal claim to the property in perpetuity. The legislation applies specifically to resource assets bought using LCHIP funds and does not alter how the program acquires or restores other types of cultural or historical resources.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates the rules for how public agencies charge fees when individuals request government records under the Right-to-Know law. It clarifies that agencies can only charge for copying costs or for employee time spent beyond ten hours, setting a maximum hourly rate of $25 for those additional hours. The legislation also requires agencies to provide clearer explanations when denying requests and mandates that multiple requests made within a 30-day period be treated as a single request to prevent fee stacking. Additionally, it establishes a requirement for agencies to create transparent policies for calculating these costs and allows requesters to file complaints if they believe the estimated fees are unreasonable.

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.