Maddy summaryThis bill updates regulations for the New Hampshire Board of Optometry by expanding the types of pharmaceutical agents that licensed optometrists can dispense to patients, including specific oral pain relievers and certain vaccines. It establishes a dedicated funding source to support health professional licensing boards and clarifies that pharmacy inspections will be conducted by trained pharmacists rather than the Office of Professional Licensure and Certification. Additionally, the legislation amends the legal definition of the practice of optometry to explicitly include the diagnosis and treatment of acute angle closure glaucoma while listing specific surgical procedures that remain outside the scope of optometric practice.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes school districts and the Department of Education to hire transportation network companies to provide student transportation services using private passenger vehicles. To ensure safety, the legislation establishes strict requirements for drivers, including mandatory criminal background checks, medical examinations, and specialized certification. The law also mandates that these vehicles undergo regular inspections and requires providers to maintain detailed qualification files for every driver. Additionally, the bill clarifies that students with disabilities may ride in these vehicles unless their individualized education plans explicitly prohibit it.
Maddy summaryThis bill updates New Hampshire's education laws to standardize how the Department of Education administers statewide student assessments in math, English, and science. It requires schools to use a mix of question types, including written responses and open-ended tasks, to measure student learning while protecting privacy by limiting data disclosure to necessary sample sizes. The legislation allows districts to opt for locally developed tests if approved, permits home-schooled and private school students to participate voluntarily, and ensures that assessment results cannot be penalized against students or schools. Additionally, the bill mandates that individual student scores remain anonymous in state records unless parents provide written consent and guarantees that exempted students receive alternative educational activities.
Maddy summarySB 340 updates New Hampshire special education laws to improve communication and oversight between parents, schools, and the state. The bill allows school districts to send Individualized Education Program (IEP) notices via email unless a parent prefers mail, and it requires districts to report rejected IEPs or placements within five days so the state can promptly inform parents of available dispute resolution options. Additionally, the Office of the Advocate for Special Education gains expanded authority to review student records and complaints without public disclosure, while the Department of Education must publish an annual report detailing disability statistics, funding, and progress on compliance plans. The legislation also encourages local school districts to create and share their own alternative dispute resolution programs to help families resolve conflicts more efficiently.
Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a new "Master Teacher" credential for educators who have at least seven years of teaching experience and receive high ratings on local evaluation systems. To qualify, teachers must submit a portfolio demonstrating leadership in classroom practice, supervision, student support, collaboration, and professional development. The credential is intended to identify experienced teachers as resources to improve student learning and school collaboration, but it does not grant them authority to recommend personnel actions. Additionally, the bill sets fee limits for issuing and renewing Master Teacher licenses, ensuring they do not exceed the cost of standard educator licenses. These changes take effect on October 1, 2024.
Maddy summaryThis bill, known as the Bradley Haas Act, provides a one-time death benefit of $100,000 to the family of a New Hampshire hospital security officer who is killed while performing their duties. The legislation specifically allocates these funds to the beneficiaries of Bradley Haas, who was fatally shot at a hospital in 2023, and distributes the money according to existing state rules for law enforcement death benefits. Additionally, the bill expands the definition of "police officer" for death benefit purposes to include security officers employed directly by the state of New Hampshire. This change ensures that state-employed security guards are eligible for the same financial support as other sworn law enforcement officers if they die in the line of duty.
Maddy summarySB 378 establishes a task force to design and review New Hampshire's performance-based school accountability system, which is intended to ensure schools provide an adequate education. The task force will consist of 10 to 15 members, including school administrators, principals, classroom teachers, and other educational experts, who will define performance criteria, set goals, and create a scoring system based on existing data like state test scores and college readiness indicators. Before the system is fully implemented, the Department of Education must verify its accuracy by testing it in a representative sample of schools across the state. The group is required to submit a final report with recommendations to state officials by June 30, 2026, and the bill provides funding to cover the task force's operational expenses.
Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Hampshire to add cytomegalovirus (CMV) screening to the results reported for infants who fail their newborn hearing tests. The law allows parents to choose not to have their baby undergo this specific screening. Additionally, the state must report progress on this new targeted screening program to a health oversight committee by March 1, 2025. These changes are designed to help identify CMV infections early in life, and the rules will officially begin on January 1, 2025.
Maddy summaryThis bill officially renames a specific stretch of Route 127 in Franklin, New Hampshire, from Central Street to the Sanbornton town line as the Chief Bradley Haas Memorial Highway. The legislation requires the state Department of Transportation to create and install appropriate signs along the designated route, with the design subject to departmental approval. While the City of Franklin is responsible for maintaining these signs, the state covers all costs associated with their design, manufacturing, and installation through general funds. The changes become effective 60 days after the bill is signed into law.