Photo of Ruth Ward
R New Hampshire Senate · District 8

Sen. Ruth Ward

Compare
Total votes
1,775
all sessions
Attendance
100%
1 missed
Near the chamber average
With party
96%
of cast votes
Near the chamber average
Bipartisan score
4%
crosses aisle rarely
Near the chamber average
Sponsored
472
bills & resolutions
Near the chamber average
Committees
4
assignments
472 bills and resolutions

Sponsored bills

Total
472
Primary
42
Co-sponsor
430
This page
472
matching current filters
Primary SB 452
In committee · New Hampshire Senate · Lead sponsor
enabling health care providers to offer certain complementary and alternative health care services.

Maddy summarySB 452 creates a new legal framework allowing unlicensed practitioners to offer certain complementary and alternative health care services (like acupuncture or nutritional counseling not covered by standard medical practice) without needing state licensing. It directly affects unlicensed providers and their patients, requiring providers to disclose their unlicensed status, share qualifications, and obtain written consent before offering services. The bill prohibits providers from performing surgery, prescribing drugs, manipulating spines, or advising patients to stop licensed medical treatments. It also mandates clear client disclosures about the provider's lack of licensure and maintains existing licensing requirements for standard medical practitioners.

In committee Feb 12, 2026 0 co-sponsors
Primary SB 420
In committee · New Hampshire Senate · Lead sponsor
relative to the state commission for human rights.

Maddy summarySB 420 amends New Hampshire's State Commission for Human Rights to clarify its leadership structure and enhance reporting requirements. It removes a requirement that the commission chair must be a licensed attorney, adds provisions for nominating an executive director (5-year term) and an assistant executive director (2-year initial term, then 5 years), and mandates detailed annual reports. These reports must include specific metrics on case handling speed, backlog status, system implementation, staff training, and progress on administrative rules. The commission must submit these reports to the governor, legislature, and publish them publicly on TransparentNH.

In committee Feb 12, 2026 0 co-sponsors
Co-sponsor SB 588
In committee · New Hampshire Senate · Co-sponsor
requiring that all municipalities that are served by a school district vote on the closure of schools.

Maddy summarySB 588 requires all municipalities served by a school district to vote on closing any elementary or high school. It mandates school boards to hold public meetings after receiving petitions from 20+ voters, with ballots asking "Shall the school district authorize the discontinuation of [school]?" A majority vote is required for closure. This applies to both single-district and cooperative school districts, repealing previous rules that allowed school boards to decide closures without voter input. The bill directly affects residents in all towns served by the school and changes how school closures are approved.

In committee Feb 12, 2026 1 co-sponsor
Co-sponsor HB 68
died · New Hampshire House · Co-sponsor
making best interest placements within the same school district mandatory in the absence of a valid reason to deny the placement.

Maddy summaryHB 68 requires school districts to approve requests for students to transfer to another school *within the same district* if the move is in the student's best interest, unless a valid reason exists to deny it. This directly affects parents or guardians who request such transfers, as school district leaders must grant them without delay unless specific requirements aren't met. The bill does not change the "best interest" standard but shifts the burden to the district to justify denial. It applies only to same-district placements; requests for schools outside the district remain subject to standard review processes. The bill is currently pending in committee with no active legislative progress as of the latest update.

died Nov 25, 2025 1 co-sponsor
Co-sponsor HB 121
In committee · New Hampshire House · Co-sponsor
establishing local school district special education parent advisory councils.

Maddy summaryHB 121 requires every local school district to establish a parent advisory council for special education. These councils must include parents of students with disabilities and provide input on district special education programs and services. The bill mandates that districts create these councils within 12 months of the law taking effect, ensuring parents directly affected by special education decisions have a formal role in shaping policies. The legislation does not specify council size or meeting frequency but requires districts to adopt procedures for council operations.

In committee Nov 19, 2025 1 co-sponsor
Co-sponsor HB 131
In committee · New Hampshire House · Co-sponsor
requiring school boards to develop and enact policies regarding personal cell phone use in schools.

Maddy summaryHB 131 requires all public school boards to create and adopt written policies governing student use of personal cell phones during school hours. This directly affects school boards (as the policy creators) and students (as the individuals subject to the rules). The bill mandates that these policies address how cell phones may be used, stored, or restricted while on school grounds. It does not specify particular restrictions but sets a requirement for school boards to establish clear, formal guidelines. The policy must be enacted by the school board, not by individual schools.

In committee Nov 19, 2025 1 co-sponsor
Co-sponsor SB 211
died · New Hampshire Senate · Co-sponsor
relative to biological sex in student athletics.

Maddy summarySB 211 requires New Hampshire public schools to establish eligibility rules for female-designated sports programs, directly affecting student athletes in those programs. The bill mandates that schools cannot exclude students solely based on transgender status but sets specific criteria: students must identify as female in daily life, not transfer teams mid-season for competitive advantage, and meet other criteria tied to the sport's educational purpose. It also requires all schools to adopt privacy policies by September 2025, allowing any student needing increased privacy (regardless of reason) to access single-stall restrooms or private changing areas. The law takes effect July 1, 2025, and applies to all public school sports programs in the state.

died Nov 19, 2025 1 co-sponsor
Primary SB 34
Passed · New Hampshire Senate · Lead sponsor
relative to parental consent for student participation in Medicaid to schools program.

Maddy summarySB 34 requires written parental consent for each new medical service (defined by a new ICD code) provided to Medicaid-enrolled students through the Medicaid to Schools program. It mandates an annual report to state lawmakers detailing the program's costs and enrollment. The bill also states the program terminates statewide if federal or state policy opposes parental control over children's medical services, or in a single school district if local policy changes. This directly affects Medicaid-enrolled students and their parents in schools participating in the program.

Passed Nov 19, 2025 0 co-sponsors
Co-sponsor SB 36
Passed · New Hampshire Senate · Co-sponsor
relative to the collection and reporting of abortion statistics by health care providers and medical facilities.

Maddy summarySB 36 requires health care providers and medical facilities to collect and report standardized abortion statistics to the state health department. It directly affects hospitals, clinics, and physicians performing abortions by mandating specific data collection on procedures, including patient demographics and gestational age. The bill establishes a uniform reporting system to track abortion data, replacing inconsistent current practices. This focuses on improving data accuracy for public health analysis, not altering abortion access or policy.

Passed Nov 18, 2025 1 co-sponsor
Showing 51 to 60 of 472 bills
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