Sen. Ruth Ward

Maddy summaryHB 257 would establish a new criminal offense for severe child neglect, creating a legal definition for cases where caregivers fail to provide essential needs like food, shelter, or medical care, resulting in serious harm or risk to a child. This bill directly affects individuals (such as parents or guardians) whose neglect reaches a criminal threshold, moving beyond typical child welfare interventions into criminal prosecution. Key provisions would define specific acts constituting criminal neglect and establish potential penalties, including fines or imprisonment, for convicted offenders. The bill aims to provide clearer legal tools for holding accountable those whose actions cause significant harm to children.

Maddy summaryHB 648 proposes to require health insurance plans to cover glucose monitoring devices for individuals with diabetes. The bill would mandate coverage for necessary monitoring equipment, directly affecting policyholders with diabetes and their insurers. Currently pending in committee with a referral for interim study (as of November 13, 2025), the bill has not yet been enacted. Specific coverage details or device types are not provided in the available context.

Maddy summaryHB 349 would authorize optometrists to perform specific ophthalmic laser procedures within their scope of practice. This bill directly affects optometrists by expanding their permitted treatments and patients seeking these laser-based eye care services. The key provision allows optometrists to conduct certain laser procedures (like those for diabetic retinopathy) without requiring a physician's direct supervision, as outlined in the bill's current committee report. The bill is pending further legislative action after passing committee with amendments.

Maddy summaryHB 563 updates New Hampshire's school funding formula to better address student needs and district wealth disparities. It increases the base per-pupil cost for an "adequate education" to $4,351 (plus additional amounts for students eligible for free/reduced meals, English language learners, and those in special education) and establishes two new grant programs: "Extraordinary Need Grants" for high-poverty districts and "Fiscal Capacity Disparity Aid" for low-wealth districts. Both grant programs use tiered formulas based on property wealth per student, with all funding amounts increasing annually by 2% starting in 2027. The bill affects all public school districts in New Hampshire, directly changing how state education aid is calculated and distributed. It takes effect July 1, 2026.

Maddy summarySB 186 is a procedural bill that directs the state to commission a portrait of Senator Jeb Bradley for display in the state house. It does not create new laws or affect any policies; it solely relates to commemorating Senator Bradley through a portrait in a public state building. The bill has advanced through committee with a recommendation to pass and now awaits further legislative action. This is a ceremonial measure with no substantive policy impact.

Maddy summaryHB 191 would impose criminal and civil penalties on individuals who transport unemancipated minors (minors without legal independence) to obtain certain surgical procedures without parental permission. It directly affects medical providers, transportation services, and others facilitating such travel. The bill creates criminal charges for knowingly transporting minors for these procedures and allows civil lawsuits for damages by affected parties. This policy change adds specific legal consequences for bypassing parental consent requirements in medical care for minors.

Maddy summarySB 35 proposed a state appropriation to provide matching funds for a specific rail trail project. This bill would have directly affected the project's developers and local communities by enabling them to access state funds to supplement private or federal contributions. However, the bill was deemed "Inexpedient to Legislate" under Senate Rule 3-23 on October 31, 2025, meaning it did not advance to become law. As a funding measure, it was procedural in nature with no enacted policy changes.

Maddy summarySB 81 would increase the real estate transfer tax paid when buying or selling property, directing the additional revenue to the state's affordable housing fund. This bill directly affects homebuyers and sellers by raising their transaction costs, while the new funding would support affordable housing programs. The key mechanism is a tax rate adjustment that automatically allocates the extra revenue to the housing fund without requiring new legislation for each appropriation. It aims to expand resources for developing or preserving low- and moderate-income housing units.

Maddy summarySB 117 allocates $1 million for the 2025-2027 biennium to fund the state’s existing online tutoring program for K-12 public school students. The funds are non-lapsing (remain available until spent) and require the Department of Education to annually report on program use and effectiveness to key legislative committees starting in 2026. The bill takes effect July 1, 2025, ensuring continued access to online tutoring support for students without requiring new program creation.

Maddy summarySB 276 proposes to increase the existing research and development tax credit, which would directly affect businesses engaged in R&D activities. The changes outlined in this bill are scheduled to take effect on July 1, 2026. The provided text does not specify the exact mechanisms or amounts by which the credit would be raised.