Sen. Denise Ricciardi

Maddy summarySB 654 creates two new tax credits for businesses in New Hampshire. First, it offers a 20% credit on costs for on-site or nearby childcare services, up to $100,000 per year, for businesses housing childcare in their main building, shared facility, or adjacent buildings in the same park. Second, it provides a 20% credit on health insurance costs up to $10,000 per year per employee for workers with dependents whose work hours fall entirely between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. on weekdays. Businesses must maintain childcare facilities for three years to keep the credit, with repayment required if they close the facility early, and credits can roll over for up to four years. The bill takes effect July 1, 2027.

Maddy summarySB 635 establishes a tax credit program for New Hampshire employers that use health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs) instead of traditional group health insurance. Employers with more than one employee (classified as "qualified taxpayers") can claim a credit of up to $400 per covered employee in the first year (reducing to $200 in the second year), with annual limits of $20,000 per employer in year one and $10,000 in year two. The credit is applied against state tax liability, with a total annual cap of $10 million across all claims, and unused credits may be carried forward for up to three years. This policy directly affects employers transitioning to HRAs and aims to offset costs for covering employee health expenses through tax incentives.

Maddy summaryHB 1082 allows municipalities to remove political signs from state-owned property within their boundaries after election day. Specifically, it amends state law to permit local governments to clear such signs from state-owned land once the second Friday following an election has passed, if the signs remain after that deadline. This directly affects municipalities (which gain authority to remove signs) and candidates (who must remove their own signs by the deadline). The bill does not change the requirement for candidates to remove signs themselves by the second Friday after an election.

Maddy summaryHB 1513 requires the scholarship organization managing New Hampshire's Education Freedom Account program to provide detailed, public transparency reports. It mandates that the organization publish annual data on account expenses by category and education provider within 45 business days of fund release, in a standard sortable electronic format on its website - without personally identifiable information. The bill also requires the organization to provide requested data to oversight bodies (like the legislative committee and Department of Education) within 45 business days and ensures all qualifying educational expenses are accessible. This directly affects the scholarship organization administering the program, adding specific reporting obligations to enhance public accountability.

Maddy summaryHB 1389 establishes strict liability for owners or operators of facilities that release PFAS chemicals into groundwater, triggering cleanup requirements when contamination reaches 500 parts per trillion or higher. It directly affects businesses handling PFAS (like manufacturers or waste facilities) that caused such contamination. The bill mandates compliance with federal cleanup regulations (40 CFR 265.111 and 265.114) for equipment, piping, and building surfaces used with PFAS. This requires facilities to address contamination through closure, decommissioning, or remediation of affected infrastructure.

Maddy summaryHB 1434 allows New Hampshire towns and cities to hold votes on whether to permit keno gambling within their borders. It replaces a prior law that only let municipalities vote to *ban* keno with a system where they can vote to *allow* it. The bill requires a public hearing and a ballot vote (via town meeting or municipal election) with a majority "yes" vote needed to authorize keno operations. It also repeals outdated keno administration laws from 2025.

Maddy summarySB 553 increases penalties for drivers who willfully attempt to evade law enforcement by speeding, turning off headlights while moving, or abandoning their vehicle during a chase. Offenders will face a mandatory 5-day jail term (with no probation or deferred sentencing) and a driver's license suspension of at least six months. This law directly affects individuals who use these specific tactics to avoid police pursuit. The bill takes effect January 1, 2027.

Maddy summarySB 618 requires drivers with repeated speeding violations - such as those suspended for excessive speeding (over 100 mph on highways or 50+ mph over limits on other roads) or multiple tickets - to install a GPS-based speed-limiting device (called an "intelligent speed assistance" or ISA device) as a condition for regaining their driver’s license. The device must actively prevent speeding by restricting vehicle speed to posted limits and cannot be tampered with, with data shared only under strict court or legal requirements. Offenders must pay for the device unless they qualify for affordability programs (e.g., low-income status via TANF, SNAP, or 150% of federal poverty level), and the device must remain active for at least 12 months after license reinstatement. This bill directly affects repeat speeding offenders in New Hampshire, focusing on behavioral correction through technology rather than new fines or jail time.

Maddy summarySB 226 suspends all new landfill permit applications until July 1, 2031, to allow for updated regulations and policies. It establishes a legislative committee to study the feasibility of waste incineration, including its environmental impacts and effects on landfill capacity. The suspension does not affect expansions or modifications of existing permitted landfills operating on sites with RCRA Subtitle D landfills as of December 1, 2022. The committee must report its findings and recommendations by November 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 451 establishes a statewide program requiring paint manufacturers to fund the collection and recycling of household paint waste. It mandates manufacturers to submit detailed plans covering architectural paint and aerosol coating products (excluding industrial coatings), including how they will manage waste through approved collection sites and educate consumers. Retailers can voluntarily host collection sites, but manufacturers must ensure all paint sold in New Hampshire is covered by an approved program, prohibiting sales without it. The law aims to reduce paint waste in landfills by creating a structured recycling system managed by manufacturers.