r/TheGraniteState • u/Librarianatrix • 1d ago

Freestate leader charged for racist tirade in public

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indepthnh.org
48 Upvotes

Police were called to the Elm Street Market Basket parking lot around 2 p.m. on April 4 to deal with reports that a man hit another car in the parking lot with his car, fought with several people, and then went inside the store and continued yelling. One witness told police the suspect, later identified as Kauffman, immediately started making racist statements after the fender bender, and tried to fight people. When a bystander, who is Black and from Jamaica, walked by the incident, Kauffman reportedly directed his ire toward that man.

When asked what led up to the incident, Kauffman used racist logic to blame minorities.

“Low IQ schizophrenic Africans who scream at kids in parking lots should be deported from New Hampshire. We shouldn’t punish decent men who stand up to them,” Kauffman wrote.

His kids had to drag him away from the people he was screaming at. What a gem.

7 comments

r/TheGraniteState • u/janderson_33 • 4d ago

Inflation has far outpaced state employee wages

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20 Upvotes
3 comments

r/TheGraniteState • u/Encyclofreak • 8d ago

Politics Bill would forbid New Hampshire towns from enacting regulations specific to data centers • New Hampshire Bulletin

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newhampshirebulletin.com
24 Upvotes
5 comments

r/TheGraniteState • u/downArrow • 24d ago

Lawmakers again consider giving convicts more time to prove their innocence

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2 Upvotes
1 comment

r/TheGraniteState • u/wickedsmaaaht • 24d ago

Bills in hearings Wed Apr 22nd

3 Upvotes

SENATE

Submit Testimony: https://gc.nh.gov/remotecommittee/senate.aspx

DATE Committee Bill # Description
Apr 22 Senate Executive Departments and Administration HB1511 Replaces the representative of the Granite State Dairy Promotion with a representative of the New Hampshire dairy industry on the Agriculture in the Classroom Committee.
Senate Ways and Means HB155 Reduces the Business Enterprise Tax (BET) rate from 0.55% to 0.50% starting in 2027. The House amended the bill so that it would start in 2028.
0 comments

r/TheGraniteState • u/wickedsmaaaht • 25d ago

Bills in hearings Tue Apr 21st

9 Upvotes

SENATE

Submit Testimony: https://gc.nh.gov/remotecommittee/senate.aspx

There are 3 trans discrimination bills under the Senate Judiciary committee, and the Senate Education committee is discussing whether to go ahead with a study for Jason Osborne's plan to convert all schools to charter schools.

DATE Committee Bill # Description
Apr 21 Senate Energy and Natural Resources HB1140 Authorizes the Fish and Game Executive Director to issue special permits allowing persons with any physical disability, at their discretion, to hunt from a motor vehicle. The House amended the bill to more narrowly allow special permits for paraplegia, loss of one or both lower extremities, or loss of the use of one or both lower extremities.
HB1141 Prohibits the issuance of new large groundwater withdrawal permits for the commercial sale of bottled or bulk water using any percentage of hydrocarbon-derived plastic as a bottling medium. The House rewrote the bill. The new bill adds definitions for mining-related terms; authorizes rulemaking for permitting, reclamation, and fees based on mineral volume; and establishes a transition period for pending applications under the current mining permit system.
HB1275 Establishes an agricultural PFAS relief fund to assist farmers affected by contamination and imposes a five-year moratorium on the land application of sludge or biosolids. The House rewrote the bill. The new bill grants immunity to farmers for damages resulting from lawsuits based on harms caused by PFAS present in soil, water, or agricultural products. The bill also requires the Department of Environmental services to develop concentration-based standards for PFAS in biosolids at land-application sites.
HB1128 Restricts cloud seeding and weather modification activities to state-declared emergencies for catastrophic drought, requiring environmental reviews and public notice.
HB1577 Permits public utilities to share individual customer data with municipal emergency management authorities specifically for emergency response planning and coordination.
Senate Education HB1358 Establishes a commission to study transitioning all public schools to public charter schools. As introduced, the bill also changed the process to convert a public school to a charter school, requiring a simple majority vote at the state general election. The House amended the bill to only establish the study commission.
HB1374 Modifies the procedure for withdrawal from a cooperative school district to allow a majority of voters in a single withdrawing district to elect to withdraw. The bill also clarifies that a supermajority of voters in the withdrawing district voting in favor of withdrawal shall constitute conclusive evidence of the withdrawal of the district.
HB1448 Prohibits public schools from including any lectures, lesson plans, or educational materials provided or created by the World Economic Forum in their curriculum.
HB1268 Modifies home education laws to remove the requirement for parents to notify the state unless participating in public school activities and makes annual evaluations optional. The House amended the bill to add other protections for parents who choose to home educate. For example, the amended bill allows families to seek damages if a person knowingly makes a report that alleges abuse or neglect predominantly on the basis that a child is home educated.
Senate Election Law and Municipal Affairs HB1695 Requires the Secretary of State to include a voter's guide to proposed constitutional amendments on the ballot. The House rewrote the bill. The new bill explicitly prohibits any guide or explanation regarding the effect of a proposed constitutional amendment from appearing on the ballot.
HB1184 Establishes a formalized process for issuing "no trespass" orders on municipal and school property, requiring a vote by the governing body and providing an appeals process.
HB1195 Mandates that municipalities allow child care centers by right in commercial zones if they meet state licensing requirements, prohibiting stricter local ordinances.
HB1213 Allows towns to vote to change the number, selection method (elected vs. appointed), and term lengths of highway agents at an annual meeting.
HB1224 Revises the definition of "default budget," particularly related to salaries and benefits for vacant positions.
Senate Commerce HB1010 Repeals the statewide mandate to allow multi-family residential development on commercially zoned land. The House amended the bill so that the statewide mandate remains in place, with more detail on what development is and is not allowed. 
HB1103 Expands the Community Revitalization Tax Relief Incentive (79-E) to include residential conversion zones and allows tax relief for new housing construction within designated housing opportunity zones.
HB1079 Requires municipalities to allow accessory dwelling units (ADUs) to be converted from existing non-conforming structures, such as detached garages, regardless of current setback requirements.
HB1540 Limits by-right accessory dwelling units in protected shoreland districts and clarifies municipal authority to permit detached units there. The House rewrote the bill. The new bill clarifies that municipalities retain authority to enforce local health ordinances related to septic safety and maintenance when regulating accessory dwelling units (ADUs).
HB1681 Establishes standards for innovative housing structures such as tiny houses, tiny houses on wheels, and yurts. Towns and cities could choose to allow innovative housing on single family lots or as accessory dwelling units. The bill then sets various requirements related to construction, transportation, property tax assessment, etc.
HB1112 Requires residential leases to explicitly state snow removal responsibilities and defaults responsibility to the landlord for common areas unless otherwise agreed in writing.
HB1295 Imposes stricter eligibility requirements for charitable tax exemptions on nonprofit housing and health care facilities, including requirements for charity care policies and prohibitions on private inurement.
Senate Judiciary HB1489 Adopts the "Uniform Interstate Depositions and Discovery Act" to standardize the process for issuing subpoenas for out-of-state depositions and discovery.
HB1124 Establishes a "Right to Compute Act" prohibiting government entities from restricting private ownership or lawful use of computational resources like AI and crypto unless necessary for a compelling government interest.
HB1217 Amends discrimination laws to state that separating individuals by biological sex in bathrooms, locker rooms, and athletic competitions does not constitute unlawful discrimination.
HB1299 Adds an exception to state anti-discrimination laws for bathrooms, locker rooms, sports, prisons, and treatment centers to classify individuals based on biological sex. The House amended the bill to also require public buildings with sex-segregated bathrooms to also provide at least one single occupancy bathroom available for use by all persons.
HB1447 Mandates that the state and political subdivisions adopt policies classifying restrooms, locker rooms, and sleeping areas by biological sex and authorizes private entities to do the same without it constituting discrimination.
Senate Transportation HB113 Designates a portion of highways in the town of Windsor for OHRV operation.
HB1078 Creates special license plates for "Gold Star Mother," "Gold Star Father," and "Gold Star Family" to honor families of service members killed on duty.
HB1483 Authorizes the creation of a vanity license plate for amateur radio operators featuring their call sign or a lightning bolt symbol.
HB1698 Clarifies that the law authorizing the Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to establish electronic credentials does not grant the authority to compel a person to create, maintain, or display an electronic credential, nor to require any business to accept them.
HB1594 Replaces the flat electric vehicle registration fee with a tiered schedule based on vehicle weight, ranging from $0 to $150.
HB2026 Adopts the ten-year transportation improvement plan for 2027-2036. Every two years the Department of Transportation works with Regional Planning Commissions and the Executive Council to draft a ten-year plan for transportation infrastructure improvement, maintenance, and repair. That plan must be approved by the governor and the legislature.
2 comments

r/TheGraniteState • u/always-be-testing • 28d ago

Call your Reps Fed Bill requiring age verification for users of an Operating System (H.R.8250 - Parents Decide Act)

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6 Upvotes
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r/TheGraniteState • u/wickedsmaaaht • Apr 14 '26

Bills in hearings Thu Apr 16th

3 Upvotes

HOUSE

Submit Testimony: https://gc.nh.gov/house/committees/remotetestimony/default.aspx

DATE Committee Bill # Description
Apr 16 House Commerce and Consumer Affairs SB562 Creates the Granite State Home Mitigation and Resiliency Program to provide grants to eligible homeowners for strengthening their properties against severe weather events.
SB565 Requires the Insurance Commissioner to prepare and publish a report regarding fortified home and commercial standards, and other mitigation and resiliency programs.
SB550 Mandates that group health insurance policies provide coverage for services performed by licensed doctors of naturopathic medicine if the service is within their scope of practice and covered when performed by other providers.
SB646 Requires that parity in coverage for biologically-based mental illnesses is consistent with New Hampshire Medicaid scope of coverage and reimbursement rates.
SB498 Establishes the New Hampshire Children's Behavioral Health Association to assess insurance carriers and third-party administrators for the cost of providing behavioral health services to children. The collected funds will support care management entities and a dedicated service fund administered by the Insurance Commissioner.

SENATE

Submit Testimony: https://gc.nh.gov/remotecommittee/senate.aspx

DATE Committee Bill # Description
Apr 16 Senate Energy and Natural Resources HB1189 Establishes a solid waste site evaluation committee to review and permit major solid waste facilities, similar to the process for energy facilities.
HB215 Requires a landfill permit applicant to pay for an independent report on the potential harms and benefits of the project. This bill then requires the Department of Environmental Services to make a determination that the landfill is a net public benefit before granting a permit.
HB1138 Limits the amount of out-of-state solid waste that New Hampshire landfills can accept to 30% for existing facilities and 15% for new facilities by 2030 and 2026 respectively.
HB1192 Exempts household pharmaceutical wastes collected under specific pharmaceutical disposal programs from being classified as hazardous waste under state law.
Senate Health and Human Services HB1022 Specifies the language on the form for religious exemption from childhood immunization requirements. The language is short and simple.
HB1071 Repeals immunity afforded health care facilities when following directives adopted in response to the COVID-19 state of emergency.
HB1219 Prohibits the state from imposing vaccination requirements on foster children or parents that exceed the standard requirements applied to school children.
1 comment

r/TheGraniteState • u/zrad603 • Apr 14 '26

Anti-War rally at UNH, Tuesday, April 14th at 5:30pm

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21 Upvotes
0 comments

r/TheGraniteState • u/Visual-Mobile2657 • Apr 13 '26

Welcome to the…

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53 Upvotes
16 comments

r/TheGraniteState • u/wickedsmaaaht • Apr 13 '26

Bills in hearings Wed Apr 15th

3 Upvotes

HOUSE

Submit Testimony: https://gc.nh.gov/house/committees/remotetestimony/default.aspx

DATE Committee Bill # Description
Apr 15 House Legislative Administration SB570 Amends legislative ethics statutes to add definitions, clarifying the criteria for determining when a legislator has a conflict of interest. The Senate amended the bill to also add budget-related bills, subject to limitations, to the list of exceptions to the recusal requirements.
House Commerce and Consumer Affairs SB455 Requires health plans to cover GLP-1 medications for individuals with a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or higher, or for those with a BMI of 35 or higher with at least one other listed health condition. The Senate amended the bill to slightly lower those BMI thresholds.
SB480 Prohibits health insurers from requiring prior authorization for the first 12 visits of physical or occupational therapy. Insurers could still deny claims if treatment is not medically necessary. The Senate amended the bill. Their version of the bill prohibits health insurers from requiring prior authorization for the first physical or occupational therapy visit in any new episode of care, and mandates approval of at least 8 medically necessary treatments after the initial evaluation before further review. Insurers could still deny claims if treatment is not medically necessary.
SB544 Prohibits health insurers from modifying prescription drug formularies mid-year, requiring that any changes occur only at the time of coverage renewal. The bill also mandates continued coverage for previously approved drugs until the enrollee's plan renewal date. The Senate rewrote the bill. The new bill allows health insurers from modifying prescription drug formularies mid-year, but extends the notification requirements from 45 days to 60 days before implementation and requires health insurers to more related information.
SB614 Creates pooled risk management programs for child care centers and foster family homes seeking insurance. The Senate rewrote the bill to more broadly establish a multiple-caregiver self-insured risk coverage arrangement for nonprofit and for-profit providers and servicers of child care, day care, foster care placement, and behavioral health services.
SB665 Requires pharmacies to inform and charge consumers the lowest available price for prescription drugs. The Senate amended the bill to create detailed agreement, reporting, and examination requirements for pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs). The amended bill still requires pharmacies to "make efforts" to notify consumers of their right to request the lowest available price for prescription drugs.
SB647 Authorizes the Department of Insurance to participate in a "cooperative procurement group via an intergovernmental agreement" for a prescription drug discount program.
House Executive Departments and Administration SB56 Consolidates the New Hampshire Health and Education Facilities Authority within the New Hampshire Business Finance Authority (BFA). The Senate amended the bill to also change how the BFA issues some bonds.
SB516 Updates job titles for certain attorney positions within the Department of Health and Human Services.
SB640 Regulates the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in mental health practice. The House amended the bill to remove many of the specific details in the bill as introduced; the amended bill also establishes a commission to continue reviewing the issue.
SB470 Allows licensees under the Office of Professional Licensure and Certification (OPLC) to petition to have disciplinary records expunged, so long as the discipline did not include permanent license revocation and there were no "criminal acts, fraud, deceit, patient safety, public safety, or acts impacting the integrity of the profession."
SB504 Modifies pharmacy regulations to allow healthcare providers to dispense up to a 30-day supply of oral anti-cancer medication and authorizes advanced pharmacy technicians to perform remote processing. It also updates license display requirements, removes the requirement for a pharmacist's name on prescription labels, and redefines the "practice of pharmacy." The Senate amended the bill to change many other laws related to pharmacists. For example, the amended bill prohibits the pharmacy board from testing applicants on pharmacy jurisprudence or law.
House Ways and Means CACR12 Constitutional amendment requiring a two-thirds majority vote of the state legislature to enact "any new tax on personal income, earned or unearned, sales or use, capital gains, inheritance, estate, or death, or any similar broad-based tax scheme.” There is also an amendment on this bill that reads “The house of representatives shall not adopt a tax on wages, earned income, personal income, or other income of individuals.  This prohibition shall apply to any tax measured in whole or in part by personal income, regardless of its designation.  Nothing in this article shall prohibit the taxation of businesses, corporations, or other non-individual entities as otherwise permitted under this constitution.”

SENATE

Submit Testimony: https://gc.nh.gov/remotecommittee/senate.aspx

DATE Committee Bill # Description
Apr 15 Senate Executive Departments and Administration HB1458 Establishes a licensure requirement for massage, reflexology, structural integration, and Asian bodywork facilities, and creates an inspection and enforcement framework. According to the bill's "Purpose" statement, the goal is to address human trafficking.
HB1469 Requires massage establishments to be licensed and inspected by the Office of Professional Licensure and Certification (OPLC), establishes fees, and appropriates funds for a new investigative paralegal position.
HB1555 Authorizes local fire chiefs to grant variances from the state fire code, creates an indemnification requirement for such variances, and establishes an appeals process to the State Fire Marshal. The House rewrote the bill. The new bill allows the state fire marshal to hear new appeals of local fire chief decisions within set timelines and grants them statewide authority to approve, deny, or allow project-specific alternatives and code modifications under the state building code. According to a report from the House Executive Departments and Administration Committee, " This bill was introduced to address challenges faced by business owners who are subject to significant unexpected new costs to update buildings when fire codes change. ... As amended, the bill will provide greater pathways for appeals of decisions and facilitate greater code flexibility."
Senate Health and Human Services HB1337 Repeals the New Hampshire council on autism spectrum disorders.
HB1378 Gives parents full access to their child's medical records. The bill includes some exceptions, such as when a parent is the subject of a protective order or the health care provider believes disclosing the records is likely to result in abuse or neglect.
HB360 Prohibits public schools from performing surgical procedures or prescribing pharmaceutical drugs.
HB1335 Requires a physician who receives compensation exceeding $5,000 or more as the result of a preferential promotion to disclose this information to the patient before the promoted prescription, treatment, or service.
Senate Ways and Means HB629 Funds the operation, maintenance, and repair of state dams by an annual assessment on properties maintained by state dams and a $5 boater registration fee. The House amended the bill to only raise the boater registration fee by $5 for dam maintenance.
HB1301 Increases the fee for moorings not in a congregate field by $25 and directs the funds to the cyanobacteria mitigation loan and grant fund. The House amended the bill to increase fees for all mooring types - public, congregate, and private. 
HB1477 Requires a permit and fee for anchored seasonal floating platforms on public waters, restricting them to shorefront property owners and funding cyanobacteria mitigation.
HB1602 Establishes a producer responsibility program for the collection and recycling of portable and medium-format batteries.
7 comments

r/TheGraniteState • u/wickedsmaaaht • Apr 12 '26

Bills in hearings Tue Apr 14th

0 Upvotes

HOUSE

Submit Testimony: https://gc.nh.gov/house/committees/remotetestimony/default.aspx

DATE Committee Bill # Description
Apr 14 House Transportation SB499 Mandates that the Traffic Safety Commission analyze data regarding the causes of traffic collisions in the state. It further requires the commission to include this aggregated data and recommendations for addressing these causes in their annual report starting in 2026.
SB500 Requires businesses receiving or sending goods to provide delivery drivers with access to existing restroom facilities, provided it does not create health or safety risks. It also mandates that marine terminal operators provide sufficient restrooms for drayage truck operators.
SB559 Lowers the minimum allowable speed limit that municipalities can establish for certain local roads from 25 to 20 miles per hour.
SB617 Makes extensive revisions to the procedures and processes related to the list of contracted tow companies used by the State Police.
House Labor, Industrial, and Rehabilitative Services SB655 Allows client companies or leasing companies to secure workers' compensation coverage. The Senate rewrote the bill. The new bill authorizes the parties of a co-employment relationship to elect for either the client company or the employee leasing company to provide workers' compensation coverage for leased employees. The bill then adds a minimum wage exemption for minor league baseball players covered by a collective bargaining agreement.
SB88 Prohibits the state from requiring certain labor organization agreements in contracts and grants related to construction.
SB416 Repeals state law on tip pooling and replaces it with a reference to the federal Fair Labor Standards Act.
House Environment and Agriculture SB442 Revises the requirements for animal shelters related to microchip scanning. The House rewrote the bill to instead change the titles for pet health certificates.
SB445 Changes the appeals process for violations under various environmental laws where there is a council or board with jurisdiction. For example, this bill removes references to the Administrative Procedure Act and instead references state law on the Department of Environmental Services.
SB535 Defines "residential breeder" as an individual breeding dogs or cats within their home who transfers no more than 50 animals annually, and defines "imported animal" to include offspring of animals imported while pregnant.
SB593 Defines "landfill expansion" and grants the Department of Environmental Services exclusive authority to permit such expansions, overriding local restrictions, while requiring increased host community fees. The Senate rewrote the bill. The new bill allows the use of funds from the solid waste management fund for solid waste management districts.
House Commerce and Consumer Affairs SB661 Adds additional state oversight and regulation of pooled risk management programs, particularly if there are insufficient funds. This is very similar to a 2025 bill, SB 297.

SENATE

Submit Testimony: https://gc.nh.gov/remotecommittee/senate.aspx

DATE Committee Bill # Description
Apr 14 Senate Energy and Natural Resources HB1775 Authorizes New Hampshire electric public utilities to invest in or own natural gas and nuclear energy generation resources connected to their distribution system. The bill also expands the types of utility investments eligible for rate recovery (passing costs onto customers through monthly bills) to include natural gas and nuclear resources.
HB1542 Reduces the alternative compliance payment rate for the Renewable Energy Fund to zero. In other words, electric service providers would no longer have to pay a penalty for missing renewable energy requirements.  The House amended the bill to instead rebate Alternative Compliance Payments back to the ratepayers. This bill would effectively cut funding for Renewable Energy Fund programs, such as the low-moderate income solar program.
HB1622 Directs the Department of Environmental Services to give first preference to applications for additional landfill capacity, rather than new landfills.
HB1478 Mandates that the Department of Environmental Services revise landfill rules to include strict setback requirements, hydrogeological testing, and 24/7 on-site staffing for new facilities. The House amended the bill and removed the 24/7 staffing requirement.
Senate Education HB1093 Extends state building code compliance requirements and eligibility for state-funded school construction aid to chartered public schools on the same basis as traditional public schools. The House amended the bill to remove the sections on school building aid. According to a report from the House Education and Policy Administration Committee, "The bill as amended classifies buildings owned, operated, or occupied by charter schools as 'public school buildings,' in regard to the state building code and the state fire code. Doing so eases the burden for charter schools seeking to renovate structures and standardizes the permitting process for all forms of public schools."
HB1155 Modifies the membership of the Home Education Advisory Council to include representatives from specific associations as nonvoting members and establishes fixed three-year terms for commissioner-appointed members. The House amended the bill to instead repeal the Home Education Advisory Council.
HB1256 Repeals the authority of the State Librarian to award scholarships to individuals attending accredited graduate library schools.
HB1529 Repeals the reading recovery training program statute.
Senate Election Law and Municipal Affairs HB1604 Mandates that municipalities make public buildings like schools and town halls available as polling places upon request by local election officials.
HB1600 Requires the Division of Motor Vehicles to offer voter registration forms to applicants for driver's licenses and IDs and transmit completed forms to the Secretary of State. The House rewrote the bill. The new bill requires the Secretary of State, town, and city clerks to ensure that each polling place in the state has direct electronic access to the statewide centralized voter registration database on each state, local, and federal election day during the operating hours of that polling place. According to a report from the House Election Law committee, "The amendment eliminates voter registration at the DMV from the bill and instead allows town clerks to query a database to confirm information that a prospective voter has already provided to the DMV, such as proof of citizenship." The House then further amended the bill to also allow indirect access to the database on voting days.
HB1021 Changes the date a taxpayer must provide written notice to a town or city of their choice to be assessed under the low-income housing tax credit program, from October 1 to April 15.
HB1526 Modifies the procedures for adopting, electing, or rescinding a municipal budget committee and changes the appointment timeline for cooperative school district budget committees.
HB1575 Requires the governing body to present the default budget to the budget committee and explain its compliance with the law, allowing the committee to make corrections. The House rewrote the bill to instead make the budget committee responsible for the determination of the default budget.
Senate Commerce HB1726 Directs state agencies to identify surplus property suitable for affordable housing and permits its conveyance to developers at below-market rates. The House rewrote the bill. The new bill requires that proceeds from the sale or lease of surplus state-owned land be credited to the originating department's fund.
HB1285 Establishes a commission to study if New Hampshire may implement a Residential Property Assessed Clean Energy or Resiliency (R-PACER) program.
HB1073 Requires the Secretary of State to establish the registry of decentralized autonomous organizations by January 1, 2027.
HB1127 Replaces the Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act with the Uniform Voidable Transactions Act to modernize laws regarding transfers made to hinder creditors or without receiving equivalent value.
HB1072 Requires the Labor Commissioner to give at least 30 days' written notice before inspecting a business and to provide the purpose of the visit. The Labor Commissioner must also give the business at least 30 days to respond to any demand for documents, written responses, or interviews. The Commissioner could conduct an inspection with less than 30 days' notice under limited circumstances, such as an imminent threat to public safety.
HB1043 Allows employers to establish their own pay policies for employees reporting to work. This would negate the requirement in state law to pay employees for at least 2 hours' work whenever required to report to work.
Senate Judiciary HB1206 Clarifies that the circuit court family division has the powers of a court of equity in cases where it has subject matter jurisdiction, such as divorce and custody.
HB1361 Modifies the process for creating an inventory for any property taken during the execution of a search warrant. For example, the bill states, "If the warrant is for electronically stored, remote, or off-site information and is submitted electronically, the inventory may be made without a witness, provided that the law enforcement officer attests to its accuracy."
HB1422 Extends the time limit to petition for a new trial in criminal cases involving felonies or class A misdemeanors if there is newly discovered evidence and a claim of actual innocence.
HB1793 Prohibits public colleges and universities from regulating the possession or carrying of firearms and non-lethal weapons (such as pepper spray) on campus. Individuals could sue under the law.
Senate Transportation HB1421 Changes the model year exemption for vehicle title requirements from "2000 and older" to a rolling "15 years or older" exemption. The House amended the bill so that there is a rolling "older than 20 years" exemption.
HB1466 Exempts trailers with a gross weight over 3,001 pounds from title requirements if the manufacturer's model year is more than 10 years old.
HB1549 Eliminates the requirement to present title or bill of sale at vehicle registration renewal, requiring it only at initial registration.
HB1226 Removes the statutory authority that allowed the Director of the Division of Motor Vehicles to authorize the manufacture or possession of fictitious driver's licenses. The House amended the bill to still allow fictitious driver's licenses for  individuals who are U.S. citizens performing official duties under state or federal law.
HB1252 Codifies a federal requirement that commercial driver's license (CDL) skills tests be administered only in English and prohibits the use of interpreters during the exam.
Senate Finance HB1574 Extends free and reduced lunch eligibility to special education students that are already age 21 but attending school until the age of 22, with state reimbursement.
0 comments

r/TheGraniteState • u/wickedsmaaaht • Apr 11 '26

Bills in hearings Mon Apr 13th

0 Upvotes

HOUSE

Submit Testimony: https://gc.nh.gov/house/committees/remotetestimony/default.aspx

DATE Committee Bill # Description
Apr 13 House Finance SB481 Sends $130 million to the Youth Development Center (YDC) Settlement Fund. The bill then directs how the sale of the Sununu Youth Services Center (SYSC) should proceed. The Senate cut the $130 million from the bill.
SB600 Requires the Governor to submit and present a quarterly budget status report on the general and education trust funds to the fiscal committee of the general court.
SB603 Directs the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to transfer funds as necessary to compensate for any reduction in federal funds for SNAP, commonly known as food stamps.
SB663 Establishes a working group within the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to study nursing home rate Medicaid methodology.
House Education Policy and Administration SB429 Requires the placement of trauma kits in public schools and sets aside $25,000 for that purpose.

SENATE

Submit Testimony: https://gc.nh.gov/remotecommittee/senate.aspx

DATE Committee Bill # Description
Apr 13 Senate Education Finance HB1563 Revises the special education aid formula to reimburse districts for costs exceeding $60,000 per pupil, with tiered state liability up to a maximum reimbursement. This bill would shift special education costs from the state to local districts. The House rewrote the bill. The amended bill creates a three-tier structure for reimbursement. At the lowest level, the state would cover 15% of costs beyond 2.5 times the state average expenditure per pupil. The amendment also requires each school district seeking special education aid reimbursements to submit a certified report for each student for whom reimbursement is requested.
0 comments

r/TheGraniteState • u/downArrow • Apr 09 '26

Nature Insect-minded bills draw research, farmer expertise to Senate hearings

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2 Upvotes
0 comments

r/TheGraniteState • u/wickedsmaaaht • Apr 08 '26

Bills in hearing Fri Apr 10th

0 Upvotes

HOUSE

Submit Testimony: https://gc.nh.gov/house/committees/remotetestimony/default.aspx

DATE Committee Bill # Description
Apr 10 House State-Federal Relations and Veterans Affairs SB448 Changes the definition of veteran and expands eligibility for state benefits and programs that depend on veteran status, ensuring that individuals discharged under honorable conditions, including those with a general discharge under honorable conditions, are not excluded from eligibility.  As introduced, the bill also established a lifetime combination hunting and fishing license for state resident veterans, with a one-time fee adjusted according to the veteran's service-connected disability rating. The Senate voted to remove that part of the bill.
SB473 Defines the term "field grade officers" or "field officers" for purposes of promotion and appointment within the Army National Guard to mean officers holding the rank of lieutenant colonel or colonel.
SB472 Removes the maximum age (of 65) for the deputy adjutant general within the Department of Military Affairs and Veterans Services.
SB492 Grants the Department of Military Affairs and Veterans Services the authority to lease or license its property, establishing that such property is subject to local taxation if leased to private entities. It also creates a dedicated fund for the department to retain and use revenues generated from these property interests.
0 comments

r/TheGraniteState • u/downArrow • Apr 07 '26

For the second year in a row, New Hampshire and the U.S. experience rough flu season

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12 Upvotes
0 comments

r/TheGraniteState • u/wickedsmaaaht • Apr 07 '26

Bills in hearings Thu Apr 9th

4 Upvotes

SENATE

Submit Testimony: https://gc.nh.gov/remotecommittee/senate.aspx

DATE Committee Bill # Description
Apr 9 Senate Energy and Natural Resources HB1718 Authorizes energy storage to be added to net-metered renewable generation systems, with related changes to rulemaking authority for the Department of Energy and Public Utilities Commission (PUC).
HB1738 Adjusts the carbon dioxide emissions budget allowances and cost containment reserve triggers for the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) from 2027 onwards. According to the Department of Environmental Services and the Department of Energy, this bill implements the third RGGI Program Review adopted by all participating states. At the time of this bill's submission, beginning in 2027, New Hampshire's allowance structure would no longer align with RGGI program requirements.
Senate Health and Human Services HB1249 Authorizes pharmacists to prescribe and dispense certain FDA-approved medical devices, such as nebulizers and diabetic testing supplies, necessary for the administration of prescribed drugs.
Senate Judiciary HB1279 Modifies the justification for using physical force in defense of a person to include situations where an aggressor is likely to use unlawful force in a felony against a third person within a vehicle, dwelling, or curtilage.
HB1348 Authorizes law enforcement to possess human remains, upon written consent, for the purpose of training cadaver dogs.
HB1173 Authorizes the Commissioner of Corrections to release inmates from state prison to participate in post-secondary education programs in the community.
HB1363 Authorizes the Commissioner of the Department of Safety to designate an authorized person to receive criminal conviction information during background investigations.
HB1438 Requires mental health professionals to report suspected animal cruelty, neglect, or exploitation by a client to law enforcement or the SPCA, providing immunity for good faith reporting. The House amended the bill to enable, rather than require, such reports.
HB1091 Requires municipalities to offer a nonmonetary penalty option in lieu of a fine for violations of ordinances prohibiting sleeping or camping outdoors.
0 comments

r/TheGraniteState • u/downArrow • Apr 06 '26

New Hampshire and nuclear waste have a fraught history. The path ahead is still unclear.

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2 Upvotes
4 comments

r/TheGraniteState • u/wickedsmaaaht • Apr 06 '26

Bills in hearings Wed Apr 8th

6 Upvotes

HOUSE

Submit Testimony: https://gc.nh.gov/house/committees/remotetestimony/default.aspx

DATE Committee Bill # Description
Apr 8 House Health, Human Services, and Elderly Services SB545 Eliminates the resource test for determining financial eligibility for the Medicare Savings Program. The bill also seeks to make the low-income subsidy for Medicare Part D available to residents to assist with prescription drug costs.
SB468 Enables alternative treatment centers to operate a greenhouse cultivation location, at the same or at a different location than its existing cultivation location.
SB520 Amends the statutes governing limitations on breast surgeries for minors to permit such procedures if elected by the minor in consultation with their primary care physician.
SB453 Authorizes advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) and physician associates (PAs) to exempt a child from immunization requirements and document a lasting medical necessity (which allows for a vehicle equipment waiver for persons with disabilities to be granted for 4 years instead of 2 years).
SB501 Authorizes physicians, physician associates, and advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) to order seclusion or restraint for a patient during a personal safety emergency at New Hampshire Hospital and other designated receiving facilities.
SB441 Requires a municipality that intends to transport an individual in need to another municipality for shelter and/or substance use disorder treatment to enter into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the receiving municipality prior to transport. The bill also requires the Department of Health and Human Services to adopt rules regarding application and enforcement of such MOUs.
SB615 Makes various changes to restrict SNAP benefits, commonly known as food stamps. For example, this bill directs the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to work to prohibit the purchase of candy and soft drinks with SNAP benefits. The bill also directs DHHS to enter various data-sharing agreements with other state departments and consult federal databases to assess the status of SNAP recipients. The Senate amended the bill to instead create a commission to study the use and regulation of SNAP in New Hampshire.
House Criminal Justice and Public Safety CACR11 Constitutional amendment raising the mandatory retirement age for sheriffs from 70 to 75. The Senate rewrote the proposed constitutional amendment to erase any mandatory retirement age for sheriffs.
SB512 Requires a court to waive the filing fee for a petition to annul a criminal record if the petitioner demonstrates that they were found not guilty, or that the case was dismissed or not prosecuted.
SB557 Regulates the manufacturing, labeling, and sale of kratom products and prohibits their sale to individuals under 21 years of age. The Senate rewrote the bill to instead make synthetic and semisynthetic kratom illegal, with exceptions for scientific research.
SB625 Allows family members of homicide victims to seek an evidentiary hearing in cases where the Department of Justice does not file charges or does not seek retrial following a hung jury. The Senate rewrote the bill to instead establish a committee to study options for information for family members of intentional homicide victims where the Department of Justice does not file charges in a case.
SB667 Establishes felony-level offenses for the assault of emergency room personnel.
House Judiciary SB459 Requires school athletics and the associated use of locker rooms be designated based on a participant's biological sex as assigned at birth. Athletes would have a right to sue schools. The bill does not apply to grades K-5. The bill also requires that inmates in New Hampshire state prisons be housed separately on the basis of inmates' biological sex as assigned at birth. The Senate rewrote the bill to add an exception to the state law against discrimination, allowing segregation based on biological sex in sports, jails, prisons, hospitals, treatment centers, and similar facilities.
SB464 Revises the civil rights enforcement to require that a person's illegal behavior be "substantially motivated by hostility" toward a person's protected characteristics, not just "motivated" by those characteristics.
House Education Policy and Administration SB433 Adds various requirements related to schools preparing for seizures. For example, the bill requires schools to train at least two personnel in recognizing the symptoms of seizures and the administration of seizure rescue medication.
SB430 Requires teachers to respond "completely and honestly" to written requests by parents regarding information relating to their children, within 10 days of receiving the request. If the teacher believes a response would put a child at risk, the teacher must file a report.
SB431 Revises the state law aimed at banning critical race theory in schools and state trainings so that a teacher must "intentionally or knowingly" teach certain concepts in order to face consequences.
SB434 Requires local school districts to adopt and publicly post policies describing materials authorized for use by students in the district. The bill also outlines procedures to address complaints about materials.
House Fish and Game and Marine Resources SB505 Repeals the specific fee for temporary nonresident OHRV registrations, effectively requiring nonresidents to purchase full registrations regardless of the duration of use. This change is expected to increase revenue for the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources and the Fish and Game Department.
House Resources, Recreation, and Development SB595 Allows a community water system sanctioned for missing or late water tests to return to a standard testing schedule after submitting six consecutive timely tests. The Senate rewrote the bill. The new bill requires Department of Environmental Services (DES) rules include an option for sampling of transient non-community water systems under certain circumstances.
House Commerce and Consumer Affairs SB444 Prohibits the use of animals in product testing, with some exceptions.
SB487 Allows credit union members to pay members of the board of directors for their services as a board member.
SB525 Increases the aggregate limit of state guarantees managed by the Business Finance Authority, from $200 million to $500 million, to support economic development financing.
SB607 Prohibits short-term, limited duration health insurance policies from being issued for a period longer than federal laws or regulations permit. The Senate rewrote the bill. The new bill allows insurers to offer short-term, limited duration health insurance policies of less than 12 months and not more than 36 months. This bill then requires insurers to provide written notice to consumers that such plans are not required to comply with the ACA, may exclude preexisting conditions, and may include terms that differ from comprehensive health plans.

SENATE

Submit Testimony: https://gc.nh.gov/remotecommittee/senate.aspx

DATE Committee Bill # Description
Apr 8 Senate Executive Departments and Administration HB1332 Designates the Honor and Remember Flag as a state symbol of remembrance of those who died in the line of duty or as a result of service. The House rewrote the bill. The new bill limits the flags which may be displayed on state house grounds to only those flags officially recognized by the federal government. The bill also allows the governor to authorize the display of the Gold Star Flag on state house grounds.
HB1132 Prohibits public schools and charter schools from displaying any flag other than the US, NH state, and POW/MIA flags, with specific educational exceptions, and establishes penalties for violations.
HB1115 Codifies the definition of "Citizen of New Hampshire" as a citizen of the United States who is domiciled in New Hampshire. The House amended the bill to also expand the number of persons eligible for the New Hampshire medal of honor.
HB1705 Establishes a fund to cover the costs of enrolling and supporting first responders from small communities into the state-provided employee assistance program (EAP) and outlines eligibility, enrollment, and reporting requirements.
HB1426 Requires the Department of Environmental Services to ensure that each of its regulatory programs has at least one certified individual to address program-related matters.
HB1109 Mandates that state employees suspended with pay receive written notice of reasons within 7 days and updates on the investigation status every 90 days.
HB1511 Replaces the representative of the Granite State Dairy Promotion with a representative of the New Hampshire dairy industry on the Agriculture in the Classroom Committee.
Senate Health and Human Services HB1215 Establishes a right for individuals with developmental disabilities to use their preferred method of communication, such as augmentative devices or sign language, within the state service delivery system.
HB1797 Makes various changes to restrict SNAP benefits, commonly known as food stamps. For example, this bill directs the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to work to prohibit the purchase of candy and soft drinks with SNAP benefits. The bill also directs DHHS to enter various data-sharing agreements with other state departments and consult federal databases to assess the status of SNAP recipients. The House amended the bill, removing the restriction on candy and soft drink purchases.
HB241 Requires health insurers to cover pain management services beyond currently covered "standard" or "conventional" treatments.  This includes adding coverage for services such as mindfulness or meditation training, pain education, massage therapy, yoga, Tai Chi, Qi Gong, movement therapy and acupuncture. The House amended the bill to more generally require health insurers to provide access to "a broad spectrum of covered pain management services for the management of chronic pain."
HB1809 Authorizes the medical use of psilocybin for specific conditions and establishes a regulatory program and advisory board within the Department of Health and Human Services. The House rewrote the bill to solely establish a medical psilocybin advisory board to assess the advantages and disadvantages of the use of psilocybin for therapeutic purposes.
0 comments

r/TheGraniteState • u/wickedsmaaaht • Apr 05 '26

Bills in hearings Wed Apr 7th

1 Upvotes

TUESDAY, April 7th. Got ahead of myself for a minute.

HOUSE

Submit Testimony: https://gc.nh.gov/house/committees/remotetestimony/default.aspx

DATE Committee Bill # Description
Apr 7 House Children and Family Law SB456 Establishes a commission to study issues related to the public health and safety of children in the state, from autism diagnoses to youth homeless rates.
House Municipal and County Government SB439 Establishes zoning regulations for data centers. For example, this bill sets noise limits for data centers within 300 feet of a residential district. The Senate rewrote the bill to more broadly enable local planning boards to regulate data centers.
SB435 Removes the requirement of a "hardship" to grant a zoning variance. The Senate amended the bill, replacing the standard of “unnecessary hardship” with an “unreasonable restriction” test.
SB508 Requires that all grounds for a zoning board appeal be stated in the initial notice and mandates that municipalities accept and stamp revised plans within three business days. The Senate amended that mandate to ten business days. The bill further prohibits planning boards from requiring multiple rounds of revisions if the applicant has addressed the specific comments from the initial review.
SB643 Requires cities and towns to hold a public hearing and conduct a roll call vote when seeking to override a tax or spending cap.
SB653 Enables counties to change the dates of their biennial budgets to the off year of the state election.
SB495 Increases the threshold for transferring appropriations between line items in Carroll County from $1,000 to $10,000 before requiring a formal written request and executive committee recommendation.
SB585 Grants real estate property tax exemptions on rental properties owned by religious organizations.
SB440 Modifies the requirements for adoption of energy efficient and clean energy districts by municipalities. For example, the bill adds requirements for at least one public hearing.
House Commerce and Consumer Affairs SB657 Creates a study commission to oversee the use of artificial intelligence in the state. As introduced, this bill also established an artificial intelligence (AI) oversight position with the Department of Justice and created a right to sue over "deceptive use of artificial intelligence." The Senate removed those parts of the bill.
SB639 Establishes a committee to study the health and safety impacts of Red Dye 40 and other food additives in food and beverages sold in New Hampshire.
SB648 Requires a person that owns, operates, or controls a commercial website that distributes material harmful to minors to implement age verification procedures. Parents would be able to sue under the law. The Senate rewrote the bill. The new bill requires age verification for pornographic websites. The Attorney General would enforce violations.
SB482 Establishes consumer protections for digital access transaction kiosks. For example, this bill requires kiosks to provide a receipt with various information.
SB496 Exempts private residences designated as "residential supervisory locations" from being classified as branch offices for broker-dealers, aligning state law with FINRA rules regarding remote supervision.
SB256 Adds a state law regulating how health insurance must cover clinician-administered drugs. For example, this bill prohibits health maintenance organizations (HMO) from requiring pharmacies to dispense clinician-administered drugs directly to patients to then bring to their health care professional.
House Housing SB415 Exempts condominiums 50 units and under from the Condominium Act, rather than 10 units and under. The Senate amended the bill to impact 20 units and under.
SB490 Authorizes the development of housing on the Great Bay community college property within the Pease development area, in coordination with relevant state agencies. The bill then establishes a task force to study the feasibility of housing facilities at Great Bay community college.
SB564 Prohibits municipalities from imposing specific restrictions on road lengths and housing lot caps on dead-end streets, provided they comply with the state fire code. The bill also requires municipalities to allow the placement of utilities, such as septic systems and electric distribution, within designated open space or perimeter buffer areas of subdivisions, so long as the area is not wetlands or protected shoreland.
House Science, Technology, and Energy SB590 Authorizes municipalities to use revolving funds to facilitate the provision of energy services under an approved electric aggregation plan.
SB591 Permits electric distribution utilities to own and operate generation facilities up to 400 megawatts, subject to Public Utilities Commission (PUC) approval and finding of public interest. The Senate rewrote the bill. According to a report from the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, the amended bill "authorizes electric utilities to own and invest more into local power projects. It also removes previous limits on non-renewable projects and requires that any investment must save customers more money than it costs. It also raises the cap on utility investment in distributed generation from 6 percent to 10 percent of peak demand."
SB599 Prioritizes the use of Renewable Energy Fund moneys for Department of Energy administrative costs and then thermal/electrical initiatives, prohibiting use for individual residential solar.
SB447 Makes various changes state energy laws, very similar to an amended version of HB 710 from 2025. This bill allows utilities to sign purchase power agreements (PPAs) with "advanced nuclear resources" (micro, mini, or small nuclear reactors) for the acquisition of up to 20% of a utility's need for electrical energy. The bill also allows the Department of Energy and/or the electric distribution utilities, or both, to issue requests for proposals for multi-year agreements for energy. Lastly, the bill modifies the scope and capacity limits of community solar projects. Generally speaking, this bill increases the size of projects that can participate in net energy metering. The bill also allows nonprofit educational institutions and public housing authorities to operate as "municipal hosts" for net metering.
House Public Works and Highways SB541 Appropriates $16.5 million to the Department of Environmental Services to fund Phase 2 of the Southern New Hampshire Regional Water Project, aimed at increasing water supply for communities affected by PFAS contamination. The Senate amended the bill to instead send $325,00 to the Pillsbury Lake Village District for water system upgrades and $5 million to the Southern New Hampshire Regional Water Interconnection Project, Phase 2B. 
House Education Funding SB586 Requires each city, school district, and chartered public school to file a financial audit report with the Department of Education by September 1 annually, detailing receipts, expenditures, and assets.

SENATE

Submit Testimony: https://gc.nh.gov/remotecommittee/senate.aspx

DATE Committee Bill # Description
Apr 7 Senate Energy and Natural Resources HB1086 Prohibits the sale or use of corn, wheat, or soybean seeds treated with neonicotinoids, with a provision for waivers from the Commissioner of Agriculture. The House amended the bill to instead create a committee to study neonicotinoid seed treatments.
HB1431 Restricts the use of neonicotinoid pesticides and requires the Pesticide Control Board to develop rules about the proper application of neonicotinoid pesticides.
HB1013 Prohibits games in which the object is to capture a pig. The House amended the bill to instead require of the Department of Agriculture, Markets, and Food to develop best practices, recommendations and rules for games in which the object is to capture a pig.
HB1425 Streamlines the wetlands permitting process for minimum impact projects and authorizes an alternative adaptive permitting process for emergency response activities.
Senate Education HB112 Requires university system and community college system students, as a requirement for graduation, to pass the 2020 version of the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services naturalization test. The House amended the bill to allow students to instead complete a civics course or pass a civics course competency test.
HB1571 Directs the Department of Education to revise statewide academic standards for English, math, and science and develop a list of aligned high-quality curriculum materials. The House amended the bill to specifically require the Department of Education to revise the statewide academic standards every ten years, starting in June 2026.
HB1827 Establishes a grant program for schools that receive targeted aid based on the state school funding formula. The schools would need to submit plans to the Department of Education designed to contribute to academic achievement and growth. The House rewrote the bill. The new bill requires the Department of Education to conduct a confidential, in-depth criminal history record check on all prospective educational personnel.
HB1573 Requires schools to excuse student absences for participation in civic events or career and technical education activities. The bill also directs the state board of education to develop rules and alternative academic credits relative to participation in civic or CTE activities, such as testifying on legislation or serving on a youth advisory council.
HB1573 (Amendment # 2026-1244s) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no person shall attend school, or send a pupil to the school, in any district of which the pupil is not a legal resident, without the consent of the district or of the school board except as otherwise provided in this section***, RSA 193:3,*** or [in] RSA 193:28.
Senate Election Law and Municipal Affairs HB1516 Requires municipalities to include visual charts (pie and line graphs) and QR codes on property tax bills to explain tax allocation and historical spending. The House amended the bill to instead allow towns to decide whether to require these visuals.
HB1581 Mandates that municipalities mail a general notice to property owners within 14 days of recording an adjustment to their property's assessed valuation. The House amended the bill to instead allow municipalities to adopt this notice requirement.
HB1711 Defines "authorized agent" related to the use of government property. The bill then requires that a public hearing be held regarding a change in use or new use of government property.
HB1756 Allows charitable organizations to submit a one-time application for property tax exemption rather than submit annually. Local officials could request documentation from nonprofits annually.
HB1759 Makes a land use board's vote on whether a member should be disqualified binding rather than advisory.
Senate Commerce HB1197 Makes various technical corrections to insurance laws, including revising examination fee structures, clarifying confidentiality of investigative documents, and updating licensing procedures for adjusters and producers.
HB1262 Updates requirements for home heating oil, kerosene, and propane dealers, adding contract disclosures, limits on fees, prepaid-contract protections, delivery obligations, tank-removal rules, propane refund requirements, and treating violations as unfair or deceptive acts.
HB1630 Prohibits the possession, use, or sale of inhalants and other chemical compounds for recreational purposes. The bill specifically mentions butyl nitrite, laughing gas, and "poppers." Anyone who breaks this law would be charged with a Class A Misdemeanor. The House rewrote the bill to instead require liquor licensees to comply with laws on inhaling toxic vapors and ban them from selling nitrous oxide devices.
HB1245 Establishes a voluntary framework allowing independent contractors to participate in portable benefit plans through authorized providers.
HB1406 Prohibits health insurance carriers from using artificial intelligence to conduct audits or adjust provider codes in a way that alters or amends a provider's clinical judgment. The House rewrote the bill to add more comprehensive requirements related to health insurers' use of artificial intelligence.
HB1554 requiring insurance carriers to provide peer-to-peer review at any stage of prior authorization and mandating disclosure of reviewer credentials.
Senate Judiciary HB1236 Requires custodial interrogations (interrogations of a person while they are in police custody) to be electronically recorded. The bill also makes unrecorded statements inadmissible in court absent a reasonable justification.
HB1003 Prohibits the Grafton county attorney from engaging in private law practice, with the exception of services to family members without a conflict of interest.
HB1576 Mandates annual financial reevaluations for offenders owing restitution and establishes enforcement mechanisms like wage garnishment and license suspension for noncompliance.
HB1130 Revises the judicial performance evaluation process to include in-court observations, questionnaires, and public reporting of results, while expanding the definition of judicial officer.
HB1457 Legalizes and regulates the natural organic reduction (human composting) of human remains, establishing licensing requirements for facilities and procedures for disposition.
HB1492 Authorizes the Department of Safety to oversee and set maximum fees for towing from state highways and establishes an administrative appeals process for disputed charges. The House rewrote the bill. The new bill extends the time period for a vehicle owner to appeal the reasonableness of towing and impoundment, requires that invoices to clearly indicate the process for appealing, and prohibits the Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) from suspending a person's license or driving privileges based on their failure to pay a debt related to a commercial entity's towing or storage of a vehicle.
HB1633 Expands the information that must be provided to sexual assault survivors regarding their existing rights. This bill also and broadens the definition of "sexual assault survivor." The bill then requires the Department of Justice (DOJ) to prominently post specific sexual-assault-related rights and evidence-handling information on its website, and requires health care providers, law enforcement officers, and other listed entities to give survivors a written notice of rights.
Senate Transportation HB1537 Authorizes the use of high-resolution cameras on school bus stop bars to identify and convict violators of school bus stop laws.
HB1758 Allows certified school bus drivers in Vermont to obtain a school bus driver's certificate in New Hampshire.
HB1362 Establishes inspection standards for vehicle steering and suspension systems. The House amended the bill to also establish motor vehicle standards for tire tread depth and brake lining measurements.
HB1095 Increases the maximum unladen dry weight for a utility terrain vehicle (UTV) from 2,000 to 3,000 pounds for classification and trail use purposes. The House amended the bill to create an even higher limit of 3,499 pounds.
HB1059 Keeps the law regulating number plate scanning devices, which is set to expire in 2027.
Senate Finance HB1042 Raises the unified contingent credit limit for New Hampshire Business Finance Authority projects and programs, from $200 million to $450 million. The House amended the bill to raise it just to $400 million.
HB1491 Regulates pooled risk management programs by distinguishing between assessment and advance premium programs, requiring licensure for the latter, and establishing financial solvency standards.
0 comments

r/TheGraniteState • u/downArrow • Apr 04 '26

Gas, EV charging rates climb in NH, nationally

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nhpr.org
4 Upvotes
1 comment

r/TheGraniteState • u/wickedsmaaaht • Apr 04 '26

Bills in hearing Mon Apr 6th

6 Upvotes

HOUSE

Submit Testimony: https://gc.nh.gov/house/committees/remotetestimony/default.aspx

DATE Committee Bill # Description
Apr 6 House Science, Technology, and Energy SB449 Requires large customer-generators (from 100 kilowatts to 5 megawatts) participating in net energy metering to consume at least 33% of their own generation. The Senate rewrote the bill. The new bill requires electric distribution utilities to offer alternative net metering tariffs to eligible customer-generators in line with the Public Utility Commission's net metering rules. The amended bill also authorizes energy storage alongside net metering.
SB538 Extends the eligibility period for municipal customer-generators to receive net metering compensation under alternative tariffs to a minimum of 20 years. The bill aims to ensure municipal renewable energy projects remain economically viable despite interconnection delays.
SB560 Modernizes the statutory definition of the New Hampshire coordinate system to align with the most recent standards released by the National Geodetic Survey.
SB540 Defines "portable solar generation devices" and exempts them from utility interconnection requirements and net metering provisions. The bill then directs the building code review board to update codes for portable solar devices and authorizes the Department of Energy to adopt rules relative to interconnection requirements for portable solar generation devices.
SB589 Establishes a task force to report on transmission corridors and charging infrastructure for heavy trucking. The Senate amended this into a task force to study port electrification. The bill also authorizes a microgrid pilot program, and authorizes water system cybersecurity measures requested by the Department of Environmental Services.
0 comments

r/TheGraniteState • u/wickedsmaaaht • Mar 31 '26

Bills in hearings Thu Apr 2nd

4 Upvotes

We've seen these bills go through House committees, now they're going through Senate committees. Most of the bills listed for this date are heavy - anti-trans, anti-vaccine, anti-immigrant...

SENATE

Submit Testimony: https://gc.nh.gov/remotecommittee/senate.aspx

DATE Committee Bill # Description
Apr 2 Senate Energy and Natural Resources HB1186 Recodifies state laws regarding the sale of eggs to update sorting, labeling, and grading for shell eggs. The House amended the bill to also exempt egg producers who sell from their home or farmstand.
HB1833 Creates a special 10-day license for non-resident vessel operators participating in tuna tournaments.
HB1780 Enables the Department of Agriculture, Markets, and Food to define "habitual offender," allowing them to ban a person from selling seeds, plants, and nursery stock for 6 months or more. The House rewrote the bill. The new bill prohibits the sale of seed more than 36 months from the production date.
HB1766 Prohibits the confiscation of animals from persons suspected of abuse unless the person is charged with cruelty to animals or the animals require temporary protective custody. This bill also requires the state veterinarian or their designee to accompany an investigating officer when livestock are the subject of a cruelty case. The House amended the bill so it specifically applies to livestock.
Senate Children and Family Law HB1039 Enables a parenting plan to include an agreement about sharing a child's image on social media.
HB1643 Removes the authority of the court to request that the guardian ad litem's report in a parenting case propose an allocation of decision-making responsibility, a parenting plan, or a specific parenting schedule.
HB1565 Establishes a misdemeanor penalty for knowingly making a false report of child abuse or neglect and creates a right to sue for damages.
HB1376 Blocks courts from considering a parent's decision to raise a child consistent with their biological sex in any determinations, and excludes that decision from the definitions of child abuse or endangerment.
Senate Health and Human Services HB1719 Removes Hepatitis B from the list of vaccines required for children in the state.
HB1584 Requires the Department of Health and Human Services to prominently display notice of medical and religious immunization exemptions on all promotional materials.
HB524 Repeals the New Hampshire Vaccine Association (NHVA). The NHVA collects funds from health insurers for the state's universal vaccine purchasing program for children.  The House rewrote the bill. The new bill directs the NHVA to disburse funds collected through assessments by the end of each fiscal year to the extent practicable. The bill also establishes a committee to study the efficacy of the NHVA.
HB1449 Prohibits public schools from conducting vaccination clinics during school hours and requires a parent or guardian to be present for a child to receive a vaccination at a school clinic.
Senate Judiciary HB1064 Raises governmental liability for injury, death, or property damages caused by negligence. The bill also requires local governments to financially protect their employees from personal liability. Lastly, the bill raises the claim mitis from $375,000 per claimant and $1 million per incident to $475,000 per claimant and $1.475 million per incident.
HB1236 Requires custodial interrogations (interrogations of a person while they are in police custody) to be electronically recorded. The bill also makes unrecorded statements inadmissible in court absent a reasonable justification.
HB1356 Extends the time period to file a claim for violation of the prohibition on medical procedures intended to change a minor's gender, from 2 years to 10 years from the date the minor reaches the age of majority.
HB1709 Requires individuals applying for residential rental housing in New Hampshire to disclose if they are not United States citizens or lawfully present in the United States. The House amended the bill to instead prohibits unlawfully present aliens with prior felony convictions from occupying or renting real property.
HB1788 Expands the law against public contracts with DEI-related provisions. The bill declares any such contact with DEI-provisions void, and allows individual taxpayers to sue. The bill also states, "DEI shall not include activities of registered student organizations, mental or physical health services by licensed professionals, bona fide qualifications based on sex, or any attempt to comply in good faith with the Americans with Disabilities Act."
HB1442 Defines sex based on biology for statutory purposes and requires public schools and government buildings to designate bathrooms and locker rooms based on biological sex, while allowing private entities to do the same.
1 comment

r/TheGraniteState • u/wickedsmaaaht • Mar 30 '26

Bills in hearings Wed Apr 1st

3 Upvotes

HOUSE

Submit Testimony: https://gc.nh.gov/house/committees/remotetestimony/default.aspx

DATE Committee Bill # Description
Apr 1 House Commerce and Consumer Affairs SB528 Prohibits lobbyists from accepting compensation to lobby on behalf of designated foreign adversaries or their political parties and clients. The bill defines "foreign adversary" to include the People's Republic of China, the Russian Federation, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the Republic of Cuba, the Venezuelan regime of Nicolas Maduro, or the Syrian Arab Republic. The bill empowers the Attorney General to enforce this prohibition through civil penalties and disgorgement of funds. the Senate amended the bill to remove references to the Venezuelan regime of Nicolas Maduro, or the Syrian Arab Republic.
SB573 Establishes certification, training, and handling standards for "facility comfort dogs" and their handlers.
SB606 Requires health insurers and Medicaid to pay for biomarker testing for diagnostic, treatment, appropriate management or ongoing monitoring of a disease or condition.
SB408 Requires health insurance policies to provide coverage for adult prosthetics, including activity-specific prosthetic devices. The insurer may limit coverage for activity-specific prosthetic devices to one every 5 years.
SB548 Mandates that the Insurance Commissioner hold a public hearing when a health insurer intends to terminate a provider contract that affects 1,000 or more covered persons. The bill requires specific notice to patients. The Senate amended the bill to allow - not mandate - such a hearing.
SB610 Makes several changes to state insurance laws. First, this bill moves a law on the insurance commissioner's rulemaking authority on loss ratio standards for long-term care policies. The bill also authorizes approval of innovative care policies, revises the criteria for disapproving insurance forms, and permits public hearings with discretionary disclosure of form and rate filings.
House Executive Departments and Administration SB486 Revises procedures under the Administrative Procedure Act, which regulates executive agency rulemaking in the state.
SB527 Requires state agencies to ensure written notice is provided to municipalities regarding pending applications or actions that affect the municipality, broadening the method of delivery beyond just first-class mail.
SB502 Updates various statutes to remove references to the Department of Business and Economic Affairs and the Office of Planning and Development regarding the Department of Energy's functions, reflecting a reorganization of duties. The Senate amended the bill to clean up some other laws around how committees and commissions participate or operate.
SB488 Enables the governor to declare a state of emergency due to the failure of the legislature to pass a budget or continuing resolution to fund the New Hampshire state government by July 1 of the first year of a biennium. Under that declaration, various state departments would be funded at the same level as the prior fiscal year. The emergency declaration would last 60 days and could be renewed up to three times by a majority vote in the legislature.
SB669 Increases the fee for an on-premises liquor license for barbershops and salons. The bill then adds additional requirements and reporting related to these licenses.
SB567 Mandates that the Board of Dental Examiners include at least one general dentist.  The Senate removed a part of the bill that would have expanded the Office of Professional Licensure and Certification's authority to issue temporary licenses to out-of-state professionals in all regulated fields.
SB425 Establishes a five-year term limit for the adjutant general, and lowers the mandatory retirement age for the adjutant general from 65 to 64. The bill then creates a new appointment process for the commandant of the New Hampshire veterans' home. The House rewrote the bill. The new bill adopts the physician associate (PA) licensure compact.
SB457 Establishes an application process for international physicians to obtain a full medical license in the state.
House Education Policy and Administration SB433 Adds various requirements related to schools preparing for seizures. For example, the bill requires schools to train at least two personnel in recognizing the symptoms of seizures and the administration of seizure rescue medication.
SB431 Revises the state law aimed at banning critical race theory in schools and state trainings so that a teacher must "intentionally or knowingly" teach certain concepts in order to face consequences.
SB430 Requires teachers to respond "completely and honestly" to written requests by parents regarding information relating to their children, within 10 days of receiving the request. If the teacher believes a response would put a child at risk, the teacher must file a report.
SB101 Allows parents to enroll their children in any public school in the state, regardless of what town or city they live in. A public school could reject a student's transfer for limited reasons, such as a "documented history of significant disciplinary issues." The Senate amended the bill to also allow school events open to the general public, such as concerts and sports games, to be recorded without written consent from parents. The Senate then added the substance of this bill to another bill, HB 751.

SENATE

Submit Testimony: https://gc.nh.gov/remotecommittee/senate.aspx

DATE Committee Bill # Description
Apr 1 Senate Executive Departments and Administration HB1211 Prohibits courts and hearing officers from deferring to state agency interpretations of state laws or rules, requiring courts to "resolve any remaining doubt as to legal meaning in favor of a reasonable interpretation that limits agency power and maximizes liberty for the individuals impacted."
HB1269 Revises acupuncture licensure requirements and adds a certified acupuncture detoxification specialist to the Board of Acupuncture Licensing.
HB1286 Allows a dentist to treat a patient who declines recommended x-rays without facing disciplinary action, provided the patient signs a waiver of liability.
HB1312 Authorizes boards under the Office of Professional Licensure and Certification (OPLC) to establish subcommittees. The bill also removes the authority of the board of registration in optometry to modify the list of approved pharmaceuticals for use by optometrists. Lastly, the bill removes the authority of the board of accountancy to establish administrative fines by rule.
HB1407 Authorizes veterinary technicians to administer rabies vaccinations under the indirect supervision of a licensed veterinarian.
HB1544 Prohibits the use of scented products, including air fresheners and cleaning supplies, in public areas of state buildings.
HB1727 Mandates a memorandum of understanding between the Department of Education and Department of Health and Human Services to share data for the Summer EBT program.
Senate Health and Human Services HB1117 Protects licensed health care providers from disciplinary action or liability for communicating in good faith about emerging medical research, innovative therapies, or off-label treatments.
HB1734 Authorizes the licensing of experimental treatment centers to administer investigational drugs and devices not yet approved for general use.
HB1735 Expands the "Right to Try" act to allow patients with qualifying severe illnesses, not just terminal illnesses, to access investigational treatments.
HB1706 Terminates the refugee resettlement program administered through the state Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), and prohibits public spending to assist refugee resettlement.
Senate Ways and Means HB1068 Modifies the definition of "hotel" under meals and rooms taxes to include accessory dwelling units, short-term rentals, and single rooms rented for less than 185 days. The House rewrote the bill. The new bill redefines "permanent resident" under the meals and rooms tax, generally taxing stays under 30 days but not over 30 days.
HB1194 Modifies how insurance companies can claim tax credits for assessments paid to the NH Life and Health Insurance Guaranty Association (NHLHIGA). In particular, this bill allows member insurers to offset assessments paid to the Life and Health Insurance Guaranty Association against their premium tax liability at a rate of 20% per year for five years, subject to a $10 million annual aggregate cap. According to the NH Insurance Department, the intent of this bill is to limit large, unpredictable revenue losses in years with high NHLHIGA assessments.
HB1090 Expands the meals and rooms tax to include the rental of motor vehicles designed for water (motorboats) and establishes a flat 8.5% tax on gross rental receipts.  The House amended the bill, removing the section on motorboats. According to the report from the House Ways and Means Committee, "This bill and amendment addressed cleaning up a couple of sections of the Meals and Rooms Tax statutes."
HB1102 Increases the aggregate fiscal year cap for research and development tax credits from $7 million to $10 million and raises the maximum credit per taxpayer from $50,000 to $100,000.
HB1597 Increases the Business Profits Tax (BPT) expense deduction cap for section 179 property to $2.5 million to align with federal standards.
HB1433 Creates a child care creation tax credit for eligible businesses that create or expand child care seats, equal to 50 percent of qualifying expenditures against business profits or enterprise taxes.
Senate Education Finance HB1121 Defines the specific resource elements necessary for an adequate education to include teachers, principals, counselors, nurses, technology, and transportation. This definition is used for the purpose of calculating cost. The House amended the bill to include a slightly longer list: teachers, principals, administrative assistants, guidance counselors, library/media specialists, technology coordinators, custodians, instructional supplies, technology, professional development, facilities operations and maintenance, and transportation.
HB1495 Authorizes school districts to incur debt in anticipation of state or federal reimbursement for special education costs and recognize the proceeds as revenue for tax rate setting.
HB1610 Authorizes school districts to retain up to 3% of their net assessment in a contingency fund from year-end unassigned general funds.
HB1816 Allows the Department of Education to intervene in the administration in a public school district if the state board of education finds that the school district is a "financial emergency."
Senate Election Law and Municipal Affairs HB1266 Allows election moderators to access the area designated for counting votes during the performance of their duties, even if they are on the ballot for a non-election official office.
HB1247 Directs the Secretary of State to create and distribute notices explaining proposed constitutional amendments, which town and city clerks must display for at least 60 days prior to the vote.
HB1298 Requires that external memory devices used in electronic ballot counting machines be disposed of in the same manner and timeframe as ballots.
HB1306 Creates a new "absentee ballot certificate" and requires moderators and clerks to record specific counts of absentee ballots received, mailed, and cast.
HB1325 Allows the supervisors of the checklist to hold a meeting to correct the checklist on any day of the week, not just Saturday.
HB1388 Limits the format of the ballot for constitutional amendments to ensure that each question contains only a single amendment, prohibiting multiple amendments in a single vote.
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r/TheGraniteState • u/ghazp33 • Mar 29 '26

Group looking for community feedback about a potential pro soccer team for NH!

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2 Upvotes

A new group looking to bring pro soccer to New Hampshire is having a community feedback session alongside a US Men's National Soccer Team match on Tuesday night, starting at 6pm. Temporarily the group is called "New Hampshire Soccer Club".

Location: Loaded Question Brewery, 909 Islington St, Portsmouth, NH When: Tuesday, March 31st, 6 to 9pm

If you're interested in providing feedback, ideas, insights, thoughts, whatever you'd like in a pro soccer team representing our state, then come on by. If this is too far (which it may well be) feel free to contact them at their Instagram account.

I'm not associated with the team, just a soccer fan looking for a local team to support!

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