This bill prohibits the use of dogs to hunt coyotes in New Hampshire. It directly affects hunters by adding a new rule that makes hounding coyotes with dogs illegal. The law takes effect immediately upon passage and requires no significant funding.
This bill authorizes the state to allocate $1 to the Department of Safety to fund infrastructure repairs in Hampton, North Hampton, Rye, Newcastle, Portsmouth, and Seabrook following flooding from January 2024 storms. The legislation allows the governor to issue a warrant to draw this sum from unappropriated treasury funds for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024. The act takes effect immediately upon passage and designates the money for grants to help these specific coastal towns address storm-related damage.
This bill allocates $3 million to the Lead Paint Hazard Remediation Fund to help address lead paint dangers in homes. The money will come from either leftover federal funds from the American Rescue Plan Act or the state's Drinking Water and Groundwater Trust Fund, depending on what is available by September 2024. The Governor's office for emergency relief and recovery will decide which source to use, and the Housing Finance Authority will manage the spending. This act takes effect on July 1, 2024.
SB 342 establishes a dedicated School Construction Fund to provide annual funding for new school building projects starting in fiscal year 2025. The bill creates a tiered funding schedule that begins at $30 million and increases by $5 million each year until reaching a cap of $80 million, which is then maintained annually. This money is restricted to new construction projects authorized on or after July 1, 2025, and must be used for facilities that serve as instructional spaces for at least 20 years. Additionally, the legislation requires the Department of Education to develop a 10-year plan to prioritize and manage future school facility needs.
This bill establishes a right-to-work law in New Hampshire that prohibits employers and labor unions from requiring employees to join a union or pay dues as a condition of employment. It directly affects all workers in the state, including those employed by government agencies and private companies, by making any collective bargaining agreement that mandates union membership or financial support null and void. The legislation ensures that employees can freely choose whether to participate in a union without fear of penalty, while also protecting voluntary deductions only if employees provide written authorization that can be revoked with 30 days' notice. Additionally, the bill bans strikes or other actions taken solely to force an employer to agree to these prohibited requirements and mandates that employers post notices informing workers of their new freedom of choice.
This bill allocates $250,000 from the state's general fund to the Department of Business and Economic Affairs to hire and train small business development counselors specifically for rural areas of New Hampshire. The funds are designated for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, and are authorized to remain available until June 30, 2026, allowing the department to draw on the money over that period. The department will use these resources to support existing small business development centers by expanding their staff with counselors trained to assist rural entrepreneurs.
This bill, known as "Bradley's Law," authorizes New Hampshire courts and the Department of Safety to report specific mental health records to the federal background check system when individuals are involuntarily committed or found not guilty by reason of insanity. The legislation mandates that law enforcement confiscate firearms owned by these individuals within 48 hours of a qualifying court order and allows them to petition the court for relief from this disability after a set waiting period. It explicitly excludes information about people seeking voluntary treatment or those hospitalized only for assessment, ensuring that only specific legal dispositions trigger firearm prohibitions. By creating a new process for reporting these records and establishing a timeline for challenging the loss of firearm rights, the bill aims to align state procedures with federal requirements while providing a path for individuals to regain those rights.
This bill requires defendants charged with serious crimes, including those punishable by life in prison or 15 years or more, to be present for every stage of their trial and sentencing. It allows judges to excuse a defendant's presence for good cause but also permits proceedings to continue without the defendant if they voluntarily absent themselves or act disruptively. The legislation mandates that law enforcement transport incarcerated defendants to court and authorizes the use of reasonable force if a defendant refuses to comply with a transport order. Additionally, it creates a new felony charge for knowingly failing to appear or refusing transport without a valid court excuse, with the new sentence running consecutively to any other prison term.
This bill would restrict how alcohol is packaged and marketed in New Hampshire to prevent products from appealing to minors or confusing consumers with non-alcohol items. It prohibits using cartoons, toys, or other child-friendly imagery on alcohol packaging and bans designs that mimic trademarked non-alcohol products like logos or brand sounds. Additionally, the bill requires that coupons for alcohol products clearly state they are only for adults of legal drinking age. The state liquor commission would be responsible for creating rules to enforce these new restrictions, and a specific appeal process has been established for disputes regarding these decisions.
This bill proposes to add eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa, to the list of qualifying conditions for the state's therapeutic cannabis program. If enacted, it would allow individuals diagnosed with these specific conditions to legally access medical cannabis under the existing framework. The legislation includes a provision to include other specified feeding and eating disorders alongside the named examples. The bill was ultimately not passed and died on the table before the legislative session concluded.
HB 1087 proposes creating a temporary commission to study how public schools in New Hampshire teach information literacy and media literacy. The commission would be made up of legislators, educators, and representatives from youth media organizations to review current curriculum standards and identify barriers to effective instruction. Its main tasks include evaluating available resources for teachers, comparing the state's efforts with those of other states, and gathering input from students, parents, and experts. The group is required to submit a final report with its findings and recommendations by November 1, 2024, though the bill was not enacted during the 2024 legislative session.
This bill, known as the Modern Economy Act, would require most group health insurance plans to cover up to six rounds of intrauterine insemination for certificate holders each year, even without a formal infertility diagnosis. It also expands legal protections against sex discrimination to explicitly include pregnancy-related conditions and fertility treatments, mandating that employers allow time off for IVF follow-ups and postpartum care. However, the legislation excludes insurance plans available through the Small Business Health Options Program and those in transition to Affordable Care Act compliance. The measure was ultimately not passed, as it was laid on the table by the House in May 2024 and died when the legislative session ended later that year.
