SB 298 requires all sober living houses in New Hampshire to obtain certification from the New Hampshire Coalition of Recovery Residents (NH CORR), employ a paid house manager (not a current resident), and verify that new residents have completed or are in a recognized substance use disorder rehabilitation program. Existing uncertified houses must achieve certification within 180 days of the law’s effective date, or face penalties including $1,000 fines for first violations. Municipalities and the Department of Health and Human Services enforce compliance by requiring certification proof for zoning approvals and auditing records. The law aims to standardize safety and recovery support while ensuring houses operate under verified operational rules.
HB 1792 prohibits New Hampshire public schools and staff from teaching critical race theory, LGBTQ+ ideologies, or specific identity-based pedagogies that the bill defines as promoting division or anti-constitutional views. It specifically bans practices like requiring students to identify "oppressors" based on race/gender, prioritizing identity over shared values, or affirming non-binary gender identities as normative. The bill creates a private right of action, allowing parents or students to sue schools for violations. It explicitly excludes factual, neutral instruction on history or events. The law aims to preserve "neutral or patriotic" education while restricting certain teaching methods deemed divisive.
HB 1449 prohibits vaccination clinics from operating at public elementary or secondary schools during school hours and requires a parent or legal guardian to be present with their child during any vaccination administered at such a clinic. The bill directly affects students receiving school-based vaccines, parents/guardians, and school staff coordinating these clinics. Key provisions include banning school-hour clinics and mandating parental accompaniment for immunizations, while exempting school nurses' existing duties under RSA 200:38. This policy change modifies how school vaccination events are scheduled and administered, without altering vaccine requirements or eligibility.
SB 504 allows licensed healthcare providers to dispense up to a 30-day supply of certain cancer medications directly to patients under a doctor's supervision, requiring clinics to maintain a full-time pharmacist available for consultation. It removes the requirement for pharmacists' names on controlled drug labels and permits advanced pharmacy technicians to perform remote medication processing. The bill updates the definition of "practice of pharmacy" to include modern services like medication therapy management and collaborative care. These changes streamline access to cancer medications while maintaining safety protocols for pharmacy operations.
SB 567 requires one member of New Hampshire's board of dental examiners to be a general dentist, in addition to existing membership requirements. It also expands temporary licensing for out-of-state professionals from health care to all professions regulated by a licensing board or the Office of Professional Licensure and Certification. Temporary licenses would remain valid for up to 120 days or until a full license application is processed, with no renewal allowed. This bill directly affects dental board appointments and out-of-state professionals seeking temporary work in regulated fields while applying for full licensure.
HB 1131 updates New Hampshire town meeting procedures for referendums by requiring that referendum questions be placed on the official ballot used for electing town officers, rather than on a separate ballot. The bill removes a previous restriction that kept referendum questions off this ballot and integrates them into the standard voting process governed by state election laws. It also establishes a 3/5 majority vote requirement for towns to rescind their use of this ballot system, with specific wording for the rescission question. This change directly affects all New Hampshire towns that have adopted the official ballot system for referendums, which is the current standard practice in many communities.
HB 1768 provides free day-use admission and metered parking at New Hampshire state parks for honorably discharged veterans who are state residents. It exempts eligible veterans from these fees upon presenting proof like a veteran license plate, DD-214 form, or other recognized documentation. The bill directly affects New Hampshire veterans meeting these criteria, removing financial barriers to park access. The fiscal note estimates an annual revenue loss of $200,000-$450,000 for the State Park Fund, based on park fee data and veteran residency assumptions.
SB 557 bans the sale of kratom products to anyone under 21 years old and establishes a regulatory framework for businesses selling kratom in New Hampshire. It directly affects retailers, distributors, and manufacturers who must obtain licenses from the Department of Health and Human Services and follow specific rules for product safety and labeling. Key provisions include defining "kratom products," prohibiting sales of kratom as food or beverages, and creating a dedicated fund to support regulation. The bill also clarifies that "contraband" products include those containing harmful substances or misleading labels.
HB 1423 expands New Hampshire's "improper influence" law to include threats against the immediate family members (spouses, children, parents, siblings, or household members) of public servants, party officials, or voters. It makes threatening harm to these family members a class B felony, imposing mandatory minimum penalties: at least one year in prison and $1,000 in fines for each person threatened. These penalties must be served consecutively for multiple victims and cannot be reduced or suspended. The bill directly affects individuals who attempt to influence public officials' decisions through coercion targeting their families, with no direct state or local cost impact noted.
HB 1419 establishes a 14-member commission to study whether New Hampshire should create a specialized court for business-related legal matters, such as corporate disputes, commercial contracts, and equity cases. The commission, including legislators, judges, business leaders, law school representatives, and legal experts, will assess the feasibility, costs, benefits, and necessary legal reforms - like modernizing corporate laws and creating judicial recruitment pathways - and evaluate fiscal impacts on state revenue. The commission must submit annual reports starting November 2026, with recommendations aimed at positioning New Hampshire as a competitive hub for business law, similar to Delaware’s court system. This bill does not create a court or change laws directly but sets up a study to inform future legislative decisions.
HB 1542 sets all renewable energy fund compliance payments (the fees electric providers pay if they can't meet renewable energy requirements) to $0, effective January 1, 2027. This eliminates the primary revenue source for New Hampshire's Renewable Energy Fund (REF), which currently funds programs like low-income solar initiatives, non-residential renewable grants, and community solar projects. The fiscal note states this change would reduce annual REF revenue by approximately $6.7 million starting in 2028, causing all REF-funded programs and nine state positions supporting renewable energy compliance to cease without new legislative funding. The bill directly affects electric service providers (by removing compliance penalties), state programs, and low-income communities relying on REF-funded solar projects.
SB 461 updates New Hampshire's legal definition of "hemp" to require that the total tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) concentration - including tetrahydrocannabolic acid (THCA) - must not exceed 0.3% on a dry weight basis. This change directly affects hemp farmers, product manufacturers, and state regulators by establishing a clear standard for legal hemp under state law. The bill modifies existing law to align with the federal definition of hemp, which includes THCA in THC calculations, ensuring consistency for businesses selling hemp-derived products. The law will take effect 60 days after enactment.
