SB 498 creates the New Hampshire Children's Behavioral Health Association to fund mental health services for children under 18. The association will collect mandatory assessments (fees) from insurance companies, stop-loss carriers, and third-party administrators covering children in the state, excluding Medicaid recipients. Funds gathered will be deposited into a dedicated fund managed by the insurance commissioner and used to pay care management entities providing specific services like intensive in-home therapy, structured outpatient programs, and care coordination. This directly affects insurers (who pay assessments), care management organizations (who receive payments), and children under 18 with covered health plans (who gain access to funded services).
SB 468 allows alternative treatment centers (ATCs) that provide medical cannabis to apply for permission to operate greenhouse cultivation facilities, which typically use less energy than indoor growing. ATCs must submit a detailed plan showing how greenhouse cultivation will lower energy costs and reduce prices for registered qualifying patients. The state department must create rules for greenhouse operations - including security, location, and compliance with local zoning - and seek input from patients, caregivers, and community residents before approving new sites. ATCs will also report annually on greenhouse impacts to energy costs and product prices as part of their required state filings.
HB 1469 requires massage therapy businesses employing more than one therapist to obtain a state license and undergo regular inspections by the Office of Professional Licensure and Certification (OPLC). The bill establishes new health and safety standards for these businesses, including requirements for direct supervision by licensed therapists and procedures for license renewal and disciplinary actions. It also adds compensation for members of the massage therapists' advisory board and creates a new investigative paralegal position within the OPLC, with funding provided for this role. This legislation directly affects massage therapy businesses, the OPLC, and the advisory board by expanding regulatory oversight and operational requirements.
HB 1705 establishes a First Responders Support Fund to cover enrollment costs for small town and volunteer first responders into the state’s existing Employee Assistance Program (EAP). It directly affects first responders in communities with no more than 5 full-time paid staff, including volunteer departments. The fund, administered by the Department of Health and Human Services, uses state appropriations (initially $1 for FY 2026-2027) and accepts gifts, grants, or donations to cover EAP enrollment fees. The EAP provides mental health support, including services for PTSD, with the department required to report annually on fund usage and program outcomes. This bill does not create new services but expands access to an existing state EAP for eligible small-community responders.
HB 360 prohibits public schools in New Hampshire from performing diagnostic tests, surgical procedures, or prescribing pharmaceutical drugs. It directly affects school nurses and school physicians by removing their authority to conduct these medical activities within school settings. The bill amends RSA 200:27 to explicitly state that school health services may not include these medical functions. This policy change takes effect 60 days after enactment, limiting school-based medical interventions to non-invasive care.
SB 134 requires New Hampshire's Department of Health and Human Services to resubmit a federal waiver application to CMS by July 1, 2025, seeking approval to enforce work requirements as a condition of Medicaid eligibility under the Granite Advantage program. The bill also mandates annual reports to the legislature starting November 1, 2025, detailing the waiver status and implementation progress. This bill does not change current Medicaid rules, as work requirements are not currently in effect; it only sets a process for the state to seek federal approval to potentially implement such requirements. The bill has no immediate cost but may lead to future expenses if the waiver is approved and implemented.
HB 392 directs the dissolution of three specific state entities: the Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Health Equity, the Department of Environmental Services' environmental justice programs, and the Governor's Council on Diversity and Inclusion. The bill prohibits these agencies from re-establishing these offices or using any allocated funds for projects labeled "health equity" or "civil rights and environmental justice." It also removes the Office of Health Equity director position from state statute and repeals related membership requirements. This bill affects state agencies' program structures and funding allocations, with no new funding provided or positions authorized.
HB 1811 repeals all state-mandated vaccination requirements for children in New Hampshire, removing legal obligations for schools and childcare agencies to require immunizations or maintain related records. The bill eliminates provisions for religious and medical exemptions, attendance rules during outbreaks, and reporting requirements to health authorities. It replaces mandatory vaccination with advisory recommendations from health officials, stating schools and agencies cannot deny enrollment based on vaccination status. This directly affects parents, schools, childcare providers, and public health officials by ending the state’s enforcement of childhood immunization rules. The bill takes effect 60 days after passage.
This bill requires schools to obtain written parental consent for each new medical service provided to students enrolled in the Medicaid to schools program. It defines "each new service" as any new Medicaid diagnostic code (ICD code), meaning consent must be renewed for each distinct health service. The bill directly affects students receiving school-based Medicaid health services and their parents or legal guardians. Schools must implement this consent process starting January 1, 2026, and the state must submit annual reports on program costs and participation to legislative committees.