Rep. Matt Drew

Maddy summaryHB 1446 ensures that individuals registered in New Hampshire's therapeutic cannabis program cannot be denied the right to buy, own, or possess firearms solely due to their lawful cannabis use. The bill amends state law to explicitly state that qualifying patients' participation in the medical cannabis program does not disqualify them from exercising Second Amendment rights under New Hampshire law. Key provisions prevent state agencies from cooperating with federal enforcement actions targeting patients for firearm possession while legally using cannabis, and require the attorney general to defend such patients in federal court. This directly affects registered medical cannabis users in New Hampshire by removing a specific barrier to firearm rights created by federal law. The bill takes effect 60 days after passage.

Maddy summaryHB 1219 prevents foster family homes from imposing immunization requirements on children or foster parents that are stricter than those in RSA 141-C:20-a. Specifically, it prohibits requirements exceeding the standard for vaccine type, number of doses, or exemption policies already established for the general population. This bill directly affects foster children and foster parents by aligning their immunization standards with statewide requirements. The law amends RSA 170-E:27-b to ensure foster homes cannot mandate additional or more stringent vaccinations than what is required for children in public schools or the general community.

Maddy summaryHB 1071 repeals a legal immunity that previously protected healthcare facilities (like hospitals and clinics) when they followed rules or orders issued during New Hampshire's COVID-19 state of emergency. This bill specifically removes the immunity provision found in RSA 21-P:42-a, meaning facilities could now face legal liability for actions taken under those emergency directives. The repeal takes effect upon the bill's passage, directly affecting healthcare providers that operated under pandemic-era mandates. It makes no new rules but changes the legal landscape for facilities complying with past emergency orders.

Maddy summaryHB 1022 standardizes the form parents or guardians must use to claim a religious exemption from childhood immunization requirements for schools or childcare. The form must include a specific statement: "I, [parent/guardian name], hereby attest that I sincerely hold religious beliefs that dictate the refusal to accept the required vaccination(s)," followed by their signature and date. This bill directly affects parents or guardians seeking to exempt their children from immunization mandates based on religious beliefs. It specifies the exact wording for the exemption form without changing the existing policy on religious exemptions.

Maddy summaryHB 1719 removes Hepatitis B from the list of diseases for which childhood immunization is required in New Hampshire. This change directly affects children enrolled in schools or childcare programs, as parents will no longer be required to ensure their children receive the Hepatitis B vaccine for enrollment. The bill amends state law by deleting "Hepatitis B" from the mandated immunization list, which includes diseases like measles and polio. This policy shift is expected to reduce state vaccine purchase costs by approximately $20,000 in the first year and $82,000 annually thereafter, as the requirement is eliminated. The Hepatitis B vaccine would remain available on a voluntary basis for parents who choose to use it.

Maddy summaryHB 1426 requires New Hampshire's Department of Environmental Services (DES) to ensure every program area with regulatory, permitting, or enforcement duties has at least one certified professional available on call. This applies to all DES program areas and can be met through hiring certified staff, training existing employees, or contracting with certified individuals. The bill specifies that certified personnel must hold valid program-specific certifications and exempts them from certain fee requirements or conflict-of-interest certification maintenance. DES estimates potential annual costs between $100,000 and $500,000 starting in 2028, though it does not provide new funding. The requirement takes effect July 1, 2027.

Maddy summaryHB 1196 repeals New Hampshire's Housing Champion Designation and Grant Program, which provided financial incentives and recognition to municipalities for adopting housing-friendly policies. The bill ends the state's authority to issue new grants or designations under this program, affecting participating municipalities and the Department of Business and Economic Affairs that administered it. Existing contracts (worth approximately $2.6 million) will be honored until June 2027, but no new funding or recognition will be provided after the bill's effective date. The repeal also eliminates the Housing Champion Program Fund and the associated advisory committee.

Maddy summaryHB 1516 requires New Hampshire municipalities to include visual aids and digital links on property tax bills showing how tax dollars are spent. Specifically, tax bills must feature a pie chart breaking down tax categories (state education, school, city/town, county, and precincts), a 10-year line graph of spending trends, and QR codes linking to detailed budget information online. Municipalities must post this data annually on their websites (or in physical locations if no website exists), including links to budget adoption minutes, reports, and tax cap details. The bill takes effect April 1, 2027, with estimated costs under $10,000 per municipality for implementation.

Maddy summaryHB 1706 repeals New Hampshire's state-administered refugee resettlement program and prohibits state agencies from using state funds for refugee resettlement activities. The bill specifically requires the Department of Health and Human Services to terminate existing contracts related to refugee resettlement (such as the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program) and bans all state spending - directly or indirectly - on resettlement efforts. It does not affect federal refugee programs or funds, as the state's involvement was limited to administering approximately $4.5 million annually in federal funds. The bill applies solely to state government actions and has no impact on existing refugee services or federal programs.

Maddy summaryHB 1108 revises New Hampshire's criminal threatening law to clarify that individuals displaying a firearm or other lawful self-defense tool in response to specific threats (like potential serious injury, death, property damage, or unlawful intrusion) will not be considered to have committed criminal threatening. It applies directly to people using defensive measures against these defined threats. The key provision creates a legal exception for reasonable defensive actions, specifying that the response must be to conduct a reasonable person would view as likely to cause the listed harms. The bill takes effect January 1, 2027, with no estimated state or local fiscal impact.