Rep. Erica Layon

Maddy summaryHB 1572 modifies licensing requirements for three professions in New Hampshire: master licensed alcohol and drug counselors, recreational therapists, and speech-language assistants. It adds a new education path requiring 60 hours of graduate coursework (in fields like clinical psychology or social work) plus five years of existing New Hampshire licensure for alcohol/drug counselors. For recreational therapists, it specifies that a baccalaureate degree must include "therapeutic recreation" as a major. Speech-language assistants can now qualify with an accredited associate's degree program equivalent to a speech-language pathology program. These changes directly affect individuals seeking or renewing licenses in these occupations.

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 1442 requires public schools and municipal buildings to designate bathrooms and locker rooms by biological sex (male/female), rather than gender identity. It redefines "gender identity" to exclude using it for accessing spaces designated for females, and creates "willful trespass" for males entering female-designated facilities (with exceptions for emergencies or supervision). The bill also mandates correctional facilities house inmates by biological sex and limits gender identity protections in civil rights enforcement. It directly affects public school students, municipal building users, correctional facility inmates, and businesses operating public accommodations. The law uses biological sex (based on chromosomes/SRY gene) as the standard for facility access and definitions.

Maddy summaryHB 1310 updates rules for New Hampshire real estate appraisers by changing who can supervise apprentices and how continuing education credits count. It requires that supervisors be certified for at least two years with no disciplinary actions in the past three years, directly affecting apprentice appraisers seeking supervision. The bill also limits continuing education credits earned through student participation in approved programs to no more than half of required hours. These changes apply specifically to licensed or certified appraisers and their apprentices under New Hampshire's licensing rules.

Maddy summarySB 428 increases the maximum number of terms a member can serve on New Hampshire's Electricians' Board from two to three terms. This change also extends the total service limit from 12 years to 16 years, allowing members to serve up to three 5-year terms (including time served during term overlaps or unexpired terms). The bill directly affects the 5 appointed board members (2 master electricians, 1 journeyman electrician, and 2 public members) and the ex officio fire marshal who serves without voting. The amendment modifies RSA 319-C:4, sections I and I-a, effective 60 days after enactment.

Maddy summaryHB 1584 requires New Hampshire's Department of Health and Human Services to prominently display notices about medical and religious immunization exemptions on all vaccination-related materials, such as websites, brochures, or social media posts. It specifies that the notice must appear as visibly as main content - like a headline - and not just in footnotes. The bill also allows parents to use any written statement (not a specific form) to claim religious exemptions for their children's vaccinations. Additionally, the department must submit an annual report to the legislature detailing all promotional materials, compliance with the notice requirement, and any penalties assessed for noncompliance. This bill directly affects the Department of Health, schools, and healthcare providers distributing immunization information.

Maddy summaryHB 1365 limits the information that New Hampshire license applications for carrying a loaded pistol or revolver can request. The bill requires that application forms only collect details included in the state's December 2009 form (DSSP 85), banning questions about employment, employer address, personal references, or consent to disclose medical, psychiatric, or other personal records beyond that standard. This affects all applicants seeking such licenses and the cities/towns processing applications, ensuring forms don’t demand unnecessary disclosures. The law takes effect January 1, 2027, and aims to restrict data collection to what was legally required in 2009.

Maddy summaryHB 1312 modifies authority for three specific state boards. It allows boards under the Office of Professional Licensure and Certification to create subcommittees as needed. The bill also removes the Board of Registration in Optometry’s power to update which pharmaceuticals optometrists can use, and eliminates the Board of Accountancy’s ability to set administrative fines through rules. These changes directly affect the professional licensing and regulatory processes managed by these boards.

Maddy summaryHB 1268 modifies New Hampshire's home education law by adding definitions for terms like "child," "parent," and "resident district," and removing specific notification and assessment requirements. It eliminates the requirement for parents to notify school officials when starting a home education program, withdrawing a child from public school, or terminating a program. Parents must still notify their resident district superintendent if they want their child to participate in public school activities or use district assessments. The bill simplifies administrative steps for homeschooling families while maintaining core requirements for program documentation. This change directly affects parents educating children at home in New Hampshire.

Maddy summaryHB 1735 expands New Hampshire's Right to Try Act to allow patients with "qualifying severe illness" (defined as chronic and debilitating conditions meeting federal standards) to access investigational treatments, in addition to those with terminal illnesses. The bill amends definitions to include this new category, requiring patients to have exhausted standard FDA-approved treatments and be unable to join clinical trials. It maintains existing requirements like physician oversight, patient consent, and no direct manufacturer compensation for providers. This change directly affects patients with severe chronic conditions who currently lack access to investigational therapies under state law. The bill does not alter cost-sharing or data collection requirements for manufacturers.