Rep. Jason Osborne

Maddy summaryHB 748 establishes a Local Education Freedom Account (LEFA) program that allows parents of eligible students in participating school districts to receive grants from approved scholarship organizations for educational expenses. Eligible students include those attending public or charter schools, kindergarten students, or those receiving home education, who are aged 5-20 and not high school graduates. The program provides grants equal to twice the standard per-pupil education funding (approximately $8,531 for base aid), which can be used for tuition, textbooks, tutoring, transportation, online learning, and educational therapies. School districts must adopt the program through a 3/5 majority vote at a school meeting, and participating students remain counted in their district's enrollment for funding purposes.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows New Hampshire parents to enroll their children in any public school in the state, regardless of where the family lives. It removes the requirement that children attend the school assigned to their resident district and makes all public schools "open enrollment" schools. The bill requires school districts to post school capacity information online, report on transfer applications, and establish policies for student transfers. Funding for students transferring to a different district will be based on the resident district's average cost per pupil, with potential additional costs borne by parents. The bill takes effect January 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 1358 establishes a 9-member commission to study transitioning all New Hampshire public schools to charter schools. The commission will assess potential impacts on property taxes, student achievement, teacher retention, funding models, and local control. It must submit findings and recommendations to state leaders by January 1, 2027. This bill creates a study body but does not implement any school conversions or change existing charter conversion procedures.

Maddy summaryHB 1336 allows landlords to charge a security deposit of up to two months' rent for rental applicants who don't meet standard approval criteria (like low credit scores under 650, insufficient income below 3x rent, eviction history, unpaid judgments, or no rental history). It directly affects landlords setting rental terms and tenants who may be denied standard housing due to these factors. Key provisions require landlords to disclose unmet criteria upfront, provide written notice of the higher deposit reason, and allow tenants to request a re-screening at their expense once every six months to potentially remove the extra deposit. The bill clarifies that landlords aren't forced to accept higher deposits or approve applicants who still don't meet standards, and it has no estimated state or local cost impact.

Maddy summaryHB 1643 changes how court-appointed child representatives (guardians ad litem) submit reports in family court cases. It removes the requirement for these reports to propose specific parenting arrangements, such as who makes decisions about the child's care, a detailed parenting plan, or a set schedule. Courts can no longer request these proposals unless they explicitly ask for them. This bill affects guardians ad litem and family court proceedings involving children, effective January 1, 2027.

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 1774 requires New Hampshire to participate in a federal tax credit for donations to scholarship organizations and creates a state list of qualifying groups. It prohibits state financial aid for college programs that don't meet federal earnings standards, defined by outcomes like job placement and wages above 150% of the federal poverty level. This affects public colleges, universities, and students enrolled in programs deemed "low-earning outcome" under federal criteria. The law aims to redirect state funding toward academic programs with stronger job prospects for graduates.

Maddy summaryHB 1499 would expand eviction grounds under New Hampshire's landlord and tenant law by adding three specific conditions: (1) a tenant or occupant being unlawfully present in the U.S., (2) a recent conviction (within 3 years) for certain violent crimes or drug offenses, or (3) being a registered sexual offender under state law. This bill directly affects tenants who meet these criteria, allowing landlords to seek eviction based on these new grounds. The key provision modifies the existing statute to include these three categories as valid reasons for termination of tenancy. The bill takes effect 60 days after passage and does not require new state funding.

Maddy summaryHB 1323 defines "parental alienation" as a pattern of behavior damaging a child's relationship with a parent - such as disparaging remarks, manipulation, or unjustified interference with parenting time - while excluding protective actions taken in good faith for safety concerns. The bill requires New Hampshire courts to consider parental alienation as a factor in custody, visitation, and parental rights decisions, including joint decision-making and modifications to parenting plans. It establishes a "family access motion" for parents to seek enforcement of parenting plans when alienation occurs and allows courts to order remedies like adjusted schedules. The law also mandates courts to evaluate parental alienation in grandparent visitation cases and requires attorney fee awards in contempt cases involving failure to comply with court orders related to parental alienation.

Maddy summaryHB 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.