Rep. Jim Maggiore

Maddy summaryHB 1814 establishes a 10-year statewide strategic housing and infrastructure plan (SHIP) that requires the governor to develop and update the plan every two years. The plan must identify housing needs, incorporate regional infrastructure projects, and include public input through hearings in each executive council district. It directly affects state agencies (like the Department of Business and Economic Affairs), municipalities (which must update master plans every 10 years), and regional planning organizations. The bill also expands the Council on Housing Stability’s membership to include regional planning representatives and housing advocates, ensuring broader input into housing strategy.

Maddy summaryHB 1726 requires New Hampshire state agencies to identify surplus property suitable for affordable housing development and make it available to qualified developers at below-market rates. The bill mandates that at least 20% of housing units developed on such property must remain affordable to low- and moderate-income households for a minimum of 20 years, with legal restrictions ensuring this use. It also prioritizes municipal grant funding for communities collaborating with state agencies on identifying and rezoning eligible land. The bill does not provide new state funding but allows agencies to retain proceeds from property sales for one additional budget cycle. This directly affects state agencies, qualified housing developers, and low-to-moderate-income households seeking affordable housing.

Maddy summarySB 469 allows the New Hampshire Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) director to create rules permitting electronic signatures on vehicle-related documents. It specifically removes the requirement for notarized signatures when transferring vehicle ownership to an insurer after a claim payment, permitting electronic signatures and printed hard copies instead. This applies to supporting documents like title forms, odometer statements, and power of attorney. The bill directly affects vehicle owners, insurers, and DMV staff handling title transfers, streamlining processes for claims-related vehicle ownership changes.

Maddy summaryHB 1756 allows qualifying organizations (including religious, educational, charitable groups, and veterans associations like the American Legion) to submit a single application for property tax exemptions instead of filing annually. Once approved, exemptions remain in effect permanently unless a town assessor later determines the organization no longer qualifies. The bill requires annual field reviews by local assessors to verify ongoing eligibility and mandates organizations to provide updated documentation at least every five years (or annually if requested). This replaces the current system where exemptions must be re-verified each year.

Maddy summaryHB 1021 changes the deadline for taxpayers to notify their municipality about electing to be assessed under the low-income housing tax credit program. Currently requiring written notice by October 1, the bill moves this deadline to April 15 of the year before the tax year. This affects taxpayers who own or develop properties eligible for the low-income housing tax credit program and need to have their property appraised under the program. The bill only modifies the timing for submitting this notice, without altering the program's eligibility rules or benefits.

Maddy summaryHB 1103 expands tax relief credits for municipalities by allowing them to apply community revitalization tax credits to more property types. Specifically, it enables tax credits for converting existing office, commercial, or industrial buildings to residential use, and for new residential construction meeting affordability standards. Properties must be located in designated housing opportunity or residential conversion zones, with tax relief lasting up to 11 years if workforce housing is created. This directly affects property owners and municipalities seeking to incentivize housing development in targeted areas. The bill amends New Hampshire’s tax code to broaden eligibility beyond current standards, effective April 1, 2027.

Maddy summaryHB 1540 establishes statewide rules for accessory dwelling units (ADUs), allowing one ADU per single-family home as a matter of right in most zoning districts without extra lot size or design requirements beyond those for the main home. In protected shoreland areas, municipalities may permit ADUs as a matter of right or through conditional permits, and they can choose to allow detached units if they meet specific environmental and zoning standards. The bill prohibits multiple ADUs per home, ADUs in townhouses (attached multi-family properties), ADUs on rented land, and separate sales of ADUs from the main house without municipal approval. It provides municipalities with clear guidance for zoning, permitting, and environmental protections related to ADUs while standardizing requirements across the state.

Maddy summaryHB 1494 increases the maximum allowable amounts for three optional local tax credits in New Hampshire: the veterans' credit ($750 → $1,000), combat service credit ($500 → $750), and surviving spouse credit ($2,000 → $2,500). These credits directly affect eligible veterans, active-duty service members in combat roles, and surviving spouses of service members killed in action. Municipalities must adopt the updated credit amounts (replacing the standard credits), and the surviving spouse credit now covers all property types (real and personal) in the resident's municipality. The changes take effect April 1, 2027, with no requirement for local re-adoption.

Maddy summaryHB 1118 increases the threshold for daily remittance of funds to municipal treasurers from $500 or $1,500 to $3,500. This affects town officers, including tax collectors and town clerks, who must remit collected funds to the treasurer. The bill reduces the frequency of required daily remittances by raising the amount that triggers this requirement, allowing weekly remittance for smaller sums. It becomes effective 60 days after enactment.

Maddy summaryHB 1151 clarifies how cities manage conservation funds by requiring city treasurers to hold all conservation fund money and disburse it only upon written orders from the conservation commission. It mandates that fund spending must be approved by a majority of the commission and requires a public hearing with notice before using funds for property purchases or contributions to qualified organizations. This bill directly affects city treasurers and conservation commissions in New Hampshire cities with established conservation funds, ensuring greater oversight for how these public funds are spent. The changes update existing law to strengthen commission authority over fund disbursement.