Sen. Keith Murphy

Maddy summaryHB 1168 extends the time employers have to respond to wage claims from 10 days to 30 days after receiving notice. This change directly affects employers who receive claims from employees alleging unpaid wages. The bill modifies RSA 275:51 by updating the deadline for employers to file written objections to such claims. If employers don't respond within the new 30-day window, the commissioner may order payment without further delay. This is a procedural adjustment to the existing wage enforcement process.

Maddy summarySB 527 requires state agencies to provide written notice to town or city clerks about pending applications that could affect land use, business operations, or municipal finances. It changes the current requirement from "first class mail" to simply "written notice," meaning agencies can use any written method (like email or electronic portals) instead of only physical mail. This directly affects state agencies issuing permits or licenses and municipalities that may need to respond to these applications. The change aims to modernize communication while maintaining the requirement for agencies to notify affected towns or cities.

Maddy summaryHB 1376 prevents courts and child welfare agencies from considering a parent's decision to raise a child consistent with their biological sex as child abuse, endangerment, or a basis for negative legal actions. The bill specifically removes such parenting practices - like using a child's biological sex for pronouns or medical decisions - from definitions of "abused child," "endangering child welfare," and "best interests of the child" determinations. It also prohibits adoption agencies and courts from treating a parent's refusal to support gender transition or their choice to raise a child according to biological sex as grounds for denying adoption, removing a child, or terminating parental rights. The law applies directly to parents, guardians, child-placing agencies, and courts handling family law matters.

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 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 1807 requires school districts to include specific financial information in voting materials for school budget decisions. It mandates that warrant articles and ballots display the previous year's per-pupil cost (calculated using updated formulas), 10-year cost-per-pupil and teacher salary trends in graphs, and the estimated tax impact if all budget articles pass. This affects all New Hampshire school districts and voters participating in school budget votes. The bill repeals the old per-pupil cost calculation method and requires standardized, inflation-adjusted data presentation to improve transparency for voters.

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.

Maddy summarySB 564 prohibits municipalities from restricting maximum road length (as long as state fire code standards are met) or imposing numerical limits on housing lots in dead-end streets. It also requires municipalities to allow utilities (like septic systems and power lines) in designated open space or buffer areas of subdivisions, excluding wetlands and protected shoreland. The bill directly affects local governments and developers by removing specific development barriers that increase housing costs. It does not override fire code, environmental protections under RSA 482-A or RSA 483-B, or municipal authority to enforce health/safety standards.

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 1555 modifies New Hampshire’s fire code administration to provide relief for existing buildings and streamline variance processes. It grants property owners a 20-year exemption from retroactively updating construction to meet new fire codes after receiving a certificate of occupancy (for permits issued July 1, 2026, or later). Local fire chiefs can approve variances from fire code requirements if safety is maintained, requiring property owners to provide fire safety engineer certification and sign an indemnification waiver assuming full liability for deviations. The bill also creates a new appeal path: decisions on variances can be reviewed de novo by the state fire marshal, with further appeals to the building code review board.