HB1117 Relative to the right of licensed health care providers to freely communicate with patients, colleagues, and the public about medical information, emerging therapies, and treatment options.
Relative to the right of licensed health care providers to freely communicate with patients, colleagues, and the public about medical information, emerging therapies, and treatment options.
Impact Score — How Does This Bill Affect You?
Overall Impact Score
Mixed
Scale: 1 (harmful) to 10 (beneficial)
Your Wallet
Fiscal impact is indeterminate; bill may increase court case costs and licensing board expenses, but provides no new funding and creates no direct taxpayer cost mechanism.
Your Community
No explicit impact on schools, local services, or community infrastructure; effects depend on how providers and insurers respond to the new liability protections.
Your Freedom
Expands healthcare provider speech rights and patient choice to explore non-standard treatments, but creates uncertainty about professional accountability standards and liability limits.
Status
Committee Report: Referred to Interim Study, 04/16/2026; Vote 4-0; Consent Calendar; Senate Calendar 14A
Sponsor
Linda McGrath (R)
The Short Version
This bill protects NH healthcare providers from disciplinary action or liability when communicating about emerging treatments, experimental therapies, and off-label drug uses, provided they act in good faith and don't knowingly mislead patients. It creates a new legal framework allowing providers to recommend non-standard treatments with informed patient consent, and permits them to sue for damages if licensing boards or employers retaliate.
Who's Behind This Bill?
Who Benefits
- ▲ Licensed healthcare providers seeking to discuss emerging therapies and off-label drug uses without fear of licensing board discipline
- ▲ Patients who wish to pursue non-standard treatments with informed consent
- ▲ Healthcare providers who successfully defend against disciplinary action and win court damages for retaliation
Who Pays the Price
- ▼ Licensing boards facing potential civil liability and litigation costs for disciplinary decisions
- ▼ Employers and insurers facing potential litigation from providers alleging retaliation
- ▼ Patients who may pursue unproven treatments and bear medical costs that insurers are not compelled to cover
- ▼ The general fund and judicial system, which may incur increased litigation expenses
Bill statuses as of October 7, 2026. Check LegiScan or NH General Court for the latest.
This bill was auto-scored using AI analysis of the bill text and legislative data. Scores may be refined as we review more bills.