The governor signed 15 bills into law on May 30, covering topics from family caregiver support to distracted driving fines. Two criminal justice measures — one on record expungement fees and one on identity fraud — were among the more consequential signings of the day.
Signed into Law
Family and child welfare
- SB 608 — Expands support for family caregivers and adds child care assistance for kinship caregivers such as grandparents and relatives raising children. Passed committee 15-0.
- SB 456 — Creates a Commission for Children’s Futures to study and recommend policies on child welfare, education, and health.
Criminal justice
- SB 512 — Removes financial barriers to annulling criminal records for charges that never resulted in a conviction.
- SB 622 — Updates NH’s identity fraud statutes to address modern forms of identity theft.
Energy
- SB 591 — Allows regulated utility companies to own or build electricity generation facilities, reversing a key element of NH’s deregulated energy market structure.
Healthcare and public health
- SB 549 — Requires syringe service programs to offer disposal options for used needles and report on their operations.
- SB 642 — Repeals the state-level institutional review board for human subjects research, with federal oversight remaining in place.
Taxes
- SB 652 — Adjusts the maximum tax credit available to taxpayers who overpay their taxes. Passed committee 19-0.
Public safety and fire
- SB 494 — Updates the state fire code, incident reporting requirements, and the fire marshal’s duties.
- SB 568 — Updates background check procedures for Department of Safety employee candidates.
- SB 649 — Increases fines for using a handheld mobile device while driving.
National Guard
- SB 472 — Removes the maximum age limit for the deputy adjutant general position.
- SB 473 — Defines the term “field officers” in National Guard statutes, a technical clarification.
Licensing and other
- SB 641 — Updates examination requirements for chiropractic licensure.
- SB 629 — Renames a Route 302 roundabout in Conway to “Oliveira Circle.”
To see how your state senator or representative voted on any of these bills, visit nhpolitics.org/find-your-rep.