New Hampshire State Laws
✅ Law #1: Insurance Coverage Protections / Surprise Medical Bills & Prosthetics for Minors
Law / Bill: Senate Bill 177; House Bill 1197; Senate Bill 173 (2025) — multiple insurance protection laws. (New Hampshire Bulletin)
Effective: Early 2025 (some as bills signed into law at start of year) (New Hampshire Bulletin)
📝 What it Does
Requires insurers to cover prosthetics and prosthetic care for minors under 19, including all parts and repair, plus instruction on how to use them. (New Hampshire Bulletin)
Also requires insurers to cover intrauterine insemination (IUI) fertility treatment. (New Hampshire Bulletin)
Aligns state law to federal law to prevent surprise medical bills (where patients get billed unexpectedly) in certain circumstances. (New Hampshire Bulletin)
💰 Cost to Taxpayers / State Budget
Likely minimal direct cost to state government; cost borne largely by private insurers and ultimately passed through in premiums.
Some administrative / oversight cost for state insurance regulators.
👥 Who it Helps / Affects
Helps: Minors who need prosthetics; people who need fertility treatments; patients protected from surprise billing.
Affects: Health insurers; medical providers; patients who may see increased premiums in some cases.
🧑⚖️ Who Sponsored / Supported vs. Who Opposed
Supported by patient rights / health advocacy groups; likely opposition from insurer associations concerned about cost.
Sponsors include legislature members backing health access reforms. (Bill texts have sponsors listed in official Legislature records.) (New Hampshire Bulletin)
✅ Pros & ❌ Cons
✅ Pros:
Expands access to medical treatments for minors; increases fairness in billing practices.
Reduces unexpected financial burden on patients/families.
❌ Cons:
Could raise insurance premium costs overall.
Possibility of insurer pushback, delays in implementation.
🗳️ The Ballot Beacon Takeaway
In 2025, NH strengthened health insurance laws: more coverage for minors’ prosthetics, fertility treatments, and protections from surprise medical bills — better access and fairness, but with potential premium impacts.
✅ Law #2: PFAS Disclosure for Real Estate Sales
Law / Bill: Amendment to existing real estate disclosure law regarding PFAS contamination. (https://www.wcax.com)
Effective: January 1, 2025 (https://www.wcax.com)
📝 What it Does
When selling a home, sellers must now inform buyers about potential PFAS water contamination. PFAS are chemicals sometimes found in groundwater/well water. (https://www.wcax.com)
Does not require testing, and does not apply to renters. Also doesn’t require the seller to pay for remediation. (https://www.wcax.com)
💰 Cost to Taxpayers / State Budget
State costs are low; law mostly requires disclosure.
Real estate agents/sellers may incur some paperwork/disclosure costs.
👥 Who it Helps / Affects
Helps: Homebuyers (more information about water safety).
Affects: Home sellers, real estate agents (must provide disclosure).
🧑⚖️ Who Sponsored / Supported vs. Who Opposed
Likely sponsored by public health / environmental protection advocates.
Opposition: some sellers/real estate stakeholders who prefer less disclosure or fear property value impact.
✅ Pros & ❌ Cons
✅ Pros:
Better transparency for buyers.
Encourages awareness of environmental health risks.
❌ Cons:
May cause worry or lower property values in areas with PFAS issues even if risk is minimal.
Sellers may resist or be opposed to additional disclosure burdens.
🗳️ The Ballot Beacon Takeaway
As of Jan 1, 2025, NH requires home sellers to disclose potential PFAS water contamination to buyers — a win for transparency, with some worry about how buyers interpret risk and property values.
✅ Law #3: Parental Medical Leave—“Birth/Adoption Medical Appointments” Unpaid Leave
Law / Bill: Amended RSA 275:37-f (Parental Medical Leave law) (McLane Middleton)
Effective: 2025 (soon after bill signing; applies in first year after birth or adoption) (McLane Middleton)
📝 What it Does
Gives eligible employees up to 25 hours of unpaid leave in the first year after a child is born/adopted. (McLane Middleton)
Leave allowed for attending: childbirth-related medical appointments, postpartum care, or child’s pediatric medical appointments. (McLane Middleton)
💰 Cost to Taxpayers / State Budget
Little/no cost to the state; unpaid leave means no direct wage replacement required.
Some cost for employers to schedule or staff around leave; employees take time off without pay.
👥 Who it Helps / Affects
Helps: New parents (birth/adoption) needing medical appointments for themselves or children.
Affects: Employers (must grant leave without pay); employees in private and public sectors (if eligible).
🧑⚖️ Who Sponsored / Supported vs. Who Opposed
Supported by parent/employee rights advocates.
Likely little high-profile opposition since unpaid leave is less costly than paid leave; but businesses may express concern about productivity or scheduling.
✅ Pros & ❌ Cons
✅ Pros:
Helps parents get medical care without losing job protections.
Recognizes need for medical care around birth/adoption.
❌ Cons:
Unpaid leave means financial hardship for some.
Employers must accommodate schedule disruptions.
🗳️ The Ballot Beacon Takeaway
NH now gives new parents up to 25 unpaid hours (in first year after birth/adoption) for medical appointments — improving access to care, though no pay involved and workplace adjustments needed.
✅ Law #4: Comprehensive Privacy Law — AG Enforcement, Consumer Controls
Law / Bill: New Hampshire’s Consumer Privacy Law (NH’s “comprehensive privacy law”) (Koley Jessen)
Effective: January 1, 2025 (Koley Jessen)
📝 What it Does
Gives people more control over their personal data held by companies: what data is collected, how used.
Attorney General has the sole authority to enforce violations.
Companies get first chance to cure violations after notice. If not cured, AG can act. (Koley Jessen)
💰 Cost to Taxpayers / State Budget
Moderate cost: state AG’s office must monitor, enforce; companies must update privacy policies/compliance.
👥 Who it Helps / Affects
Helps: Consumers wanting privacy; people concerned about how their data is handled.
Affects: Companies doing business in NH—must comply with new rules; policy & legal departments may incur costs.
🧑⚖️ Who Sponsored / Supported vs. Who Opposed
Supported by privacy advocates, consumer protection groups.
Opposition: Some businesses wary of compliance costs, potential liability.
✅ Pros & ❌ Cons
✅ Pros:
Stronger data protection for residents.
Clear enforcement path via the Attorney General.
❌ Cons:
Companies may raise costs or adjust practices in ways that impact consumers.
AG’s resources may be stretched; small businesses may struggle with compliance.
🗳️ The Ballot Beacon Takeaway
Starting Jan 1, 2025, NH’s new privacy law gives consumers more rights over their data, with enforcement via the Attorney General — good for privacy, with compliance effort ahead for businesses.