Joe Sweeney

SB 263 (2023)

Permanently reauthorizes the New Hampshire Granite Advantage Health Care Program, commonly known as expanded Medicaid. Previous law ended the program on December 31, 2023. This bill also reestablishes and revises the commission to evaluate the New Hampshire Granite Advantage Health Care Program, commonly known as expanded Medicaid.

HB 106 (2023)

Establishes a procedure for issuing "extreme risk protection orders" to protect against persons who pose an immediate risk of harm to themselves or others. An extreme risk protection order would restrict a person's access to firearms, and is also known as a "red flag law."

HB 59 (2023)

Requires commercial sales and transfers of firearms to take place through licensed dealers. Those dealers are required to perform background checks.

HB 208 (2023)

Establishes greenhouse gas emission reduction goals for the state, to net zero by 2050. This bill also requires the Department of Environmental Services to develop a climate action plan by July 1, 2024, that includes evaluation of best available information, considers inclusion of strategies, programs and compliance mechanisms with measurable goals and targets, considers opportunities to encourage investment in low/moderate income, rural and minority communities, makes recommendations on retraining and apprenticeship opportunities, and coordinates with other state agencies.

HB 523 (2023)

Increases the maximum electric generating capacity to participate in net energy metering, from one to five megawatts. This bill also modifies the transition of tariffs applicable to some customer-generators.

HB 57 (2023)

Gradually raises the minimum wage to $15 per hour over the next three years, with future adjustments based on the consumer price index. This bill also raises the tipped minimum wage from 45% to 50% of the regular minimum wage. Lastly, this bill allows a minimum wage of $8 per hour for youth under age 18 for the first six months of employment.

HB 624 (2023)

Requires state and local law enforcement to notify the public before an immigration checkpoint.

HB 567 (2023)

Requires at least 30 days written notice for a rent increase. Large, multi-unit rental owners must provide at least 60 days notice. If the rent increase is over 15%, large multi-unit landlords must provide at least 6 months notice.

HB 10 (2023)

Establishes a parental bill of rights. Some of the parental rights in this bill include:
"The right to direct the education and care of his or her minor child"
"The right to be physically present at any health care facility ... at which their minor child is receiving hospital care"
"The right to consent in writing before a biometric scan of his or her minor child is made, shared, or stored"

HB 2 (2023)

State budget bill (part 2). The governor presented his proposal for the next state budget February 14. The House and Senate both made changes to that proposal. Click here to read a summary of the 2023 budget process.

SB 272 (2023)

Establishes a parental bill of rights in education. Some of the parental rights in this bill include:
"The right to access and review all medical records of a child maintained by a school or school personnel"
"The right to inquire of the school or school personnel and to be truthfully and completely informed if the child is being identified or referred to by school district staff, as being of a gender other than that of which the child was identified or referred when enrolled"

HB 367 (2023)

Increases the maximum household income limit for participation in the Education Freedom Account program, from 300% to 500% of the federal poverty guidelines. The Education Freedom Account program allows families to spend the state's per-pupil share of education funding on private or home school expenses.

The House amended the bill to only increase the income limit to 350% of the federal poverty guidelines.

HB 224 (2023)

Repeals the civil and criminal penalties for health care providers who violate the state's ban on abortion after 24 weeks.

HB 639 (2023)

Legalizes marijuana for adults over age twenty-one. The bill allows limited home-growing of marijuana. A new Cannabis Commission would oversee licensing and regulations related to the manufacture, testing, and sale of legal marijuana. Cannabis sales would be taxed under the Meals and Rooms tax system. Alternative Treatment Centers, which currently serve the state's medical marijuana patients, would be allowed to apply for a "dual use certificate" that allows them to participate in recreational marijuana business. Towns could limit marijuana businesses.

HB 557 (2023)

Removes the authority of the Department of Health and Human Services to require vaccinations beyond those in state law. This bill specifically notes that the requirements for chickenpox, Hepatitis B, and Hib vaccinations will expire in 2026.

HB 1431 (2022)

Establishes a parental bill of rights. Some of the parental rights in this bill include:

HB 1598 (2022)

Allows personal consumption and possession of marijuana over age 21, with some limits (e.g. four ounces of cannabis in plant form). Home-growing would be illegal. The state Liquor Commission would regulate marijuana growing and sales. Revenue from marijuana sales would go to substance misuse-related education, prevention, treatment, and recovery; and offsetting the statewide education property tax.

HB 1661 (2022)

Requires sending district schools and career and technical education (CTE) centers to enter into an agreement to include scheduling, access, transportation and credits for CTE students.

The House amended the bill to also set aside $35 million for a new legislative parking garage. The Senate revised the bill to lower this number to $9.35 million.

The Senate also amended this bill to add the substance of SB 430, an omnibus bill about care covered under Medicaid, childcare regulations, and more.

HB 1609 (2022)

Revises the law banning abortions after 24 weeks gestation to include exceptions for rape, incest, and fatal fetal anomalies. This bill also repeals the requirement to conduct an obstetric ultrasound before every abortion. Lastly, this bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services to compile and publish an annual report of statistics relative to abortions after 24 weeks.

HB 1668 (2022)

Requires commercial sales and transfers of firearms to take place through licensed dealers. Those dealers are required to perform background checks. Also requires private sales or transfers to go through a licensed firearm dealer, if it's not absolutely clear that both the owner and the recipient are allowed to own guns.

HB 1576 (2022)

Repeals the law aimed at banning critical race theory in public schools and workplaces. That law prohibits the teaching of certain concepts in school and public employee trainings. For example, the law prohibits teaching that people of a certain race or sex are "inherently racist, sexist, or oppressive, whether consciously or unconsciously."

HB 227 (2021)

Allows a landlord to evict a tenant at the expiration of the term of the lease or tenancy, if the term is longer than six months.  The House amended the bill to also require the landlord to give 30 days' notice.

HB 1022 (2022)

Authorizes pharmacists to dispense Ivermectin pursuant to a standing order from a physician or APRN. 

The Senate amended the bill to also establish a commission to study the use of Ivermectin to treat Covid-19 and to provide a recommendation regarding whether to make the standing order permanent.

HB 1131 (2022)

Prohibits public schools from adopting, enforcing, or implementing a policy that requires students or members of the public to wear a facial covering.

HB 1178 (2022)

Prohibits any state or local enforcement of any federal laws or actions aimed at limiting firearms.

SB 418 (2022)

Establishes "affidavit balloting" for voters who do not have a valid identification at the polls. Those voters would be given a prepaid envelope to return with documentation proving their eligibility to vote, and their "affidavit ballots" would be numbered and counted separately. Any voter who fails to provide documentation proving their eligibility to vote within ten days of the election would have their ballot pulled and their votes deducted from the official vote totals.

HB 1080 (2022)

Creates a right for health care providers to conscientiously object to participating in providing abortion, sterilization, or artificial contraception services.

HB 1221 (2022)

Reduces the Business Profits Tax rate from 7.6% to 7.5% and the Business Enterprise Tax rate from 0.55% to 0.50% for taxable periods ending on or after December 31, 2023.

The House amended the bill to only cut the Business Profits Tax to 7.5%.

The Senate amended the bill to also provide towns and cities with 7.5% of their retirement contribution costs for teachers, police officers, and firefighters for one year.

HB 1683 (2022)

Repeal the Education Freedom Account program. The program allows the parent of a school age child to receive funds from a scholarship organization to pay for education expenses.

HB 1495 (2022)

Prohibits employee vaccine requirements for any state or local government employees or government contractors. This bill has an exception for medical providers when there is a direct threat present.

The House amended the bill to prohibit any state or local government from requiring businesses to implement a vaccine mandate, with an exception for medical facilities.

HB 1455 (2022)

Prohibits state enforcement of any federal law, order, or rule that requires an individual, as a condition of employment or any other activity, to provide proof of vaccination against COVID-19 or to submit more than once per month to COVID-19 testing.

HB 1210 (2022)

Requires public employers, private employers, and postsecondary education institutions that receive public funds and mandate a vaccination or other inoculation procedure to accept an employee's or student's request for a medical, religious, or right of conscience exemption.

HB 177 (2021)

Prohibits the siting of new landfills, excluding expansions of existing landfills, within 2 miles of state parks. "State parks" do not include state historic sites and recreational rail trails.

The House voted to add this bill to SB 103, but the Senate rejected that change.

HB 121 (2021)

Establishes a fifteen member independent redistricting commission, appointed by House and Senate party leaders after an application process.

SB 89 (2021)

The House voted to add a new section to the bill that states New Hampshire election laws will not be affected by the passage of the federal "For the People Act."  Supporters argue that this is an important measure to protect the integrity of New Hampshire elections from federal interference.  Opponents argue it is unconstitutional to attempt to nullify federal laws, and this measure could require New Hampshire to run two separate election systems, one for state officials and one for federal officials.

SB 61 (2021)

Right-to-work bill that prohibits collective bargaining agreements that require employees to join or contribute to a labor union.

HB 1 (2021)

State budget bill.  The governor presented his version of the next state budget February 11.  The House passed a revised version of his budget on April 7.  The Senate passed a different version on June 3.  The House and Senate passed a final version on June 24. Click here to read a summary of the 2021 budget proposals.

HB 2 (2021)

State budget bill (part 2). The governor presented his version of the next state budget February 11.  The House passed a revised version of his budget on April 7.  The Senate passed a different version on June 3. The House and Senate passed a final version on June 24.  Click here to read a summary of the budget proposals.

SB 141 (2021)

Authorizes the FBI to conduct all National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) searches concerning the purchase, sale, and transfer of firearms through Federal Firearm Licensees operating in New Hampshire. This bill then abolishes the "gun line" in the State Police and repeals the state’s partial point of contact system for handguns, allowing the authority to remain exclusively with the FBI.

HB 625 (2021)

Prohibits abortion after 24 weeks gestation, unless there is a medical emergency.  There are no exceptions for rape or incest.

The House and Senate added a similar ban to the 2021 state budget bill.

HB 458 (2021)

Repeals the the law that requires public middle schools and high schools to provide menstrual hygiene products at no cost. This bill then permits school health departments "to make reasonable efforts to secure, through grants and donations, and distribute menstrual hygiene products to students in need."

HB 542 (2021)

Excludes religious gatherings from any prohibition on in-person gatherings during a state of emergency.  The House amended the bill to more broadly protect religious activities. The Senate amended the bill to narrow its scope again; the Senate version requires the state to allow religious services and other activities to proceed to the same or greater extent as other essential business activity during a state of emergency.

HB 593 (2015)

Permits qualifying patients and registered caregivers to grow medicinal marijuana at home.

HB 1694 (2016)

Legalizes and taxes marijuana for adults over age twenty-one.

HB 1616 (2016)

Allows a person obtaining a driver's license to choose whether the license complies with the federal Real ID Act of 2005.

HB 1374 (2016)

Requires moneys paid into the Renewable Energy Fund to be rebated to ratepayers, rather than spent on other renewable energy projects.

HB 1623 (2016)

Prohibits abortion based on genetic abnormality.

HB 1696 (2016)

Continues expanded Medicaid eligibility, with some revisions. This bill adds work requirements to eligibility for expanded Medicaid. Additional funding is provided by the insurance premium tax, paid by insurance companies.

HB 1480 (2016)

Raises the minimum wage to $8.25 in 2017, $9 in 2018, and $9.50 in 2019.

HB 1338 (2016)

Allows parents and guardians to opt their students out of the statewide assessment test, and prohibits schools and the state from penalizing students who do not take statewide assessments.

SB 576 (2016)

This bill includes many regulations aimed at combating heroin and prescription drug abuse. For example, this bill increases the penalties for abusing fentanyl and provides funding for an upgrade to the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program.

SB 498 (2016)

Reduces the penalty for possessing 1/4 ounce or less of marijuana from a class A to an unspecified misdemeanor.

SB 336 (2016)

Removes the phrase "suitable person" from the law governing concealed carry permits, and instead requires law enforcement to issue a permit so long as the person is not prohibited from owning a firearm by state or federal law.

SB 4 (2015)

Tightens the definition of domicile for the purpose of voting.  In particular, the final version of this bill requires a voter to live in New Hampshire at least 10 days before voting.

HB 403 (2015)

Repeals the law establishing a protest-free buffer zone around reproductive health clinics.

HB 684 (2015)

Raises the minimum wage to $9.10 in 2016, $11.40 in 2017, and $14.25 in 2018. Starting in 2019, the minimum wage is adjusted according to cost of living.

HB 563 (2015)

Adjusts the additional grants for chartered public school pupils based on the Consumer Price Index, and increases the per pupil state funding for charter school students by $1,000.

SB 106 (2015)

Prohibits the sale, use, or possession of synthetic drugs, such as "spice."

HB 618 (2015)

Decriminalizes possession of 1/2 ounce or less of marijuana, with additional penalties for violators under age twenty-one.

HB 658 (2015)

Right-to-Work bill that prohibits collective bargaining agreements that require employees to join or contribute to a labor union.

SB 40 (2015)

Includes fetuses as potential victims under murder statutes.  The original Senate version of the bill applied to "viable fetuses," meaning the fetus is old enough to survive outside the womb.  The House revised the bill to apply to all fetuses eight weeks and older.  The House and Senate did not agree on a final version of the bill.

SB 30 (2015)

Extends the use of municipal economic development and revitalization districts to certain unincorporated places.

SB 113 (2015)

Authorizes two casinos in New Hampshire. One destination casino would pay a $80 million license fee; a smaller casino would pay $40 million to the state. SB 113 also earmarks $25 million in casino profits for distribution to all New Hampshire municipalities.

HB 1 (2015)

2016-2017 state budget bill (part 1).  The budget cuts business taxes, restores the Rainy Day Fund, and increases funding for some social services.  The budget does not reauthorize Medicaid expansion or include a pay raise negotiated with state employees.

SB 116 (2015)

Increases the length of time for which a license to carry a concealed firearm is valid, and repeals the requirement to obtain a license to carry a concealed firearm.

HB 136 (2015)

Prohibits tanning facilities from tanning anyone under age 18. At the time of this bill's submission, the law allowed tanning under age 18 with a parent or guardian's consent.

SB 101 (2015)

Prohibits the Department of Education and the state Board of Education from implementing the Common Core standards in any school or school district in this state.

SB 179 (2015)

Requires that a voter has lived in the state and county for at least 30 days.

SB 169 (2015)

Forbids the use of EBT cards or cash from EBT cards for alcohol, tobacco, gambling, lottery tickets, tattoos, firearms, or adult entertainment.

HB 1503 (2014)

Originally written to include fetuses eight weeks and older as potential victims under first and second degree murder, manslaughter, negligent homicide, and causing or aiding suicide.  The House amended the bill to instead increase penalties for for manslaughter or negligent homicide causing a miscarriage or stillbirth.

SB 319 (2014)

Authorizes "buffer zones" for protestors around reproductive health clinics.

SB 3 (2014)

Removes all tolls in Merrimack.

HB 1325 (2014)

Allows physician-assisted suicide.

HB 1360 (2014)

Forbids cell phone use while driving, unless hands-free.

SB 367 (2014)

Increases the gas tax by four-cents per gallon and removes the toll at Exit 12 in Merrimack.

SB 413 (2014)

Expands Medicaid eligibility, using private insurance wherever possible.

HB 1403 (2014)

Raises the minimum wage, starting at $9 per hour.

HB 1411 (2014)

Sends some of last year's budget surplus to the Department of Health and Human Services.

SB 203 (2014)

Forbids the use of EBT cards or cash from EBT cards for alcohol, tobacco, lottery tickets, firearms, or adult entertainment.

HB 1602 (2014)

Givies the Public Utilities Commission the power to force PSNH to sell its power plants. This bill also requires the state Site Evaluation Committee to address scenic impacts, sound impacts, fire protection plans, and more when evaluating wind farm proposals.

HB 1625 (2014)

Decriminalizes possession of one ounce or less of marijuana, with additional penalties for violators under age twenty-one.

SB 318 (2014)

Establishes the crime of domestic violence.

HB 1170 (2014)

Repeals the death penalty.

SB 207 (2014)

“Pay Equity Law,” a bill to combat pay discrimination based on gender, forbidding employers from restricting employees from discussing wages, and allowing a three year deadline to report pay discrimination to the state (current deadline is one year).

HB 1633 (2014)

Authorizes one casino in New Hampshire, regulated by the Gaming Commission.

HB 1294 (2014)

Requires Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield to allow any health provider into their network for the purpose of participating in the online health insurance exchange.

HB 1508 (2014)

Terminates New Hampshire’s participation in the Common Core educational standards.

HB 1486 (2014)

Decreases the fine for underage drinking from $300 to $100 on first offense and from $600 to $300 on a subsequent offense.

HB 443 (2013)

Bans prison privatization.

HB 370 (2013)

Repeals the education tax credit program, in which businesses receive tax breaks for contributing to a scholarship fund for low income students that wish to attend private school.

HB 306 (2013)

Changes RGGI to dedicate some of the proceeds to ratepayer rebates, and lowering the cap on carbon emissions, which will raise the cost of carbon credits to utilities and utility bills to consumers.

HB 659 (2013)

Increases the tobacco tax.

HB 135 (2013)

Limits the use of deadly force, repealing "Stand Your Ground" in favor of the "Castle Doctrine." Under this bill victims could use deadly force within their homes without retreating, but anywhere else they would have to attempt retreat before resorting to deadly force.

HB 271 (2013)

Forbids NH from expanding Medicaid eligibility under the federal Affordable Care Act.

HB 630 (2013)

Reallocates proceeds from RGGI to the low-income energy efficiency program.

HB 1 (2013)

Final 2014-2015 state budget, including increased funding for higher education, increased funding for services for individuals with mental illness and/or other disabilities, no Medicaid expansion, and no gas tax increase.

SB 153 (2013)

Gives the legislature power to review collective bargaining agreements entered into by the state.

HB 573 (2013)

Allows medicinal use of marijuana, without allowing home growing.

HB 501 (2013)

Sets the state minimum wage at $7.25, in place of federal minimum wage.

HB 2 (2013)

Makes various appropriations related to the budget bill, and establishes commissions to study Medicaid expansion and casino regulations.

SB 1 (2013)

Increases the Research and Development tax credit.

SB 163 (2013)

Establishes a commission to recommend legislation to prepare for projected sea level rise and other coastal and coastal watershed hazards.

HB 451 (2013)

Increases the length of time for which a license to carry a concealed firearm is valid, and repeals the requirement to obtain a license to carry a concealed firearm.

HB 323 (2013)

Right-to-Work bill that prohibits collective bargaining agreements that require employees to join or contribute to a labor union.

SB 152 (2013)

Authorizes a casino.

HB 595 (2013)

Revises 2011 voter ID law to delay requirement that poll workers photograph voters without ID; also allows student ID at polls.