2024 Legislative Session (Midpoint)

April 11 was CROSSOVER for the House and Senate. The “crossover” deadline is the last day for a bill to pass out of the chamber in which it was introduced and move forward for consideration in the opposite chamber. This is also considered the middle point of the Legislative session which is scheduled to conclude in early June.

On April 11, the NH House adopted the House Finance committee report on HB1593-FN below (the bill will now be worked in the Senate).

HB 1593-FN, (New Title) making an appropriation to the department of health and human services to support recreational activities for individuals with developmental disabilities. OUGHT TO PASS WITH AMENDMENT. Rep. Jerry Stringham for Finance. This bipartisan bill came out of the Health and Human Services Committee with a 17-3 recommendation and passed by the House on a voice vote. This bill was necessitated by a disruption to the developmental services program that was caused by an unannounced change in the list of eligible services during this budget cycle. Individuals previously receiving recreational services, like bowling, swimming, karate, and other activities that promote socialization with the general public and help advance health and safety goals, are no longer part of the developmental disability Medicaid waiver program. This bill provides a maximum of $600 per person through the end of this budget cycle, prioritizing those who participated in these programs under a prior individualized service budget, and it would be effective upon passage. The program would have an income and medical necessity means test for any participant. The appropriation is $500,000 with comparable savings that occurred with the discontinuation of the same services under the disability waiver program. This is a one-time fix and does not create an ongoing obligation for the legislature to address this and other issues in providing services to the developmental disability community beyond this biennium. The Finance Committee amended the bill to limit these services to adults who have left the school system and thus have fewer opportunities for community recreational programs. The amendment also requires the Department of Health and Human Services to produce a timely report so that adjustments to the developmentally disabled program could be included for the next biennium. Vote 23-1.

Upcoming Public Hearings:

• Hearing: 04/18/2024, Room 101, LOB, at 1:00 pm

HB 1168, establishing a committee to study the impact of the housing crisis on people with disabilities.

• Hearing: 04/23/2024, Room LOB, 302-304 at 2:15 pm

SB 353, relative to insurance coverage for autism spectrum disorder and Down syndrome.

Priority Bills:

(Note from Will Walker - the color coding below represents a rough prioritization of bills. Red bills are tracked very closely and involve giving testimony)

Red Bills

• HB 1168, establishing a committee to study the impact of the housing crisis on people with disabilities.
• HB 1291, relative to accessory dwelling unit uses allowed by right.
• HB 1593, making an appropriation to the department of health and human services to support recreational activities for individuals with developmental disabilities.
• SB 408, establishing a committee to study the effects of the housing crisis on the disability community.
• SB 353, relative to insurance coverage for autism spectrum disorder and Down syndrome.

Yellow Bills

• HB 1615, relative to the autism registry
• SB 403, relative to health care workforce investments
• HB 1069, relative to material subject to disclosure following a public meeting under the right-to-know law

Closely Monitor

• HB 1028, relative to the definition of mental illness for purposes of the New Hampshire mental health services system

Alex Koutroubas

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