What happened this week at the State House: 
Legislators voted this week to send many bills to Committees of Conference, one of the last steps before they become law. House Representatives and Senators in the Committees of Conference are hashing out the final details. Some bills, though, skip Conference Committees and go straight to the Governor’s desk. In great news, the NH Senate voted to kill the conscientious objection exemption to vaccines. Thank you to you, your staff, and your board members for all of your emails and phone calls to your legislators. It means so much! 

What's going on next week: 
Thursday, May 26th is the last day to act on committee of conference reports. The House and Senate will be meeting in their respective chambers on May 26th beginning at 10:00 am to vote on the reports. Committee of Conference meetings and reports can be found on the General Court website here.

Heading to the Committee of Conference for consideration:

• HB 103 (Bi-State supports): This bill improves the health of Granite Staters by extending the state’s Medicaid program to cover dental services for individuals in need. Please know: HB 103 is identical to SB 422, which is headed to the Governor's desk for signature.

Here is a list of bills headed to the Governor's desk:

• HB 1131 (Bi-State opposes): This bill prohibits school boards and other public education agencies from adopting, enforcing, or implementing a policy that requires students or members of the public to wear a facial covering. Yesterday, the House concurred with the Senate’s amendments. We are concerned about the impact this bill will have on the State’s ability to respond to COVID, future public health emergencies, and children with disabilities. Click here to read Bi-State's sign-on letter asking the Governor to veto HB 1131.
• HB 1606 (Bi-State opposes): This bill weakens NH’s vaccine registry by forcing individuals to opt-in to participate rather than allowing them to opt-out, as is the case under current law. 
• HB 503 (Bi-State supports): This bill increases access to substance use treatment over telehealth by eliminating the requirement for in-person consultation prior to prescription of Medication-Assisted Treatment. 
• SB 444 (Bi-State supports): This bill expands access to child-parent psychotherapy services and creates a program for young children who have experienced adverse childhood events and other emotional trauma. 
• HB 1526 (Bi-State supports): This bill increases access to health care by expanding income limits for participation in NH’s “In & Out” Medical Assistance” program.
• SB 422 (Bi-State supports): This bill promotes the health of Granite Staters by extending the state’s Medicaid program to cover dental services for individuals in need. In great news, the House and Senate gave final approval to SB 422. The new benefits would have no cap on benefits or copays for preventive services. Coverage for dentures would be provided only for Medicaid recipients with developmental disabilities, acquired brain disorders, and those in the Choices for Independence program, which includes the elderly and people with chronic illness or disabilities. Read NH Bulletin article.
• HB 1609 (Bi-State supports): This bill would repeal the ultrasound mandate and add a fatal fetal exception to the abortion ban.
• HB 1625 (Bi-State opposes): This bill would repeal NH's patient safety zone law. Read PPNNE's 5/13 recap of ongoing actions on federal and state reproductive health bills.  

• When Will COVID-19 Vaccine Be Available For Children Under 5 Years of Age?
• Will Children 5-11 Years of Age Be Eligible for Vaccine Booster Doses?
• Will Another COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Be Needed for Everybody This Fall or Winter?
• Will a Fall/Winter Booster Vaccine Formulation Need to be Updated to Cover Emerging Variants?
• COVID-19 & Mortality
• COVID-19 & Grief
• Indirect COVID-19 Impacts