2022 Health Policy & Other Bills

In 2022, more than 30 pieces of legislation were introduced that, if passed, would have greatly undermined our public health infrastructure like never before. We followed these bills as part of our 2022 Campaign for a Healthy New Hampshire. 
 

CAMPAIGN FOR A HEALTHY NH BILLS

HB 255: RELATIVE TO PROHIBITING VACCINE MANDATES BY NH EMPLOYERS: This bill, which was held over from the 2021 session, proposed to allow any individual to request a conscientious exemption for the COVID-19 vaccine. 

  • New Futures opposed
  • Bill stalled  

 

HB 1210: RELATIVE TO EXEMPTIONS FROM VACCINE MANDATES: This legislation would allow families to opt out of school vaccine requirements for philosophical reasons.

  • New Futures opposed
  • Defeated in Senate 

 

HB 1035: RELATIVE TO EXEMPTIONS FROM SCHOOL VACCINE MANDATES: This bill would require all private employers and colleges and universities to grant requests for a conscientious exemption from employees or students for all vaccines.  Further, it would prohibit an employer from requiring vaccines or any medical treatment approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration only for emergency or experimental use.

  • Amended to clarify requirements to secure religious exemptions from school vaccine requirements 
  • Passed House, Senate; signed into law

 

HB 1606: MAKING THE STATE VACCINE REGISTRY AN OPT-IN PROGRAM: HB 1606 would have weakened NH’s vaccine registry, a critical tool in increasing vaccination rates and combatting infectious disease, by forcing individuals to opt-in to participate rather than allowing them to opt-out, as was current law.

  • New Futures opposed 
  • Passed House, Senate; signed into law

 

SB 288: PROHIBITING THE REQUIRING OF COVID-19 VACCINATIONS FOR SCHOOLS OR CHILD CARE AGENCIES - would have unnecessarily and adversely impacts the childcare market in New Hampshire – potentially limiting both access for families and narrowing the market for providers. 

  • Amended to create a committee to study childhood vaccination
  • Passed Senate, House; signed into law 

 

SB 374: RELATIVE TO SARS-CoV-2 VACCINATIONS - Would have prohibited a person from requiring that an individual who had COVID-19 or who is under the age of 18 receive a vaccination against the virus as a condition for employment, education, or access to businesses or entities open to the public. 

  • New Futures opposed 
  • Defeated in Senate 18-6 (interim study) 

 

 

OTHER BILLS 

HB 103 & SB 422: ESTABLISHING A DENTAL BENEFIT UNDER THE STATE MEDICAID PROGRAM 

  • New Futures supported 
  • HB 103 was signed into law by Gov. Sununu on July 7, 2022 

 

HB 1674 & HB 1673: RELATIVE TO REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS AND WOMEN'S HEALTH PRIVACY AND REPEALING THE FETAL HEALTH PROTECTION ACT

  • HB 1674: New Future supported this bill which would have repealed NH's 24-week abortion ban. The bill stalled in the House. 
  • HB 1673: New Futures supported this bill, which would have removed ultrasound requirements for abortion. This bill was defeated in the Senate. 

 

HB 1028: RELATIVE TO THE FORM OF INDIVIDUAL HEALTH INSURANCE POLICIES - This bill would have diminished quality and affordability of health care by allowing unlimited renewals of short-term, low coverage insurance plans. 

  • New Futures opposed 
  • Defeated in House 

 

HB 1526: RELATIVE TO INCOME ELIGIBILITY FOR IN & OUT MEDICAL ASSISTANCE - Increases access to health care by expanding income limits for participation in New Hampshire’s “In & Out” Medical Assistance” program, which supports certain individuals in need.

  • New Futures supported
  • Passed House, Senate; signed into law