On Thursday, June 26, the New Hampshire Legislature officially concluded its 2025 session after 169 days of deliberation, during which lawmakers introduced 731 House bills, 296 Senate bills, and filed 836 legislative service requests. The session was marked by intense policy debates, partisan divides, and negotiations that culminated in the passage of a $15.9 billion two-year state budget. Governor Kelly Ayotte (R), in her first full year in office, has so far signed over 100 bills into law and issued several vetoes. Here’s a look at what you may have missed:
Maternal Health Law
In response to New Hampshire’s ongoing maternal health crisis, marked by the closure of 11 maternity wards since 2000 and the leading cause of maternal death being behavioral health, a bipartisan coalition of lawmakers introduced Senate Bill 246, known as “Momnibus 2.0.” Building on the success of 2023’s “Momnibus 1.0,” this comprehensive legislation aimed to expand maternal mental health services, improve insurance coverage for prenatal and postpartum depression screenings, and strengthen workplace protections for parents. The bill also mandates Medicaid and private insurers to cover mental health screenings during well-child visits and for those who have experienced pregnancy loss, adoption, or fostering. It prohibits employers from penalizing parents for attending fertility, pregnancy, or postpartum medical appointments. Additionally, the bill funds rural maternal health training, creates a perinatal psychiatric consult line, and tasks the Insurance Department with investigating the causes behind maternity ward closures.
Signed into law by Governor Kelly Ayotte as part of the state’s FY 2026–2027 budget, Momnibus 2.0 represents a major bipartisan achievement and a transformative investment in families. The law also includes several new initiatives: increased home visiting for postpartum care, peer mental health support programs, and copay waivers for mental health and substance use treatment for perinatal patients.
Medicaid Overhaul
House Bill 2, one of the two major budget bills signed into law by Governor Kelly Ayotte, includes sweeping changes to New Hampshire’s Medicaid program by incorporating provisions from multiple bills debated throughout the 2025 legislative session. Among the most consequential changes are the introduction of monthly premiums: $60 for individuals and up to $100 for a family of four at the federal poverty level. It also includes the reinstatement of pre-pandemic income verification requirements. The bill directs the Department of Health and Human Services to seek federal approval for imposing a Medicaid work requirement, a move that must first pass the state’s Joint Legislative Fiscal Committee before submission to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Additionally, the bill includes a provision to request a waiver to raise prescription drug copays from $1 to $4 for Medicaid recipients.
While House Bill 2 imposes new financial and eligibility hurdles for Medicaid beneficiaries, it also includes targeted expansions to services. The budget authorizes Medicaid to cover name-brand drugs in cases where they are less expensive than generics and directs the state to accelerate implementation of an at-home dialysis program. It calls for an incentive structure to encourage the use of lower-cost outpatient care settings. Though framed by supporters as a cost-containment and modernization effort, critics argue these measures affect low-income residents in a state where roughly 1 in 7 people rely on Medicaid. Taken together, the Medicaid provisions in House Bill 2 underscore a shift toward stricter program requirements while selectively expanding services, which is a reflection of the broader legislative priorities negotiated throughout the 2025 session.
Budget
New Hampshire’s latest $15.9 billion two-year budget includes a wide range of initiatives spanning healthcare, education, infrastructure, and public services. Key highlights include new funding, increased fees, and updated policies aimed at improving public systems and services across the state. These updates reflect the state’s efforts to modernize systems, improve health access, and support student learning, while also generating additional revenue through adjusted fees. The following are some of the key priorities included for the budget:
- Health and Human Services: Health insurers must now cover maternal depression screenings. The Department of Health and Human Services must establish statewide access points for substance use services, resubmit a Section 1115 Medicaid waiver by January 1, 2026, to enforce community engagement and work requirements, and use $33.75 million during the 2025–27 biennium for the Medicaid Enterprise Modular Strategy.
- Education: School boards and charter schools are now required to adopt a policy for student use of cell phones and personal electronic devices. The Department of Education will receive $1.5 million annually in FY 2026 and 2027 to fund high-quality, evidence-based K–12 learning platforms.
- Motor Vehicles & Transportation: The Division of Motor Vehicles is directed to implement mobile driver's licenses and non-driver IDs and an electronic system to manage their use. DMV fees have been increased.
- Natural Resources & Infrastructure: Annual registration fees were raised for dams of all hazard potential levels, and the fee for each gallon of imported automotive oil increased to 5 cents.
Looking Ahead
As the 2025 legislative session comes to a close, New Hampshire’s Republican-led government, which was established after the 2024 elections, has shaped the state’s policy landscape under a unified partisan banner. With a 16-8 majority in the Senate, a 222-178 majority in the House, and control of the governorship, Republicans governed with a clear legislative advantage, although not with a veto-proof supermajority. New Hampshire remains one of 23 states with a Republican trifecta, but the absence of a supermajority preserved some room for negotiation and restraint. The session reflected the influence of this political alignment, setting the stage for future debates and decisions as the state moves forward.
The House and Senate will recess for the next two months, with legislative activity set to resume in September and October as committees begin reviewing bills they retained or re-referred, such as those tabled for further consideration. With the bills that Governor Kelly Ayotte (R) has vetoed, both chambers are required to reconvene in a veto session this fall to vote on whether to sustain or override the governor’s decision. Additionally, numerous bills that successfully passed through both the House and Senate are awaiting governor action. Looking ahead to the 2026 session, House members will have a bill filing window from September 15-19, while senators will have a filing period from September 3-12.
To stay up to date with New Hampshire interim activity, please reach out to Stateside.