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SB 37 · 2025 · Senate · Health and Human Services Committee

Residential care facility licensing updates

AI-generated

relative to residential care and health facility licensing.

Revises residential care and health facility licensing requirements by mandating quality assurance programs, requiring public posting of inspection results, and updating terminology and training requirements.AI-generated

Status

Killed in the House — Inexpedient to Legislate · May 22, 2025
  1. ✓Introduced
  2. ✓Senate
  3. ✕House
  4. Governor
  5. Law

Analysis

This bill revises residential care and health facility licensing requirements by (1) requiring licensed residential care facilities to have quality assurance programs; (2) requiring the results of investigations and inspections to be posted on the department of health and human services website; (3) removing a redundant reference to administrative fines; (4) changing the term “hospital” to the term “facility;” and (5) removing the word “continuing” from the initial education requirements and replacing the term “ongoing training” with continuing education in the annual training requirement.

From the bill's official ANALYSIS section.

In the bill's words

Quoted verbatim from the bill as amended by the Senate. Passages chosen from the operative text.Computed by this site

“All [administrative fines and other] civil monetary penalties collected by the department from facilities licensed under this chapter shall be kept by the state treasurer in a separate, non-lapsing, interest bearing account.”
RSA 151:16-b
“The commissioner shall adopt rules to require at least 6 hours of initial [continuing] education for covered administrative staff members and covered direct service staff members and shall require at least 4 hours of [ongoing training] continuing education each calendar year.”
RSA 151:50
“The moneys in the account shall be used by the department for the protection of the health and property of residents of facilities licensed under this chapter.”
RSA 151:16-b
“Such continuing education shall include new information on best practices in the treatment and care of persons with dementia.”
RSA 151:50

Official record

Bill page — docket & status

gc.nh.gov · the authoritative source

Sponsors

Sen. Howard PearlRPrimeChair· Executive Departments and Administration
  • Sen. Regina BirdsellRMajority Leader
  • Sen. Cindy RosenwaldDDeputy Democratic Leader
  • Rep. Jaci GroteDDemocratic Advisor

Also: Rep. Mark PearsonR

Public testimony

12 signed in online · 2 wrote testimony

58% support42% oppose0% neutral

In their wordsVerbatim, exactly as submitted

“absolutely essential for the maintenance of health and safety standards”
— Cynthia Vascak, Camptonsupports
“Vaccines are necessary to keep our children safe! Do not turn us into Texas! For those of us with medically complex children worrying about diseases that could easily be vaccinated against is just another stress we are already fighting for so much.”
— Karla Gallaway, Exeteropposes

Verbatim excerpts of submitted testimony, quoted from the testimony tool.

Read the testimony · as of Aug 12, 2026

Votes

yeanay
Starting text: Bill as introduced
  • Jan 30, 2025SenateCommittee report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2025-0012s5–0
    Overall
    100% yea
  • Feb 13, 2025SenateCommittee reportCommittee report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2025-0012s5–0
    Overall
    100% yea
  • Feb 13, 2025SenateVoice voteCommittee amendment 2025-0012sadopted
  • Feb 13, 2025SenateVoice voteSen. Pearl Floor Amendment # 2025-0307sadopted
  • Feb 13, 2025SenateVoice voteOught to Pass with Amendments #2025-0012s and #2025-0307sadopted
    Resulting text: Bill as amended by the Senate
  • Apr 30, 2025HouseCommittee report· regular calendar: Inexpedient to Legislate10–8
    Overall
    56% yea
  • May 22, 2025HouseDivisionInexpedient to LegislateAdopted195–164
    Overall
    54% yea

Hearings and debates

  • Jan 15, 2025Public hearingSenate Health and Human Services20:42–26:556m 13slocated in the stream transcriptHearing
  • Feb 13, 2025Floor debateSenate floor1:13:28–1:18:074m 39slocated in the stream transcriptCommittee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2025-0012s; Ought to Pass with Amendments #2025-0012s and #2025-0307s — adopted, voice vote; Committee Amendment # 2025-0012s — adopted, voice vote
  • Apr 9, 2025Public hearingHouse Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs33:03–45:3412m 31slocated in the stream transcriptPublic Hearing
  • Apr 30, 2025Public hearingHouse Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs20:14–26:326m 18slocated in the stream transcriptMajority Committee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate — roll call; Executive Session
  • May 22, 2025Floor debateHouse floor1:02:15–1:10:087m 53slocated in the stream transcriptInexpedient to Legislate — adopted, division 195-164

Timestamps locate where this bill is taken up in the chamber's YouTube stream.

Legislative history

  1. Jan 8, 2025SenIntroduced 01/08/2025 and Referred to Health and Human Services; SJ 2
  2. Jan 15, 2025SenHearing: 01/15/2025, Room 100, SH, 09:15 am; SC 5
  3. Jan 30, 2025Sen: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2025-0012s, 01/30/2025; Vote 5-0; CC; SC 7
  4. Jan 30, 2025SenSen. Birdsell Moved to Remove SB 37 from the Consent Calendar; 01/30/2025; SJ 4
  5. Jan 30, 2025SenSB 37 was Removed from the Consent Calendar; 01/30/2025; SJ 4
  6. Jan 30, 2025SenSpecial Order to Next Session, Without Objection; 01/30/2025; SJ 4
  7. Feb 13, 2025SenCommittee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2025-0012s, 02/13/2025, Vote 5-0; SC 9
  8. Feb 13, 2025SenCommittee Amendment # 2025-0012s, AA, VV; 02/13/2025; SJ 5
  9. Feb 13, 2025SenSen. Pearl Floor Amendment # 2025-0307s, AA, VV; 02/13/2025; SJ 5
  10. Feb 13, 2025SenOught to Pass with Amendments #2025-0012s and #2025-0307s, MA, VV; OT3rdg; 02/13/2025; SJ 5
  11. Mar 27, 2025HouseIntroduced (in recess of) 03/27/2025 and referred to Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs HJ 11 P. 109
  12. Apr 9, 2025HousePublic Hearing: 04/09/2025 10:00 am LOB 301-303
  13. Apr 30, 2025HouseExecutive Session: 04/30/2025 09:30 am LOB 205-207
  14. Apr 30, 2025HouseMajority : Inexpedient to Legislate 04/30/2025 (Vote 10-8; RC)
  15. May 7, 2025HouseMinority : Ought to Pass
  16. May 22, 2025HouseInexpedient to Legislate: MA DV 195-164 05/22/2025 HJ 15 P. 21

Coverage

No reporting linked yet.

Documents (PDF)

Bill text & amendments link direct to gc.nh.gov; committee reports stream from the state record.