Citizen in a RepublicNH Bill Briefing
← All bills

SB 670 · 2026 · Senate · Health and Human Services Committee

Developmental services oversight commission

AI-generated

(New Title) establishing a developmental services oversight commission; relative to reporting requirements regarding the death of a child in residential care; and relative to the registry of founded reports of abuse, neglect, or exploitation of vulnerable adults.

Establishes a developmental services oversight commission, revises reporting and investigation requirements for abuse of vulnerable adults, and revises notification and reporting requirements for abuse of minors in institutional residential settings.AI-generated

Status

Signed into law · July 9, 2026
  1. ✓Introduced
  2. ✓Senate
  3. ✓House
  4. ✓Governor
  5. ✓Law

Analysis

This bill establishes a developmental services oversight commission, revises reporting and investigation requirements regarding reports of abuse of vulnerable adults, and revises notification and reporting requirements regarding abuse of minors in institutional residential settings.

From the bill's official ANALYSIS section.

In the bill's words

Quoted verbatim from the bill as enacted.

“There is established the developmental services oversight commission to continuously and effectively assure the health and welfare of participants receiving home and community based 1915(c) waiver services within the developmental services system. The commission is tasked with reviewing data submitted by the department of health and human services related to health and safety to make recommendations to improve outcomes for individuals receiving developmental services.”
RSA 171-A:35, I

A standing oversight body for the waiver system, built around data the department already collects.AI-generated

“Any residential service provider caring for vulnerable adults shall notify the commissioner or designee, the bureau of licensing and certification, the attorney general, and the state's federal protection and advocacy agency in cases involving serious bodily injury or death. For purposes of this section, a residential services provider is a provider licensed or certified to provide services to vulnerable adults that are: (a) Supported by the 1915(c) home and community-based Medicaid waiver program; (b) At a state-owned or state-operated facility, including, but not limited to, New Hampshire hospital and Glencliff home; or (c) At Hampstead hospital and residential treatment facility.”
RSA 161-F:46, IV

Four separate notifications on a serious injury or death — including the attorney general and the federal protection and advocacy agency.AI-generated

“In cases involving the death of a child placed in any group home or child care institution as defined in RSA 170-E:25 or certified by the department for the care of children under this chapter, in any state owned or operated residential treatment program, or the youth development center or its successor facility, the residential services provider shall notify the attorney general, the state's federal protection and advocacy agency for individuals with disabilities, and the bureau of licensing and certification, child care licensing unit.”
RSA 169-C:37-a, I

The same duty on the child side, reaching group homes, state residential treatment, and the youth development center.AI-generated

“No employee shall be allowed to care for a vulnerable individual if their name is on the registry.”
RSA 161-F:49, VII

The hardest line in the bill: a founded report on the registry is disqualifying, full stop.AI-generated

“A founded report of abuse, neglect, or exploitation, and other information the commissioner deems appropriate, shall be entered on the registry upon[: (a) Expiration of the 10-business-day period for appeal when the perpetrator does not request an appeal. (b)] the department's decision and shall be removed after 7 years unless an administrative hearing officer [sustaining] or the probate court overturns the finding[, unless an appeal is filed in accordance with paragraph V and an order of stay is issued by the probate court].”
RSA 161-F:49, IV

Bracketed matter comes out: a founded report now goes on the registry at the department’s decision, not after the appeal window closes.AI-generated

Official record

Bill page — docket & status

gc.nh.gov · the authoritative source

Sponsors

Sen. David RochefortRPrimeChair· Health and Human Services
  • Sen. Howard PearlRChair· Executive Departments and Administration
  • Sen. Ruth WardRDeputy Majority Leader
  • Sen. Cindy RosenwaldDDeputy Democratic Leader
  • Sen. Rebecca Perkins KwokaDMinority Leader
  • Sen. Bill GannonRChair· Judiciary
  • Sen. Sharon CarsonRPresident of the Senate
  • Sen. Regina BirdsellRMajority Leader

Also: Sen. Tim McGoughR

Public testimony

43 signed in online · 6 wrote testimony

95% support5% oppose0% neutral

In their wordsVerbatim, exactly as submitted

“I am in favor of this bill. I have a 26 yo son who is on the Autism spectrum. He currently lives in a group home. I think it is important to form a committee to oversee the agencies who work with group homes, residential for adults and adult foster homes.…”
— Sandra Auvil, Richmond · My sonsupports
“This is a good bill. It establishes a study commission to examine services, quality and oversight issues. It also increases reporting requirements for incidents resulting in death or serious bodily injury of people with disabilities who receive state-funded residential services.”
— Ben Dibble, Hudsonsupports
“As a former state director of services for addiction, I support this bill. It will make it easier to assure the quality of services in NH.”
— Deborah Klein Walker, Meredithsupports
“The state of New Hampshire already has a Developmental Services Quality Council established in 2009 under RSA 171-A:33 which "provides leadership for consistent, systemic review and improvement of the developmental disability and acquired brain disorder services provided within New Hampshire’s Developmental Services System."…”
— MICHELLE Donovan, Farmingtonopposes

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

Hearings and debates

  • Feb 18, 2026Public hearingSenate Health and Human Services2:04:10–2:05:291m 19slocated in the stream transcriptHearing
  • Mar 12, 2026Floor debateSenate floorWatchnot located in the transcript — opens the full streamCommittee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2026-1046s; Ought to Pass with Amendment #2026-1046s — adopted, voice vote; Committee Amendment # 2026-1046s — adopted, voice vote
  • Mar 25, 2026Public hearingHouse Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs3:55:31–4:05:259m 54slocated in the stream transcriptPublic Hearing
  • Apr 15, 2026Public hearingHouse Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs1:32:09–1:33:171m 8slocated in the stream transcriptMajority Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2026-1516h — roll call; Executive Session
  • May 7, 2026Floor debateHouse floor2:19:37–2:20:461m 9slocated in the stream transcriptOught to Pass with Amendment 2026-1516h — adopted, voice vote; Amendment # 2026-1516h — adopted, voice vote
  • May 14, 2026Floor debateSenate floor6:45:22–6:46:431m 21slocated in the stream transcriptSen. Rochefort Moved to Concur with the House Amendment — adopted, voice vote
  • Jun 4, 2026Floor debateSenate floorWatchnot located in the transcript — opens the full streamEnrolled Bill Amendment # 2026-2148e Adopted — voice vote; Enrolled Adopted — voice vote
  • Jun 4, 2026Floor debateHouse floorWatchnot located in the transcript — opens the full streamEnrolled Bill Amendment # 2026-2148e — adopted, voice vote; Enrolled (in recess)

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

Legislative history

  1. Feb 5, 2026SenIntroduced 02/05/2026 and Referred to Health and Human Services; SJ 4
  2. Feb 18, 2026SenHearing: 02/18/2026, Room 100, SH, 09:30 am; SC 6
  3. Mar 12, 2026Sen: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2026-1046s, 03/12/2026; Vote 4-0; CC; SC 9
  4. Mar 12, 2026SenCommittee Amendment # 2026-1046s, AA, VV; 03/12/2026; SJ 6
  5. Mar 12, 2026SenOught to Pass with Amendment #2026-1046s, MA, VV; OT3rdg; 03/12/2026; SJ 6
  6. Mar 12, 2026HouseIntroduced (in recess of) 03/12/2026 and referred to Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs HJ 8 P. 115
  7. Mar 25, 2026HousePublic Hearing: 03/25/2026 01:00 pm GP 158
  8. Apr 15, 2026HouseExecutive Session: 04/15/2026 10:00 am GP 158
  9. Apr 15, 2026HouseMajority : Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2026-1516h 04/15/2026 (Vote 13-5; RC) HC 18 P. 15
  10. Apr 22, 2026HouseMinority : Inexpedient to Legislate
  11. May 7, 2026HouseAmendment # 2026-1516h: AA VV 05/07/2026 HJ 12 P. 37
  12. May 7, 2026HouseOught to Pass with Amendment 2026-1516h: MA VV 05/07/2026 HJ 12 P. 37
  13. May 14, 2026SenSen. Rochefort Moved to Concur with the House Amendment, MA, VV; 05/14/2026; SJ 12
  14. Jun 4, 2026HouseEnrolled Bill Amendment # 2026-2148e: AA VV (in recess of) 06/04/2026 HJ 15
  15. Jun 4, 2026SenEnrolled Bill Amendment # 2026-2148e Adopted, VV, (In recess of 06/04/2026); SJ 14
  16. Jun 4, 2026HouseEnrolled (in recess of) 06/04/2026 HJ 15
  17. Jun 4, 2026SenEnrolled Adopted, VV, (In recess 06/04/2026); SJ 14
  18. Jul 2, 2026SenSigned by the Governor on 07/02/2026; Chapter 278
  19. Jul 2, 2026SenI. Section 1 Effective 07/02/2026
  20. Jul 1, 2026SenII. Section 2 Effective 07/01/2026
  21. Aug 31, 2026SenIII. Remainder Effective 08/31/2026

Coverage

Background reading

Evergreen reading on the policy area — spanning perspectives — not coverage of this specific bill.

  • Developmental ServicesState agency

    NH Department of Health and Human Services — How the ten area agencies and the Medicaid waivers fit together — the system the oversight commission reviews.AI-generated

  • Disability Rights Center — New HampshireAdvocacy — NH

    Disability Rights Center-NH — The state's federally designated protection and advocacy agency, named in the notification duties.AI-generated

  • Bureau of Developmental ServicesState agency

    NH Department of Health and Human Services — The bureau named throughout the statute, and the abuse-reporting line for services recipients.AI-generated

  • Report adult abusePrimary source

    NH Department of Health and Human Services — New Hampshire's adult protection reporting duty, which the notification requirements sit on top of.AI-generated

Documents (PDF)

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