Committee Summary for Senate Education (01/20/2026)

Bill/Time	Type	Title	Sponsor
SB429 00:02:43.760 - 8:16:30 AM	Public Hearing	relative to the placement of trauma kits in public schools and making an appropriation therefor.	Prentiss, Suzanne(D)[F]2025
SB432 00:25:00.640 - 8:38:47 AM	Public Hearing	authorizing the application of sunscreen in schools and camps without a doctor's note or prescription and establishing a skin cancer prevention education program.	Ward, Ruth(R)[B-]2025
SB531 00:32:59.120 - 8:46:46 AM	Public Hearing	establishing a task force to study the feasibility of the creation of cosmetology related programming in Coos County.	Watters, David(D)[D-]2025
SB577 01:00:40.559 - 9:14:27 AM	Public Hearing	prohibiting the use of specific color additives in meals offered or made available by public schools.	Perkins Kwoka, Rebecca(D)[F]2025
SB578 01:05:10.720 - 9:18:57 AM	Public Hearing	extending recess for students from kindergarten to eighth grade and prohibiting the deprivation of recess time as punishment in schools.	Sullivan, Victoria(R)[A-]2025

SB429: Senator Sue Prentiss, District 5 Support00:02:43.760 - 8:16:30 AM; Senator Prentiss introduces SB 429, which requires trauma kits including tourniquets in public schools to address uncontrolled hemorrhage, the leading cause of death for ages 1-44. She highlights prior success placing tourniquets in state buildings and notes the fund for purchase, no training requirement, and Good Samaritan protections. She addresses fiscal concerns, emphasizing minimal costs for kits.
SB429: PD Trauma Program Manager, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center Support00:11:17.040 - 8:25:04 AM; As a pediatric trauma nurse with 10 years experience, she supports the bill citing literature on tourniquet efficacy for school-age children. She notes kits include combat gauze and scissors with hemostatic agents, improving survival rates when applied early by bystanders or first responders.
SB429: Dr. Nick Paransovich, Surgeon, Concord Hospital Support00:14:14.160 - 8:28:01 AM; A 40-year trauma surgeon, he provides history of 'Stop the Bleed' from Sandy Hook response, emphasizing tourniquets save lives from extremity bleeding despite limb loss risks. He supports the bill for schools, noting its logic, low cost, and adoption in eight states.
SB429: Dr. Mark Gman, Emergency Physician and EMS Medical Director Support00:20:04.320 - 8:33:51 AM; He strongly supports SB 429, stressing uncontrolled bleeding kills in minutes. Citing Parkland shooting where 17 lives were saved by early tourniquets, he advocates for bystander use like CPR, applicable to school injuries beyond violence, and recommends training for students and staff.
SB432: Senator Ruth Ward, District 8 Support00:25:00.640 - 8:38:47 AM; Senator Ward introduces SB 432, allowing students to possess and use over-the-counter sunscreen and sun-protective clothing in schools without a prescription. Backed by medical evidence, it aims to reduce skin cancer risk, noting 29 states have similar laws and low sunscreen use among students.
SB432: Melissa Clement, Chief of Childcare Licensing, Department of Health and Human Services Information Only00:29:06.159 - 8:42:53 AM; Melissa Clement testified to inform the committee that the youth recreation camp program already allows children to bring sunscreen with parent permission, without needing a doctor's note or prescription. She noted that this is addressed in existing rules, and the proposed statute might cause confusion, but assured that children can have sunscreen at camp. She offered to answer questions.
SB432: Dr. Hayden Dodie, Chief Resident of Dermatology at Dartmouth Hitchcock, Sunapee Support00:31:00.000 - 8:44:47 AM; Dr. Dodie expressed strong support for SB 432, drawing from his professional experience diagnosing skin cancer daily, including melanoma in young patients. He emphasized that UV exposure causes most skin cancers, with effects heightened in childhood, and one blistering sunburn doubles melanoma risk. He argued the bill promotes prevention through sunscreen, potentially saving lives and reducing costly treatments. He recommended reapplying sunscreen every 60-90 minutes, depending on SPF, water, and sweat.
SB531: Senator David Waters, District 4 Support00:32:59.120 - 8:46:46 AM; Senator Waters introduced SB 531, proposing a task force to study creating a cosmetology program in northern New Hampshire, noting no such program exists north of Laconia. He highlighted recent legislation reducing required cosmetology hours from 1500 to 1200, enabling CTE students to complete licensing in two years and save costs. The bill aims to integrate CTE with community colleges for economic benefits, especially for young women as business creators. He also proposed statutory changes to allow designating programs on community college campuses as regional CTE centers. He cited successful legislative pushes for similar programs like marine trades and outdoor recreation.
SB531: Christine Dudley and Annette Cole, Community College System of New Hampshire Support00:46:28.480 - 9:00:15 AM; Christine Dudley, Director of Workforce Development for CCSNH, and Annette Cole, Director of Workforce Development at White Mountains Community College, supported the task force. They welcomed investigating a short-term, non-credit cosmetology workforce program in the north country, with pathways from high school CTE. They noted existing partnerships like dual enrollment and colocation, and emphasized considering funding, student support (travel, housing, daycare), and sustainability. Annette detailed regional needs, lack of nearby cosmetology schools, labor market data showing jobs and livable wages (NH median $45,000 vs. national $35,000), pathways to business management or massage therapy, and challenges like staffing, funding, housing, and space. They advocated collaboration between CTE and colleges for evenings/weekends use.
SB531: Danielle Demers, CTE Director, NHTI Regional Center, Berlin Oppose00:56:35.200 - 9:10:22 AM; Danielle Demers expressed concerns about SB 531, noting the existing two-year process for new CTE programs involving local input from students, community, and industry. She worried it removes local authority, sets precedent statewide, and questions if cosmetology meets north country needs. She highlighted risks of offsite for-profit programs diverting from CTE, and stressed existing collaborations with CCSNH like articulation agreements and feeder programs (e.g., welding). She offered to answer questions about Berlin's offerings.
SB531: Chrissy Vanderhook, Department of Education, Bureau of Career Development Information Only00:59:32.319 - 9:13:19 AM; Chrissy Vanderhook offered to answer questions on the cosmetology program, as she was present from the Department of Education but had not signed in.
SB577: Suprentice, representing Senator Perkins Kwoka, Senate District 21 Support01:00:40.559 - 9:14:27 AM; Suprentice introduces SB 577 on behalf of Senator Perkins Kwoka, which bans certain color additives in public school meals. These dyes provide no nutritional value and pose risks to children's physical and behavioral health, including hyperactivity, inflammation, and cancer. Many states like California, Connecticut, and others, as well as the EU, have banned them or use natural alternatives. The bill aligns New Hampshire with a bipartisan movement to improve public health by removing petroleum byproducts from food. He urges favorable consideration and defers questions to the sponsor or experts.
SB577: Chesley Marvin Information Only01:04:08.960 - 9:17:55 AM; Chesley Marvin, not originally planning to speak on this bill, notes that food dyes are a current hot topic with growing legislation. She acknowledges concerns about ultra-processed foods and preservatives, supported by studies, but views this bill as a first step. She shares using beet juice for natural frosting coloring.
SB578: Senator Victoria Sullivan, Senate District 18 (Manchester and Litchfield) Support01:05:10.720 - 9:18:57 AM; Senator Sullivan introduces SB 578, building on 2018's play-based kindergarten adoption. The bill extends play-based learning to third grade to address children's mental health crisis, treating trauma and depression through joy, connection, emotional regulation, resilience, and safe expression. It requires recess in physical education programs through eighth grade, emphasizing benefits for middle schoolers' physical, emotional, and social growth, including improved focus, reduced impulsivity, and better behavior via brain chemistry changes. It prohibits denying recess as punishment. She requests an ought to pass recommendation. During questions, she clarifies play-based learning is through third grade and recess through eighth, suggests recess could substitute structured gym if needed for time, and notes kids needing recess most often miss it due to behavioral issues.
SB578: William Trimmer, Deerfield, NH, wood shop teacher Support01:14:45.840 - 9:28:32 AM; Trimmer supports recess for mental breaks, movement, and unstructured socialization, comparing it to adults' needs and even incarcerated individuals' recreation time. He criticizes industrializing education, shares classroom experiences of high student energy needing release, especially before breaks, and describes outdoor activities helping expend energy differently. He believes students would support it, cautions 60-day implementation may be too short due to scheduling complexities, cites research on benefits outweighing cons, and urges America to move more.
SB578: Don Lavali, Hooksett, NH, Playworks New England Support01:18:41.520 - 9:32:28 AM; Lavali supports the bill, emphasizing children learn best with movement and reset time. With 13 years at Playworks, providing recess and play programming, she shares a story of 'Charlie,' a fourth-grader with ADHD who struggled in class but excelled at recess, leading games and including peers. Assigning him recess leadership improved his focus, behavior, and grades, reducing missed recesses. She argues recess is essential for development, not a reward or punishment, preventing disruptions and supporting social skills, conflict resolution, and stress release. Urges support for healthier learning environments.
SB578: Chesley Marvin, founder of Say Yes to Recess New Hampshire, mom from Nashua Support01:22:34.159 - 9:36:21 AM; Marvin supports strengthening recess in SB 578, introducing her grassroots movement started in Tennessee, now in 16 states including NH, which improved recess to 40 minutes. It addresses children's focus and regulation issues by meeting developmental needs. Affirms preventing deprivation and ensuring active, unstructured, outdoor play. Suggests additions from HB1507: minimum daily quantity (45-60 minutes) counting as instructional time, and screen-free with exceptions. Cites research on benefits for attention and stress, notes short recesses are insufficient, addresses scheduling myths (no minute-by-minute mandates), and highlights Ed rule 306 allowing recess as instructional time K-6. Screen-free prevents isolation, especially indoors. Urges quality recess additions.
SB578: Brady Belmore, Executive Director, New Hampshire Association of School Principals, retired principal Information Only01:27:10.719 - 9:40:57 AM; Belmore's organization neither supports nor opposes SB 578 but provides considerations. Notes it contradicts 2014 HB 1015 (RSA 189:53) requiring evidence-based literacy instruction K-5, aligned with science of reading; play-based may compromise this. Extending school day for recess wouldn't count as instructional time per Ed rules, causing operational issues like transportation and bargaining. Contrasts with HB 1057 specifying recess beyond 30 minutes. Emphasizes recess benefits backed by brain science for social, emotional, behavioral, and academic gains. During questions, discusses scheduling to meet curriculum goals within 5.75 hours/day, potential trade-offs like cutting interventions or advisories if no extension, existing motor breaks, and screen time's negative impacts increasing anxiety, advocating stakeholder involvement including parents for balanced student well-being.
SB578: Steve Patterson, Principal, Keene Regional Middle School, Board Member, New Hampshire Association of School Administrators Information Only01:41:03.280 - 9:54:50 AM; Steve Patterson, principal at Keene Regional Middle School with over 20 years of experience, testified to provide an operational perspective on SB 578 without taking a position for or against it. He emphasized the value of recess and unstructured movement for middle school students' physical health, emotional regulation, and social development during early adolescence. He noted concerns about the bill's provision prohibiting withholding recess as punishment, explaining that in middle schools, temporary restrictions may be necessary for safety reasons, such as after conflicts or bullying, to allow for interventions like restorative conversations or counseling. Patterson stressed the need for flexibility in managing behavior, especially in rural schools with limited staffing and space, to ensure student safety and provide developmentally appropriate supports without disrupting instruction. He fully supports the importance of recess but urged the committee to consider middle school-specific operational realities, including scheduling and busing challenges in large regional districts.

Ward, Ruth(Chairman)(R)[B-]2025	Sullivan, Victoria(V Chairman)(R)[A-]2025	Prentiss, Suzanne(D)[F]2025
Altschiller, Debra(D)[CT]2025	Abbas, Daryl(R)[B-]2025