House approves bill to address abuse in New Hampshire’s disability system

On Thursday, New Hampshire House lawmakers approved a bill aimed at addressing rampant and systemic abuse and neglect in New Hampshire’s disability care system.

State Sen. David Rochefort, a Littleton Republican, said the “genesis” of Senate Bill 670 was a series of articles published by the Bulletin in November.

New Hampshire’s Bureau of Developmental Services oversees taxpayer-funded care for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. According to state records obtained by the Bulletin, there were 548 credible reports of abuse, neglect, and exploitation in this system (though state officials told the Bulletin in March that they discovered their own data may include overcounts, but has yet to provide an updated figure) from 2023 through 2025. There were 144 deaths in this system across the same time period, per the records. The victims include people with disabilities who were physically beaten by caregivers, at least one who was violently raped, and a young man who died from from suspected hypothermia in the snowy woods behind his care home.

To address this, SB 670 creates a Developmental Services Oversight Commission made up of lawmakers, state officials, and people with disabilities themselves (among others); increases data sharing between state officials and agencies in an effort to spot issues sooner; and requires suspected abusers to be put on a state registry quicker.

The bill has now passed both chambers of the Legislature. However, because the House slightly amended the bill to alter the composition of the oversight commission and require the commission to collaborate with another state committee related to the system, the bill will need to return to the Senate for approval with the amendment. If they pass the amended bill, it will be sent to Gov. Kelly Ayotte for final approval. If they decline, the two chambers can enter the committee of conference process where negotiators from each chamber meet to hash out their differences.

Rochefort has previously characterized the bill as “a good first step,” and suggested lawmakers may come back to the issue next session.