SB 527 New Hampshire Senate · 2026 Regular Session

relative to written notice provided by state agencies to municipalities regarding pending applications.

SB 527 requires state agencies to provide written notice to town or city clerks about pending applications that could affect land use, business operations, or municipal finances. It changes the current requirement from "first class mail" to simply "written notice," meaning agencies can use any written method (like email or electronic portals) instead of only physical mail. This directly affects state agencies issuing permits or licenses and municipalities that may need to respond to these applications. The change aims to modernize communication while maintaining the requirement for agencies to notify affected towns or cities.

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Nov 2025

Committee Review

Apr 2026

Senate Passage

Mar 2026

House Passage

Apr 2026

Signed into Law

May 2026

Introduced Nov 24, 2025 Signed May 12, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

Version adopted by both bodies → CHAPTERED FINAL VERSION · 3 edits

MINOR

No substantive policy changes were made between the version adopted by both bodies and the final chaptered version. The differences are limited to the standard chaptering process: the bill was assigned Chapter 67, section numbers were updated from simple sequential numbers (1-4) to RSA chapter references (67:1 through 67:4), minor formatting and spacing adjustments were made, a hyphenation fix was applied ('first class' to 'first-class'), and approval/effective dates were added.

TECHNICAL

Section numbers changed from simple sequential numbering (1, 2, 3, 4) to RSA chapter references (67:1, 67:2, 67:3, 67:4) as part of the standard chaptering process.

Minor formatting changes including spacing, alignment, and a hyphenation fix changing 'first class mail' to 'first-class mail.'

TIMELINE

Approval date (May 08, 2026) and effective date (July 07, 2026) were added at the end of the document.

Introduced → As Amended by the Senate · 6 edits

MODERATE

The Senate amendment significantly expanded SB 527 beyond its original focus on municipal notice requirements. It added entirely new provisions requiring state agencies to notify rivers coordinators and local river management advisory committees before taking actions affecting designated rivers, with a mandatory denial requirement if a protection measure violation is identified. It also allowed electronic mail as an alternative to first-class mail for municipal notices (unless the town clerk objects) and modified shoreland permit notification requirements to exempt public infrastructure projects from notifying abutters.

Scope change

The bill expanded from a single-topic amendment about municipal notice procedures to a multi-section bill covering municipal notice methods, state agency obligations regarding rivers management notifications with mandatory denial authority, and modified shoreland permit notification requirements for public infrastructure projects.

REQUIREMENT

Changed the obligation on state agencies from directly 'giving' written notice to municipalities to 'ensuring' written notice is provided, shifting from a direct action requirement to an outcome-based standard.

Allowed state agencies to send written notice to town or city clerks by electronic mail instead of first-class mail, unless the clerk objects. Agencies using email must maintain up-to-date lists of clerk email addresses and a list of towns/cities that object to electronic notice.

Required state agencies to develop procedures, in conjunction with the rivers coordinator and local river management advisory committees, for notifying the appropriate committee when state action is being considered that affects a designated river.

SCOPE

Added an entirely new section requiring state agencies to notify the rivers coordinator and local river management advisory committee before taking any action affecting a designated river or segment. Agencies must forward copies of public hearing notices or permit applications to these bodies for review and comment.

ENFORCEMENT

Added a mandatory denial requirement: if a state agency is notified by the rivers coordinator that a proposed activity would violate a protection measure under RSA 483:9, 483:9-a, 483:9-aa, or 483:9-b, the agency must deny the application.

ELIGIBILITY

Modified shoreland permit notification requirements: removed the timing restriction ('at the time of the permit application') and added an exemption so that applicants for public roads, public utility lines, and public water access facilities only need to verify notification to the municipal governing body and river management advisory committee, not to all abutters.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

May 12, 2026

Signed into law

Signed by the Governor on 05/08/2026; Chapter 67; Effective 07/07/2026

upper

Apr 9, 2026

Lower · Passed

Ought to Pass: MA VV 04/09/2026 HJ 10 P. 13

lower

Apr 2, 2026

Lower · Passed

Committee Report: Ought to Pass 04/01/2026 (Vote 14-0; CC)

lower

Mar 16, 2026

Introduced

Introduced (in recess of) 03/12/2026 and referred to Executive Departments and Administration HJ 8 P. 114

lower

Mar 5, 2026

Upper · Passed

Ought to Pass with Amendment #2026-0766s, MA, VV; OT3rdg; 03/05/2026; SJ 5

upper

Mar 5, 2026

Introduced

Sen. Pearl Floor Amendment # 2026-0766s, AA, VV; 03/05/2026; SJ 5

upper

Mar 5, 2026

Upper · Passed

Committee Amendment # 2026-0681s, AF, VV; 03/05/2026; SJ 5

upper

Feb 19, 2026

Upper · Passed

Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2026-0681s, 03/05/2026, Vote 4-0; SC 8

upper

Feb 11, 2026

Upper · Passed

Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2026-0681s, 02/19/2026; Vote 4-0; CC; SC 6

upper

Nov 24, 2025

Introduced

Introduced 01/07/2026 and Referred to Executive Departments and Administration; SJ 1

upper

1 primary · 4 co-sponsors