HB 1330 would change New Hampshire's primary voting rules to allow any registered voter to participate in the primary election of any political party, regardless of their own party affiliation or if they have no declared party. This affects all registered voters in the state who wish to vote in either state or presidential primaries. The key provision removes the current requirement that voters must declare a party to vote in that party's primary, instead permitting voters to choose any party's primary ballot. Voters would still be restricted to casting only one primary ballot per election. The bill would take effect 60 days after enactment.
HB 1015 requires sellers to disclose whether Japanese knotweed is present on a property during real estate transactions. This affects sellers of residential and commercial properties in New Hampshire by adding a specific disclosure requirement to existing property transfer forms. The bill mandates sellers complete a written statement confirming the presence or absence of Japanese knotweed at the time of sale, alongside current disclosures about water systems and septic systems. The policy change aims to provide buyers with clear information about this invasive plant, which can cause structural damage and reduce property value.
HB 1663 protects employment for New Hampshire state legislators who work for private employers. It requires employers with 25+ employees to allow legislators to leave work for voting sessions without penalty, provided they give advance notice of session attendance. Employers may require use of accrued paid leave for these absences, but must grant unpaid leave if no leave is available. The law prohibits firing legislators for attending sessions and imposes civil penalties for violations, enforced by the labor commissioner.
HB 1311 establishes a permanent "regulatory analysis fund" in the state treasurer's office to help the joint legislative committee evaluate the economic impact of proposed administrative rules. The fund allows the committee to hire external economic analysts for these reviews, with an initial $1 appropriation for fiscal year 2026. This bill directly affects the legislative committee and state agencies developing new rules by creating a formal process for economic impact assessments. It does not change existing rules or impose new requirements on businesses or residents; it simply sets up a mechanism for future analysis. The $1 appropriation is minimal and symbolic, as the fund is designed to be self-sustaining through future funding.
HB 1045 clarifies rules for using artificial lights during nighttime hunting and outdoor activities in New Hampshire. It prohibits using lights (other than normal vehicle headlights and incidental lights like reversing lights during typical driving) to locate or take wildlife between 30 minutes after sunset and 30 minutes before sunrise. Exceptions include agricultural work (e.g., protecting livestock), utility operations, and using lights solely for navigation or property inspection without targeting wildlife. The bill does not change existing nighttime hunting bans but provides clearer guidelines to prevent accidental violations. It takes effect January 1, 2027.
HB 1471 updates the retirement benefit calculation for New Hampshire police and fire personnel (Group II members) who began service before July 1, 2011, and were not vested by January 1, 2012. It aligns their "average final compensation" formula with the method established in HB 2 (2025), limiting how extra pay (like overtime) is included in retirement calculations. Specifically, it caps the inclusion of special duty pay in the highest 5 years of service to match the average over the member’s last 5 years of service after January 1, 2012. This change has no new fiscal impact, as it implements an existing calculation method already approved in 2025.
HB 1026 clarifies that accessory dwelling units (ADUs) - small secondary housing units on the same lot as a main home - are not considered manufactured housing. The bill explicitly states that municipalities may prohibit ADUs associated with manufactured housing, such as mobile homes or factory-built units. This change affects local zoning decisions, allowing towns to restrict ADUs in manufactured housing developments while ensuring ADUs remain excluded from the legal definition of manufactured housing. The law updates state definitions to prevent ambiguity in housing regulations.
HB 1611 modifies New Hampshire's rules for seizing private property during declared emergencies. It limits such takings to actual necessities, requires written warrants from the Safety Commissioner, and mandates detailed receipts for seized property. The bill expands compensation for affected owners to include replacement costs, loss of use, and legal fees, and creates a commission to assess fair payment. Property owners whose land or buildings are seized also gain a first right to repurchase the property at market price. These changes apply only during emergencies and take effect January 1, 2027.
HB 1658 requires app stores operating in New Hampshire to verify users' age categories (e.g., child, teenager) and obtain parental consent for minors under 18. It mandates that app stores create "minor accounts" (for users under 18) linked to "parent accounts" (for adults), and disclose key information like an app's age rating, content description, data collection practices, and data protection methods to parents before consent. The bill also requires re-obtaining parental consent for significant app changes, such as new in-app purchases or altered data collection. This law directly affects app store providers (e.g., Apple App Store, Google Play), app developers, and parents of minors in New Hampshire.
HB 1263 clarifies that disposable military retirement pay (defined as retirement pay after tax and mandatory deductions) is excluded from gross income calculations for alimony and cannot be divided as marital property in divorce settlements. The bill requires alimony payments sourced from this pay to automatically terminate or suspend when the payor retires, unless federal law or regulations require otherwise. It specifically distinguishes disposable military retirement pay from other military benefits and ensures alimony orders based on this pay follow the same rules as civilian retirement pay. This law takes effect on July 1, 2026, directly affecting divorcing couples where military retirement pay is used to fund alimony.
This bill requires marital masters, arbitrators, mediators, and judicial referees in New Hampshire to first be commissioned as a justice of the peace to qualify for their positions. It mandates that these individuals renew their justice of the peace commission every five years through the standard application process and take an oath as specified in the state constitution. Violating this oath would result in immediate dismissal from their role. The requirement takes effect January 1, 2027, with no new state funding needed.
HB 1133 defines "livestock guardian dogs" (LGDs) as dogs specifically trained to protect livestock from predators while kept primarily with livestock. It requires owners to register LGDs annually with town or city clerks, provide a signed statement confirming their purpose, and may need to verify livestock ownership. The bill allows LGDs to run at large under specific conditions (minimum land requirements, registration, training, and no nuisance behavior) but prohibits them from trespassing. It establishes penalties for excessive barking (e.g., $150 for second violation, $500 for third), defining excessive barking as lasting over 10 minutes without predator activity or interfering with neighbors. This directly affects farmers using LGDs, modifying nuisance laws to accommodate their operational needs while protecting neighbors from disruptions.
