New Hampshire Bills

passed both · New Hampshire · Senate May 22, 2025

SB 174: prohibiting planning boards from considering the number of bedrooms a given unit or development has during the hearing and approval process.

SB 174 prevents local planning boards from rejecting housing development applications based solely on the number of bedrooms proposed. It directly affects developers seeking approval for residential projects (including rental or purchase units) and planning boards reviewing those proposals. The bill requires boards to focus on water/sewage infrastructure compliance instead of bedroom counts when evaluating applications, while still allowing checks for adequate water and sewage capacity under existing rules. This change aims to reduce barriers for housing projects without altering requirements for basic infrastructure.

Topics ✓ Housing

passed · New Hampshire · Senate May 22, 2025

SB 170: relative to development and related requirements in cities, towns, and municipalities.

SB 170, if passed, would strengthen housing nondiscrimination protections in New Hampshire by adding gender identity, sexual orientation, and school enrollment status to the list of protected classes under state law. It also limits municipal authority over development by prohibiting cities and towns from imposing stricter septic system, well-siting, or utility placement rules than state standards allow, and requires municipalities to provide written feedback on development plans within 7 days. The bill directly affects housing applicants, developers, and local governments by ensuring equal access to housing and streamlining approval processes for utilities in subdivision buffers (excluding wetlands). The bill would take effect January 1, 2026, pending final legislative approval.

Topics ✓ Education ✗ Environment ✓ Housing

passed both · New Hampshire · House May 21, 2025

HB 517: repealing certain outreach and marketing requirements under the Granite State paid family leave plan.

HB 517 repeals two specific requirements in New Hampshire law that mandated state outreach and marketing efforts to promote the Granite State Paid Family Leave program. It removes RSA 21-I:108, II and RSA 282-B:6, II, which previously required the state to conduct certain awareness campaigns. This change eliminates the obligation for the state to engage in promotional activities related to the paid family leave plan, taking effect 60 days after enactment. The bill directly affects how the state communicates about the program but does not alter the leave benefits or eligibility itself.

passed · New Hampshire · Senate May 19, 2025

SB 171: relative to required pay for remote work.

SB 171, as amended, proposes to repeal RSA 275:43-a, an existing statute. This law currently mandates that employers pay wages to employees who report to work at the employer's request. If enacted, the bill would remove this specific requirement for wage payment, directly impacting employers and employees by changing the conditions under which wages must be paid for reporting to work.

Topics ✗ Labor & Employment

passed both · New Hampshire · Senate May 8, 2025

CACR 8: relating to sheriffs. Providing that no person shall hold the office of county sheriff after he or she has attained the age of seventy-five years.

Ought to Pass: MF DV 203-158 Lacking Necessary Two-Thirds Vote 05/08/2025 HJ 14 P. 14

passed · New Hampshire · House Mar 26, 2025

HCR 10: calling for the repeal of the Jones Act.

HCR 10 is a symbolic resolution passed by the New Hampshire House of Representatives calling for the repeal of the federal Jones Act. This law requires that all goods shipped between U.S. ports be transported on vessels built, owned, and crewed by U.S. citizens. The resolution directs copies to the President, Congressional leaders, New Hampshire's congressional delegation, and the state governor to advocate for changing this federal law. It does not change the law itself but expresses New Hampshire's legislative support for repealing the Jones Act.

passed · New Hampshire · House Mar 26, 2025

HR 18: urging the New Hampshire congressional delegation to sponsor legislation relative to, and urging the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to adopt regulations, allowing for small scale and very small slaughter plants to use the Federal Meat Inspection Act’s Custom Exempt meat processing inspection criteria with a third-party inspector present at slaughter, so that processed beef, pork, lamb, and chevron (goat meat) can be sold as individual cuts directly from the farm producer to the end consumer.

This resolution urges New Hampshire's congressional delegation to sponsor federal legislation and the USDA to adopt regulations that would allow small-scale slaughter plants to use the Federal Meat Inspection Act's Custom Exempt process with a third-party inspector present. This change would enable farmers to process beef, pork, lamb, and goat meat at their farms and sell individual cuts directly to consumers, rather than requiring USDA on-site inspection. It directly affects small farms and local processors in New Hampshire and similar communities facing limited slaughter capacity. The policy shift aims to increase local meat access by expanding existing inspection flexibility currently available for poultry and non-amenable species.

passed · New Hampshire · House Mar 26, 2025

HB 587: allowing admission of one-party audio and video recordings in certain circumstances.

HB 587 would allow individuals involved in domestic violence situations to use one-party recorded audio or video as evidence in court under specific conditions. The bill permits recordings made by a party to a conversation (or with that party's prior consent, excluding law enforcement acting officially) if the recording contains evidence of a crime and is not publicly shared. It specifically applies to recordings intended for court use or law enforcement, ensuring they remain confidential. This change directly affects domestic violence victims seeking to present recorded evidence without needing a second party's consent. The bill amends RSA 570-A:2 to create this exception for domestic violence cases.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

passed · New Hampshire · House Mar 20, 2025

HR 16: recognizing the essential contributions of frontline health workers in assisting the state to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and urging greater attention and support for local frontline health workers.

HR 16 is a New Hampshire legislative resolution recognizing the essential role of frontline health workers - such as nurses, community health workers, and emergency personnel - in pandemic recovery and ongoing public health efforts. It urges the state to provide greater support, including protection and resources, to address burnout and workforce shortages. The bill does not create new funding or legal requirements but formally acknowledges these workers' contributions during the pandemic and their critical role in community health resilience. As a symbolic resolution, it directly affects all frontline health workers across New Hampshire.

Topics ✓ Healthcare ✓ Labor & Employment

passed · New Hampshire · House Mar 20, 2025

HR 15: urging New Hampshire's congressional representatives to advocate for a change in the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's policy.

This bill urges New Hampshire's U.S. congressional representatives to seek changes to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's (FERC) policy for electric transmission projects. Currently, FERC assumes all transmission project costs are justified unless proven otherwise, unlike New Hampshire's public utilities commission (PUC), which reviews distribution project costs. The resolution requests that FERC require transmission project costs to be proven "just and reasonable" before utility customers can pay for them. It directly affects New Hampshire ratepayers who fund transmission costs and asks congressional members to advocate for this policy shift. The bill is a non-binding resolution, not a law, focused on changing FERC's default approach to cost review.

Topics ✓ Energy

passed · New Hampshire · House Mar 20, 2025

HR 13: opposing the permitting of a landfill next to Forest Lake State Park in Dalton, New Hampshire.

HR 13 is a New Hampshire legislative resolution opposing the permitting of a landfill adjacent to Forest Lake State Park in Dalton. The resolution formally expresses the legislature's stance based on the park's ecological significance (including its 397 acres, 200-foot beach, and role in recreational activities), its economic value to tourism (supporting $2.35 billion in visitor spending annually), and New Hampshire's commitment to protecting natural resources. It does not create new laws but urges state agencies to deny the landfill permit by citing the park's role in flood control, water quality, wildlife habitat, and the state's conservation mission. The resolution passed committee with a 14-0 vote and was approved by the full chamber.

Topics ✓ Environment

passed · New Hampshire · House Mar 20, 2025

HR 12: urging Congress to amend the Smith-Mundt Modernization Act of 2013.

This is a New Hampshire state House resolution (HR 12), not a federal bill, calling on Congress to reverse a 2013 law change. It urges reinstating a prior prohibition that prevented U.S. government agencies from creating domestic propaganda targeting American citizens. The resolution claims the 2013 Smith-Mundt Modernization Act - which lifted that ban - has allowed government to promote preferred narratives, position itself as the arbiter of truth, and use psychological tactics against the public. The resolution was approved by the New Hampshire House committee and passed the full chamber in March 2025, but it has no legal effect on federal law.

Bill results