HB 1662 requires New Hampshire's Housing Finance Authority (HFA) to offer loan guarantees for accessory dwelling unit (ADU) development. The bill directs the HFA to provide guarantees covering 80-100% of a loan amount based on the completed ADU's appraised value, with an annual cap of $100 million in total guarantees. It directly affects ADU developers and homeowners seeking financing, as well as approved lenders participating in the program. The bill appropriates $25,000 for administrative costs in fiscal years 2027 and 2028, funded from the General Fund.
HB 1570 requires New Hampshire law enforcement agencies to obtain written approval from their local budget authority before entering federal immigration enforcement agreements (Section 287(g) agreements with ICE). The budget authority must review the agreement, consider the estimated yearly cost to the agency (including employee hours), and notify residents before authorizing participation. Agencies must submit quarterly reports detailing costs, officer activities, and federal reimbursements, and the budget authority can terminate the agreement at any time due to cost concerns. Failure to comply results in the state withholding all state funding from the agency.
HB 1530 requires landowners to notify neighbors and hold a public meeting before removing beaver dams or significantly lowering water levels in "shared" beaver impoundments (ponds or wetlands affecting multiple properties) outside emergency situations. It applies directly to landowners, municipalities, and property managers who want to disturb such dams for non-urgent reasons, like protecting property or infrastructure. The bill mandates 30 days' written notice to affected neighbors and a public informational meeting 15 days before action, published in local media or online. Exceptions include immediate threats to life/property, or installing flow devices (which require no notice). This aims to balance property protection with community input on shared water resources.
HB 1830 requires all New Hampshire public schools to provide annual firearm safety education to students in grades K-12 as part of health, physical education, or civics classes. The training must be age-appropriate - focusing on avoidance and reporting for grades K-5, and expanding to safe handling, storage, and legal responsibilities for grades 6-12 - using dummy firearms or multimedia resources (no live weapons). Parents may opt their children out under existing procedures, and school districts must report compliance annually to the state. The bill mandates the Department of Education to develop the curriculum by 2027 but provides no state funding, relying instead on grants and external resources.
HB 1094 repeals a current law that prohibited collecting seaweed between sunset and sunrise. This change directly affects commercial and recreational seaweed harvesters who were previously restricted from collecting during nighttime hours. The bill takes effect January 1, 2027, removing the existing nighttime collection ban without adding new requirements or restrictions.
HB 1230 caps annual spending increases for New Hampshire's state government and local political subdivisions at a rate tied to the 4-year average inflation rate (capped at 2.5%) plus the previous year's population growth. It requires excess revenues over this limit to be deposited into a rainy day fund (up to 10% of revenue) or refunded, and prohibits spending above the cap without voter approval. Citizens can sue state/local governments for violations and, if successful, recover attorney fees and court costs. The bill directly affects state/local budgets and creates a legal pathway for public oversight of spending and debt decisions.
HB 1715 requires all domestic violence and stalking petition filings to be submitted electronically through the court's system starting October 1, 2026, with exceptions only for extraordinary hardship preventing access. It directly affects individuals filing these petitions, including victims seeking protection orders, by mandating electronic submission instead of paper filings. The bill specifies no filing fees and allows self-representation, while requiring courts to develop a new secure electronic system to handle confidential cases, including encryption and law enforcement integration. This change applies to both domestic violence cases (RSA 173-B) and stalking cases (RSA 633:3-a), replacing temporary pandemic-era email filing methods.
HB 1762 revises New Hampshire's child support calculation by updating the definition of "adjusted gross income" to include specific deductions like child care costs, medical expenses, retirement contributions, and state income tax. It also changes how parenting time affects support amounts by capping the parenting time factor at 1.000 and establishing a minimum child support obligation for low-income parents. These changes directly impact parents in child support cases by altering the formula used to determine financial responsibility. The bill applies to all child support orders under New Hampshire law.
HB 1628 requires New Hampshire public schools to provide excused absences for students attending religious instruction courses (called "released time courses") for up to five hours weekly, contingent on parental written consent and specific conditions like attendance tracking by the sponsoring organization. Schools must adopt policies ensuring no school district funding is used for these courses, transportation and liability fall to the sponsor, and students assume responsibility for missed work. The bill also permits schools to award academic credit for completed courses based solely on secular criteria - such as course hours, syllabus content, and instructor qualifications - without considering religious content or denominational affiliation. This law aims to facilitate religious education access while maintaining neutral, non-discriminatory evaluation standards for credit.
HB 1678 allows New Hampshire voters to submit registration forms directly to the Secretary of State starting January 1, 2026, instead of through local town clerks. It also requires the Secretary of State to create a secure online portal by January 1, 2028, where voters can electronically submit forms with identity, citizenship, and residence documentation. The portal must confirm receipt, securely transmit applications to local officials for verification, and include features like document uploads. This bill affects all qualified voters seeking to register, streamlining the process by removing the local clerk as an initial point of contact. The policy changes focus solely on submission methods, not eligibility requirements.
This is a symbolic House Resolution (not a binding bill) introduced by New Hampshire's legislature. It expresses support for California's hypothetical request to divide into two states, referencing California's Assembly Joint Resolution 23. The resolution has no legal effect on California's structure or the federal process for state division. It serves only as a statement of solidarity from New Hampshire's House, with no mechanism to alter California's status.
SB 563 requires small out-of-state wineries (producing under 5,000 cases yearly) to obtain a New Hampshire license to ship wine directly to consumers and businesses in the state. It mandates a 25% fee on all sales, monthly reporting of sales details, and annual license renewal. The bill takes effect July 1, 2026, and replaces existing rules for direct wine shippers, with revenue estimated to increase by $10,000-$100,000 annually.
