HB 1592 increases juror compensation in New Hampshire to match the federal rate of $50 per day, replacing the current system that paid $10 for half-days and $20 for full days. The bill directly affects all jurors serving in New Hampshire courts, eliminating the distinction between half-day and full-day payments. Key provisions require the state to pay the federal daily rate under 28 U.S.C. § 1871 for each day of service, including mileage at $0.20 per mile. This change will significantly increase state costs, with an estimated annual increase of over $740,000 starting in fiscal year 2028. The bill takes effect January 1, 2027.
HB 1400 allows property owners to opt out of funding locally adopted property tax credits or exemptions by submitting form PA-29 annually by April 15th. It directly affects property owners who pay local property taxes but do not currently receive any local tax credits or exemptions. The key provision requires annual submission of the form to stop contributing to these programs, with the exception that those already receiving benefits cannot opt out. This creates a straightforward mechanism for property owners to decline funding local tax programs without needing to alter their existing tax status. The bill takes effect 60 days after enactment.
SB 555 creates "critical risk protection orders" to temporarily restrict access to firearms when someone poses an immediate risk of harm to themselves or others. It allows family members, household members, intimate partners, or law enforcement to petition a court for this order, requiring the respondent to surrender firearms and ammunition. The court can issue an emergency order without the respondent's immediate presence, followed by a hearing within 72 hours. This applies only to acute risk situations and excludes cases already covered under domestic violence laws (RSA 173-B or 633:3-a).
HB 1081 requires political committees in New Hampshire to electronically certify with the Secretary of State whether they had less than $1,000 in campaign receipts or expenditures during the prior election cycle. This directly affects small political committees handling minimal campaign funds, as it determines whether their registration expires or continues automatically. The bill adds this certification step to existing reporting requirements, replacing the previous system where committees with zero activity automatically renewed. It does not change campaign finance limits or penalties but clarifies when low-activity committees must formally confirm their status to the state.
HB 1324 exempts the land and buildings of incorporated Masonic lodges and associations in New Hampshire from state property taxes, effective April 1, 2027. It requires these organizations to annually file exemption applications with local assessors by April 15, or risk losing the exemption. The exemption does not apply if the property is rented for business purposes. This bill directly affects Masonic lodges and associations incorporated under New Hampshire law.
HB 1461 encourages municipalities with existing sewage systems to extend service to neighboring communities by creating a faster approval process for such projects and giving them priority in state loan and grant programs. It requires that extensions follow regional plans or local master plans and allows municipalities to recover costs through user fees or impact fees charged to the receiving community. The bill also includes a provision allowing state officials to mandate extensions if there’s a public health risk, housing goal barrier, or significant economic harm, while ensuring host municipalities don’t bear extra costs. This primarily affects towns with sewage infrastructure seeking to expand service across town lines, particularly for housing or economic development projects.
This bill allows New Hampshire municipalities, cities, and towns to permanently adopt a simple-majority voting process for overriding local tax caps, with a deadline of July 1, 2028, to make this change. It gives communities a one-time window to switch from their current tax override procedures to a system requiring only a simple majority vote instead of higher thresholds. Towns that previously used a different voting standard can choose to revert to it before the deadline. Once adopted, the simple-majority process would apply permanently to future tax override votes.
HB 1694 requires data brokers operating in New Hampshire to register with the Secretary of State and pay a $300 fee, creating a searchable online registry of these entities. It gives consumers the right to opt out of data processing for targeted advertising or sale, and mandates that data brokers notify consumers within 15 days when their data is deleted or opt-out requests are processed. The bill specifically protects minors by requiring data brokers to disclose child data practices and comply with child privacy laws, with special rules for "known minors" (children under 18 whom a website knows are minors). This directly affects data brokers, website operators, and all New Hampshire residents whose personal data is collected or sold.
HB 1242 requires New Hampshire county commissioners to clearly separate funding for county government operations from funds used for state or federal purposes in their annual itemized budget recommendations. This applies to all county budget submissions delivered to county convention members, town selectmen, city mayors, and the secretary of state before December 1 each year. The bill mandates that budgets explicitly show this distinction in the "objects for which money is required" section, rather than lumping all funding together. It does not change funding amounts but improves transparency by clarifying how money is allocated between local county services and external government programs. This affects all counties preparing their annual budget recommendations under RSA 24:21-a.
SB 436 updates rules for zoning board members in New Hampshire by requiring recusal whenever a member’s impartiality might reasonably be questioned. This replaces the previous standard with a broader conflict of interest rule, specifically including cases where a member previously participated in similar decisions as a voting member of another board. The bill directly affects local zoning board members who may face conflicts of interest in specific land-use cases. The key change ensures boards avoid decisions where a member’s prior involvement could undermine public trust in the process.
SB 463 prohibits carrying firearms in "safe school zones" (defined under RSA 193-D:1) for most people, with exceptions for parents dropping off students (with firearms locked in vehicles), school-authorized personnel, and law enforcement. Violating this law would be a class A misdemeanor. The bill specifically exempts individuals who are properly trained school resource officers, active-duty military, or authorized by a school board in writing. It does not create new requirements but modifies existing criminal penalties under RSA 159:19-b.
HB 1508 allows New Hampshire residents to record audio and video conversations they are part of without the other person's consent, provided the recording doesn't violate privacy laws (as defined in RSA 644:9) or is used for blackmail or harassment. The bill requires the Department of Justice to create a public awareness campaign explaining the new rules, including educational materials for the public and training for law enforcement and prosecutors. This campaign will clarify legal boundaries for recording and prevent misuse. The state will fund these efforts using existing resources, with an estimated one-time cost of $500,000 for the campaign and ongoing costs for staff support.
