Budget & Taxes

failed · New Hampshire · House Feb 19, 2026

HB 1838: establishing a voter-owned elections fund and commission and raising vehicle registration fees.

HB 1838 creates a "voter-owned elections fund" and commission to provide public funding for qualifying candidates, while raising vehicle registration fees to fund it. The bill increases vanity plate fees from $60 to $65 and adds a $1 annual fee for all private passenger vehicles. The new commission will manage the fund and provide financial support to candidates who file a registration affidavit and meet specific spending thresholds during election cycles. This directly affects vehicle owners through higher registration costs and candidates who qualify under the new public financing rules.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesRaises vehicle registration fees to fund elections commission, increasing tax revenue for government program.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Fees & Licensing

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failed · New Hampshire · House Feb 19, 2026

HB 1474: relative to the formula of distribution of revenue from the meals and rooms tax.

HB 1474 changes how New Hampshire distributes revenue from its meals and rooms tax to local governments. It creates a new "meals and rooms municipal revenue fund" and establishes a formula that prioritizes towns, cities, and unincorporated areas with an average property value per adjusted resident of $500,000 or less. The formula adjusts population by excluding residents in exempt housing (like colleges, prisons, and nursing homes), then calculates distributions based on how far each community’s property value per person falls below $500,000. This replaces the previous distribution method without changing the total tax revenue amount. The new system takes effect July 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill restructures meals/rooms tax revenue distribution to prioritize lower-property-value communities, directing tax funds to local governments per adjusted population.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Revenue

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failed · New Hampshire · House Feb 5, 2026

HB 1242: requiring county convention budget estimates to delineate between funding used for operations of county government and funding used for other state or federal government purposes.

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.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesMandates clear separation of county operational vs. state/federal funding in budgets, promoting fiscal transparency and accountability per fiscal management standards.95% confidence

Sub-Topics State Budget

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failed · New Hampshire · Senate Feb 5, 2026

SB 406: making an appropriation to the city of Nashua for the purpose of purchasing the former Daniel Webster College property.

SB 406 appropriates $20 million from the state General Fund to the city of Nashua for purchasing the former Daniel Webster College property. The bill states this property, currently owned by a foreign entity near Nashua's airport (deemed critical infrastructure), must be acquired to prevent foreign ownership near sensitive infrastructure. The funds are designated for the 2026-2027 biennium and will be drawn directly from the state treasury. This is a direct funding mechanism with no revenue impact on the state.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAppropriates $20M from state General Fund for critical infrastructure purchase, directly funding a budget allocation without tax changes.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Appropriations Procurement State Budget

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died · New Hampshire · House Mar 12, 2026

HB 1559: increases the percentage allocation of New Hampshire's gaming revenue to problem gaming services.

HB 1559 increases the percentage of New Hampshire's video lottery revenue allocated to problem gambling services from 0.25% to 1%. Specifically, it requires video lottery terminal (VLT) licensees to distribute 1% of their gross revenue to the state's addiction, treatment, and prevention fund. This fund directly supports services for individuals struggling with gambling addiction, including counseling and prevention programs. The change becomes effective 60 days after the bill is enacted.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesRedirects 0.25% to 1% of VLT revenue to problem gambling services fund, increasing funding for addiction treatment programs.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareAllocates 1% of gaming revenue to gambling addiction treatment/prevention services, directly funding mental health care under healthcare policy.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Substance Abuse

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failed · New Hampshire · House Feb 5, 2026

HB 1674: creating a tax exemption for certain lower-income property owners.

HB 1674 creates a new homestead tax exemption for lower-income homeowners in New Hampshire, directly affecting individuals who own and reside in a single primary residence. To qualify, applicants must have a household income at or below 100% of the median income for a 3-person household in their area (per HUD data), have lived at the property for at least one year prior to April 1, own no more than one property as their primary home, and meet their municipality’s assessed home value limits. Municipalities must hold a vote to adopt the exemption at a town meeting or through their legislative body; it is not automatic. The exemption would take effect on April 1, 2027, and applies only to properties meeting these specific income and residency criteria.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesCreates homestead tax exemption for lower-income homeowners, providing direct tax relief per bill's summary.95% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingProvides tax relief to lower-income homeowners, directly increasing housing affordability for primary residences per income and residency criteria.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Property Tax Tax Incentives Property Taxes

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signed · New Hampshire · House Jul 20, 2026

HB 1772: relative to prescribing ibogaine for investigational use only and adopting the physician associate licensure compact.

HB 1772 creates a New Hampshire grant program within the Department of Health and Human Services to fund state participation in a multistate clinical trial consortium studying ibogaine as a potential treatment for substance use disorder and other neurological or mental health conditions. The bill appropriates $1 (likely a typo for $1 million) to support this effort, requiring grant recipients to be New Hampshire-based entities with proven expertise in neurological/mental health research, matching funds from non-state sources, and FDA-approved trial protocols (including an IND application and breakthrough therapy designation request). Entities must submit quarterly progress and financial reports, and the state must verify matching funds before disbursing grant money. This bill directly affects eligible research institutions participating in the consortium, not the general public.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill appropriates $1 million (likely typo) for a state grant program under HHS, directly funding a new health research initiative through state budget allocation.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareFunds clinical trials for ibogaine treatment of substance use disorder and mental health conditions via state grant program, advancing mental health research and treatment options.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Medical Licensing Mental Health Substance Abuse

passed · New Hampshire · House Apr 3, 2026

HB 1068: taxing certain occupants who have established permanent residences under the meals and rooms tax.

HB 1068 clarifies tax definitions for short-term rentals in New Hampshire. It updates the legal meaning of "hotel" to explicitly include apartments and rooms rented via online platforms (like Airbnb), and defines "occupancy" to cover short-term stays under 185 days. The bill also specifies that "occupant" includes renters for less than 185 days (excluding permanent residents) and expands "operator" to include rental facilitators like online platforms. This change ensures these short-term rentals are subject to the existing meals and rooms tax, directly affecting hosts, platforms, and property managers who rent rooms temporarily.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesClarifies tax definitions for short-term rentals (Airbnb) to ensure taxation, closing a revenue loophole and expanding tax coverage for online platforms.95% confidence

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passed both · New Hampshire · Senate May 21, 2026

SB 643: requiring municipalities, towns, and cities to submit documentation to the department of revenue administration proving they are in compliance with local budget and tax caps and requiring municipalities to hold a public hearing and conduct a roll call vote when seeking to override a tax or spending cap.

SB 643 requires cities and towns to hold a public hearing with at least 30 days' notice and a 60-minute public comment period before voting to override a local tax or spending cap. It mandates a roll call vote for the override, recording each council member's vote, and requires publishing the results (including each member's name and vote) on the next property tax bill. This bill does not change existing requirements for supermajority votes or voter approval to override caps but adds transparency measures to inform taxpayers about how officials vote on tax increases. The law directly affects municipalities seeking to raise taxes or spending above locally adopted limits.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesRequires transparency in local tax/spending cap overrides, promoting fiscal accountability and public oversight per fiscal responsibility indicators.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Debt & Bonds Government Spending Property Tax

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failed · New Hampshire · House Feb 12, 2026

HB 1596: relative to the collection of certain health care program premiums; funding for the university system of New Hampshire; and raising the tobacco tax.

HB 1596 raises New Hampshire's cigarette and little cigar tax from $1.78 to $2.80 per pack of 20, increasing revenue for state funds. It appropriates $18 million annually to New Hampshire's university system to restore higher education funding to 2024 levels. The bill also stops collecting premiums for two health programs: the Children's Health Insurance Program and the NH Granite Advantage health care program. These changes take effect July 1, 2026, with tobacco tax revenue funding the university appropriation and education trust fund.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesRaises tobacco tax to fund university system ($18M/year), increasing state revenue while restoring education funding.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationAppropriates $18M annually to restore university system funding, directly advancing higher education support per bill summary.95% confidence ✗ HealthcareOpposes HealthcareDefunds two health programs (CHIP and Granite Advantage) while redirecting tobacco tax revenue to universities, directly reducing healthcare coverage.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Appropriations Revenue Higher Education Children's Health Insurance

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