HB 675 increases the statewide education property tax revenue cap to $773 million for 2025 and requires municipalities to remit excess tax collections to the state education trust fund. It limits school district spending growth on non-facilities expenses by tying annual appropriations to the 3-year average Consumer Price Index (CPI), with stricter rules after 2027. The bill also raises the base per-pupil adequacy cost from $4,100 to $7,356 and mandates annual reporting of district spending to the Department of Education. These changes directly affect school districts and municipalities managing education funding, effective July 1, 2025. (Note: The bill’s title mentioning "central office expenses" does not align with the actual provisions; this summary reflects the actual tax and spending mechanisms described in the bill text.)
HB 253 requires New Hampshire lawyers managing interest-bearing pooled trust accounts to remit quarterly interest or dividends to the New Hampshire public defender's office. The public defender must not have contributed to nonprofits or political campaigns during that quarter and must publish its full annual budget. If the public defender fails these requirements, the funds instead go to the state general fund. The law establishes this funding mechanism while allowing the Supreme Court and bar association to create implementing rules that align with these core provisions.
HB 651 increases the base cost of an adequate education per student from $4,100 to $7,356.01 and raises differential aid amounts for specific student groups: free or reduced-price meal eligible students by $1,733.28 (to $4,126.20), English language learners by $602.88 (to $1,435.20), and students with special education needs by $1,582.56 (to $3,767.40). The bill also expands the definition of an adequate education to include additional resource elements like teacher benefits, technology, and facility maintenance. This change, effective July 1, 2025, will require higher state funding for school districts, charter schools, and education freedom accounts, with an estimated $576 million increase for school districts in fiscal year 2026.
SB 652 limits how much excess tax paid by businesses can be applied as a credit toward future taxes. It caps the credit amount at decreasing percentages of the business's tax owed - starting at 500% for 2022-2029 tax periods, then gradually reducing to 150% by 2041. Any overpayment exceeding these caps must be refunded, not applied as a credit. This directly affects businesses that pay more in business profits tax than owed, changing how they handle excess payments.
HB 624 creates a grant program to provide funding to existing local river management advisory committees in New Hampshire. These committees, established under state law, can apply for grants of up to $10,000 annually to support their work managing local river resources. The bill appropriates $40,000 for fiscal year 2026 and $40,000 for fiscal year 2027 from the General Fund, to be administered by the Department of Environmental Services. The program requires the department to develop application rules but does not include funding for administrative costs.
This bill establishes a new system for funding New Hampshire public schools that calculates each district's "foundation opportunity budget" based on student needs rather than property values. The budget accounts for factors like students eligible for free/reduced lunch (multiplied by 1.49), English language learners (multiplied by 2.20), and students with special needs (multiplied by 4.29). The state will provide "foundation opportunity grants" to cover the difference between the calculated budget and what local governments are required to contribute, with a gradual transition period from the current system over several years. The bill requires school districts to report detailed performance data to help target resources and address achievement gaps for different student groups.
HB 619 allocates $1,000,000 from the General Fund to New Hampshire's Solid Waste Management Fund for the 2025-2027 biennium. This non-lapsing appropriation means the funds remain available until spent, with 50% specifically designated to prioritize projects reducing food waste and other organic waste diversion through June 2028. The bill directly affects state waste management programs and local projects focused on organic waste reduction. It does not change existing laws or create new requirements, solely providing funding for established waste management efforts. The bill takes effect July 1, 2025.
SB 638 establishes a small business tariff stabilization fund to provide financial assistance to New Hampshire small businesses affected by reduced revenue from tariffs and trade disruptions. The fund, initially funded with $2.5 million from the General Fund, will distribute grants to support businesses facing supply chain issues or increased costs due to tariffs, specifically targeting those committed to avoiding layoffs. It directly benefits small businesses (defined per U.S. Small Business Administration standards) operating primarily in New Hampshire that have experienced revenue declines linked to lower exports to Canada and tourism impacts. The fund is separate from other state funds, non-lapsing, and will be managed by the Department of Business and Economic Affairs starting January 1, 2027.
HB 1288 allows New Hampshire school administrative units to set annual budget caps for their operations. The cap is calculated using the previous year's overhead cost per student (adjusted for inflation via a standard index) multiplied by average daily student enrollment across all member districts. If a school district's proposed budget exceeds this cap, voters must approve an override with a 3/5 majority vote; otherwise, the cap amount automatically becomes the adopted budget. This applies to any school administrative unit that chooses to adopt the cap, directly affecting how school budgets are set and approved within those units.
HB 1677 requires towns and cities with a local tax cap to get a recommendation from their budget committee or governing body before including any budget items that raise taxes in their annual tax estimate. This applies specifically to "warrant articles" (budget items) with a tax impact, ensuring they are formally endorsed before being counted toward the tax cap limit. The bill amends RSA 32:5-b to mandate this recommendation step, certification, and posting on the warrant, without changing the tax cap amount itself.
