HB 1066 New Hampshire House · 2026 Regular Session

relative to warrant articles authorizing lease agreements.

HB 1066 amends New Hampshire municipal laws to clarify and expand how lease agreements are defined and managed. It defines "lease" to include lease-purchase, sale-lease-back, and similar agreements for property, equipment, or facilities under RSA 33:7-e/f. The bill requires public hearings for municipal leases exceeding $100,000 (aligning with existing bond hearing rules) and ensures lease funds remain available until projects are completed, preventing premature budget lapsing. This directly affects towns, cities, and unincorporated areas in New Hampshire that use lease financing for infrastructure or equipment.

Bill status passed 2 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Nov 2025

Committee Review

Apr 2026

House Failed

Mar 2026

Governor

Introduced Nov 12, 2025 Last action Apr 16, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced → As Amended by the House · 2 edits

MINOR

The House amendment made two substantive policy changes: it raised the threshold for requiring public hearings on municipal leases from $100,000 to $500,000, and it added an exception to the non-lapse provision so that energy performance contracts can still lapse if the municipality fails to appropriate sufficient funds. These changes give municipalities more flexibility in managing lease financing and carve out a specific exception for energy performance contracts.

REQUIREMENT

The dollar threshold triggering a mandatory public hearing on leases was raised from $100,000 to $500,000. Leases between $100,000 and $500,000 no longer require a separate public hearing under this provision.

SCOPE

An exception was added to the non-lapse rule for lease appropriations: energy performance contracts under RSA 21-I:19-d will still lapse if the municipality fails to appropriate sufficient funds as required by RSA 21-I:19-d, II(e). This means such contracts are not protected from expiring due to budget inaction like other leases.

Floor votes · House Mar 12, 2026

How they voted

103–92

Failed · 27 other

Total votes 222

Mar 12, 2026

D Democratic107

92 Yea 15

85% Yea

I Independent2

1 Nay 1

50% Nay

R Republican113

11 Yea 91 Nay 11

80% Nay

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Apr 9, 2026

Committee

Committee Report: Referred to Interim Study, 04/16/2026, Vote 4-0; SC 14

upper

Apr 2, 2026

Committee

Committee Report: Referred to Interim Study, 04/09/2026; Vote 4-0; CC; SC 13

upper

Mar 17, 2026

Introduced

Introduced 03/12/2026 and Referred to Election Law and Municipal Affairs; SJ 7

upper

Mar 12, 2026

Vote failed

House Vote: fail (103-92-27)

house

Mar 12, 2026

Lower · Passed

Ought to Pass with Amendment 2026-0923h: MA DV 174-171 03/12/2026 HJ 8 P. 27

lower

Mar 12, 2026

Introduced

Amendment # 2026-0923h: AA VV 03/12/2026 HJ 8 P. 24

lower

Mar 4, 2026

Lower · Passed

Minority Committee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate

lower

Mar 4, 2026

Lower · Passed

Majority Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2026-0923h 03/03/2026 (Vote 10-8; RC) HC 10 P. 61

lower

Nov 12, 2025

Introduced

Introduced 01/07/2026 and referred to Municipal and County Government HJ 1 P. 4

lower

1 primary · 9 co-sponsors