establishing a committee to study New Hampshire statutes relative to cats and dogs.
HB 1153 increases annual dog license fees from $4.50 to $4.75 for unspayed/unneutered dogs 7 months or older and for certain younger dogs, directly affecting dog owners in New Hampshire municipalities. It also establishes a legislative committee to review the state’s dog and cat statutes (RSA 466), focusing on whether current laws match regulatory needs and are clearly organized. The committee, composed of three House members and one Senate member, must submit findings and recommendations by November 1, 2026. The fee change is expected to generate minimal additional revenue for municipalities - less than $10,000 per town - without altering existing animal regulations.
Bill status
signed
all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Dec 2025
Committee Review
Apr 2026
House Passage
Feb 2026
Senate Passage
Apr 2026
Signed into Law
Jun 2026
Introduced Dec 1, 2025
Signed Jun 24, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 4 comparisons
What changed between versions
Version adopted by both bodies
→
CHAPTERED FINAL VERSION
·
3 edits
MINOR
The bill was finalized and enacted into law as Chapter 157, establishing a committee to review New Hampshire statutes regarding cats and dogs. The text was formatted to match official legislative standards, including the addition of specific section numbers and the removal of draft headers. No substantive policy changes, funding amounts, or eligibility criteria were altered.
Scope change
The bill's scope remains unchanged; it continues to establish a committee to study existing statutes about cats and dogs.
TECHNICAL
The document was converted from a draft version to a final chapter, adding official section numbers (157:1 through 157:6) and removing internal draft markers.
Minor formatting adjustments were made to the committee composition and duties sections to align with final legislative style.
TIMELINE
Specific effective dates were added, stating the act takes effect upon passage and was approved on June 19, 2026.
Floor votes
How they voted
No floor votes recorded yet.
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
17
Key actions
8
Committee
7
Amendments
2
Jun 24, 2026
Signed into law
Signed by Governor Ayotte 06/19/2026; Chapter 157; eff. 06/19/2026
lower
May 7, 2026
Introduced
House Concurs with Senate Amendment 2026-1436s (Rep. J. Aron): MA VV 05/07/2026 HJ 12 P. 4
lower
Apr 14, 2026
Upper · Passed
Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2026-1436s, MA, VV; OT3rdg; 04/16/2026; SJ 9
upper
Apr 14, 2026
Upper · Passed
Committee Amendment # 2026-1436s, AA, VV; 04/16/2026; SJ 9
upper
Apr 13, 2026
Upper · Passed
Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2026-1436s, 04/16/2026; Vote 5-0; CC; SC 14A
upper
Feb 25, 2026
Introduced
Introduced 02/19/2026 and Referred to Energy and Natural Resources; SJ 5
upper
Feb 19, 2026
Lower · Passed
Ought to Pass with Amendment 2026-0288h: MA VV 02/19/2026 HJ 5 P. 14
lower
Feb 19, 2026
Introduced
Amendment # 2026-0288h: AA VV 02/19/2026 HJ 5 P. 14
lower
Feb 6, 2026
Lower · Passed
Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2026-0288h (NT) 02/03/2026 (Vote 14-1; CC) HC 7 P. 10
lower
Jan 27, 2026
Lower · Passed
Full Committee Work Session: 02/03/2026 09:15 am GP 153
lower
Jan 21, 2026
Lower · Passed
Full Committee Work Session: 01/27/2026 10:00 am GP 153
lower
Dec 1, 2025
Introduced
Introduced 01/07/2026 and referred to Environment and Agriculture HJ 1 P. 8
lower
1 primary · 1 co-sponsor
Sponsors
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