repealing the state housing champion designation and grant program.
HB 1196 repeals New Hampshire's Housing Champion Designation and Grant Program, which provided financial incentives and recognition to municipalities for adopting housing-friendly policies. The bill ends the state's authority to issue new grants or designations under this program, affecting participating municipalities and the Department of Business and Economic Affairs that administered it. Existing contracts (worth approximately $2.6 million) will be honored until June 2027, but no new funding or recognition will be provided after the bill's effective date. The repeal also eliminates the Housing Champion Program Fund and the associated advisory committee.
Bill status
failed
3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Dec 2025
Committee Review
Apr 2026
House Passage
Feb 2026
Senate Passage
Governor
Introduced Dec 1, 2025
Last action Apr 17, 2026
Floor votes · House Feb 5, 2026
How they voted
94–104
Passed · 25 other
Total votes 223
Feb 5, 2026
D
Democratic107
95% Nay
I
Independent2
50% Yea
R
Republican114
81% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea
All Nay
Mixed
No data
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
13
Key actions
4
Committee
6
Apr 15, 2026
Committee
Committee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate; Vote 5-0; CC; 04/23/2026; SC 15
upper
Feb 9, 2026
Introduced
Introduced 02/05/2026 and Referred to Commerce; SJ 4
upper
Feb 5, 2026
House · Passed
House Vote: pass (94-104-25)
house
Feb 5, 2026
Committee
Referral Waived by Committee Chair per House Rule 47(f) 02/05/2026 HJ 3 P. 56
lower
Feb 5, 2026
Lower · Passed
Ought to Pass: MA RC 185-166 02/05/2026 HJ 3 P. 43
lower
Feb 5, 2026
Committee
Referred to Ways and Means 02/05/2026 HJ 3 P. 45
lower
Jan 27, 2026
Lower · Passed
Minority Committee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate
lower
Jan 27, 2026
Lower · Passed
Majority Committee Report: Ought to Pass 01/20/2026 (Vote 10-8; RC) HC 5 P. 23
lower
Dec 1, 2025
Introduced
Introduced 01/07/2026 and referred to Housing HJ 1 P. 10
lower
1 primary · 5 co-sponsors
Sponsors
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