HB 1602 New Hampshire House · 2026 Regular Session

creating a safe battery recycling stewardship program.

HB 1602 creates a statewide program requiring battery manufacturers and brands (producers) to fund and manage the safe collection and recycling of covered batteries. It applies to portable batteries (under 4.4 lbs primary or 11 lbs rechargeable) and medium-format batteries (11-25 lbs), excluding medical device batteries, vehicle batteries, and lead-acid batteries over 11 pounds. Producers must join a "battery stewardship organization" that meets annual collection targets and follows environmental safety rules, with the Department of Environmental Services overseeing compliance. The program shifts recycling responsibility from consumers to producers, ensuring covered batteries are handled safely through a structured, industry-funded system.

Issues: ✓ Environment

Bill status failed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Dec 2025

Committee Review

Apr 2026

House Passage

Mar 2026

Senate Passage

Governor

Introduced Dec 10, 2025 Last action Apr 23, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

As Amended by the House → As Amended by the House (2nd) · 3 edits

MINOR

The second House amendment to HB 1602 makes primarily technical and grammatical corrections to the battery stewardship bill, with one substantive clarification: the upper limit for a 'medium format battery' is now clearly stated as '25 pounds or 2,000 watt-hours' instead of the ambiguous '25 pounds of 2,000 watt-hours.' These changes do not alter the bill's overall scope or policy direction.

DEFINITION

The definition of 'medium format battery' was clarified: the upper limit changed from 'not exceeding 25 pounds of 2,000 watt-hours' to 'not exceeding 25 pounds or 2,000 watt-hours,' making it clear that a rechargeable battery is excluded if it exceeds either the weight or energy threshold.

TECHNICAL

Grammar corrections: 'Batteries that contains an electrolyte' changed to 'Batteries that contain an electrolyte'; 'that is not intended or designed' changed to 'that are not intended or designed.'

Punctuation and formatting changes: removed a comma in 'either, or both'; changed 'three' to '3'; abbreviated '21 United States Code' to '21 U.S.C.'; combined 'record keeping' into 'recordkeeping.'

Floor votes · House Mar 26, 2026

How they voted

141–65

Passed · 17 other

Total votes 223

Mar 26, 2026

D Democratic108

103 Yea 5

95% Yea

I Independent2

1 Nay 1

50% Nay

R Republican113

38 Yea 64 Nay 11

56% Nay

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Apr 15, 2026

Committee

Committee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate, 04/23/2026, Vote 3-0; SC 15

upper

Mar 30, 2026

Introduced

Introduced 03/26/2026 and Referred to Ways and Means; SJ 7

upper

Mar 26, 2026

House · Passed

House Vote: pass (141-65-17)

house

Mar 26, 2026

Lower · Passed

Ought to Pass with Amendment 2026-1278h: MA RC 244-112 03/26/2026 HJ 9 P. 32

lower

Mar 19, 2026

Lower · Passed

Minority Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2026-1166h

lower

Mar 19, 2026

Lower · Passed

Majority Committee Report: Refer for Interim Study 03/17/2026 (Vote 13-11; RC)

lower

Feb 19, 2026

Committee

Referred to Finance 02/19/2026 HJ 5 P. 120

lower

Feb 19, 2026

Lower · Passed

Ought to Pass with Amendment 2026-0405h: MA RC 264-72 02/19/2026 HJ 5 P. 118

lower

Feb 19, 2026

Introduced

Amendment # 2026-0405h: AA VV 02/19/2026 HJ 5 P. 114

lower

Feb 6, 2026

Lower · Passed

Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2026-0405h 02/03/2026 (Vote 14-0; CC) HC 7 P. 11

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 10, 2025

Introduced

Introduced 01/07/2026 and referred to Environment and Agriculture HJ 1 P. 27

lower

1 primary · 13 co-sponsors