HB 1768 New Hampshire House · 2026 Regular Session

relative to gifts and donations received by the division of parks and recreation.

HB 1768 provides free day-use admission and metered parking at New Hampshire state parks for honorably discharged veterans who are state residents. It exempts eligible veterans from these fees upon presenting proof like a veteran license plate, DD-214 form, or other recognized documentation. The bill directly affects New Hampshire veterans meeting these criteria, removing financial barriers to park access. The fiscal note estimates an annual revenue loss of $200,000-$450,000 for the State Park Fund, based on park fee data and veteran residency assumptions.

Bill status passed both 4 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Dec 2025

Committee Review

May 2026

House Passage

Feb 2026

Senate Passage

May 2026

Governor

Introduced Dec 17, 2025 Last action May 21, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

As Amended by the House → As Amended by the Senate · 3 edits

MINOR

The Senate removed the veteran parking fee exemption that was a central feature of the House version, narrowing the bill to focus solely on gifts and donations for the Division of Parks and Recreation. The House version had exempted vehicles with New Hampshire veteran license plates from metered parking fees at state parks (including Hampton Beach South and Wallis Sands) and tied donation solicitation specifically to offsetting revenue losses from statutory fee exemptions. The Senate stripped out both the exemption and the specific purpose language, leaving a general authorization for the division to solicit donations.

SCOPE

The entire provision exempting vehicles displaying New Hampshire veteran license plates from metered parking fees at state parks (including Hampton Beach South and Wallis Sands) was deleted. This was one of two main purposes of the House bill.

The donation solicitation authority was broadened in purpose: the House version limited donations to 'offsetting revenue losses resulting from statutory exemptions from day-use admission or parking fees, including but not limited to exemptions for persons with disabilities and honorably discharged veterans.' The Senate removed this specific purpose, making it a general authorization to solicit monetary or in-kind donations without tying them to any particular policy goal.

FISCAL

The fiscal impact changed significantly: the House version projected a $70,000 to $165,000 annual decrease in the State Park Fund due to lost parking fees from the veteran exemption. The Senate version removed that revenue loss entirely and only notes a potential indeterminable increase in the State Parks Gifts and Donations Account.

Introduced → As Amended by the House · 5 edits

MODERATE

The amended bill significantly narrowed its scope by removing the free day-use admission fee exemption for veterans, keeping only the metered parking fee exemption. It added a new provision allowing the Division of Parks and Recreation to solicit donations to offset revenue losses from exemptions, and raised the individual gift threshold from $2,500 to $50,000 per fiscal year without executive approval. The effective date was shortened from 60 days after passage to immediately upon passage.

Scope change

The bill went from providing two fee exemptions (day-use admission and metered parking) for veterans to providing only one (metered parking), while adding a new revenue-raising mechanism through donation solicitation authority and a much higher gift threshold. The fiscal impact estimate dropped from $200,000-$450,000 in annual revenue loss to $70,000-$165,000, reflecting the removal of the day-use fee exemption.

SCOPE

The exemption from state park day-use admission fees for honorably discharged veterans was completely removed. Only the metered parking fee exemption remains.

ELIGIBILITY

The detailed proof-of-status provision (listing veteran license plate, DD-214, or other documentation) was removed. The amended bill simply requires a vehicle to display a New Hampshire veteran license plate.

FISCAL

A new paragraph (V-b) authorizes the Division of Parks and Recreation to solicit, receive, and procure monetary or in-kind donations to offset revenue losses from statutory exemptions (including disability and veteran exemptions). Donations may be acknowledged through limited sponsor recognition (name, logo, or mark) that is non-promotional and does not imply state endorsement. All monetary donations must be deposited into the existing State Parks Gifts and Donations Account.

The threshold for individual gifts and donations that can be received by the Division of Parks and Recreation without approval of the governor or executive council was raised from $2,500 to $50,000 per fiscal year. Gifts exceeding this amount still require approval.

TIMELINE

The effective date changed from 60 days after passage to immediately upon passage.

Floor votes

How they voted

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Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

May 21, 2026

Introduced

House Non-Concurs with Senate Amendment 2026-1745s (Rep. Harb): MA VV 05/21/2026 HJ 14 P. 22

lower

May 5, 2026

Upper · Passed

Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2026-1745s, MA, VV; OT3rdg; 05/07/2026; SJ 11

upper

May 5, 2026

Upper · Passed

Committee Amendment # 2026-1745s, AA, VV; 05/07/2026; SJ 11

upper

Apr 29, 2026

Upper · Passed

Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2026-1745s, 05/07/2026; Vote 7-0; CC; SC 17

upper

Mar 24, 2026

Upper · Passed

Ought to Pass: MA, VV; Refer to Finance Rule 4-5; 03/26/2026; SJ 7

upper

Mar 18, 2026

Upper · Passed

Committee Report: Ought to Pass, 03/26/2026; Vote 4-0; CC; SC 11

upper

Feb 25, 2026

Introduced

Introduced 02/19/2026 and Referred to Executive Departments and Administration; SJ 5

upper

Feb 17, 2026

Committee

Referral Waived by Committee Chair per House Rule 47(f) 02/19/2026 HJ 5 P. 89

lower

Feb 12, 2026

Lower · Passed

Ought to Pass with Amendment 2026-0358h: MA VV 02/12/2026 HJ 4 P. 55

lower

Feb 12, 2026

Introduced

Amendment # 2026-0358h: AA VV 02/12/2026 HJ 4 P. 54

lower

Feb 12, 2026

Committee

Referred to Ways and Means 02/12/2026 HJ 4 P. 55

lower

Feb 3, 2026

Lower · Passed

Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2026-0358h (NT) 01/28/2026 (Vote 16-0; RC) HC 6 P. 18

lower

Dec 17, 2025

Introduced

Introduced 01/07/2026 and referred to Resources, Recreation and Development HJ 1 P. 35

lower

1 primary · 4 co-sponsors