SB 615 New Hampshire Senate · 2026 Regular Session

establishing a commission to study the use and regulation of SNAP in New Hampshire.

This bill (SB 615) changes how New Hampshire administers SNAP benefits (food stamps) through EBT cards. It requires the state to seek a federal waiver to block SNAP use for candy and soft drinks, strengthens work requirements for eligible adults, and mandates data-sharing with state agencies (like lottery, employment, and corrections) to verify recipient eligibility more rigorously. The bill also prohibits the state from applying more lenient SNAP rules than federal law allows. These changes directly affect SNAP recipients and the state’s health and human services department, which must implement the new verification processes.

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Nov 2025

Committee Review

May 2026

Senate Passage

Mar 2026

House Passage

May 2026

Signed into Law

Jun 2026

Introduced Nov 25, 2025 Signed Jun 24, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

Version adopted by both bodies → CHAPTERED FINAL VERSION · 3 edits

MINOR

The final chaptered version primarily updated the analysis section to accurately describe the bill as establishing a study commission (the prior analysis incorrectly described direct policy mandates like banning candy purchases and strengthening work requirements). A new effective date section was added specifying that the repeal of the old RSA 161:15 takes effect November 1, 2027, while the rest of the act takes effect upon passage. Remaining changes are formatting and minor text corrections.

TIMELINE

A new effective date section (200:3) was added: the repeal of the prior RSA 161:15 commission provision takes effect November 1, 2027, while the rest of the act (the new commission) takes effect immediately upon passage.

SCOPE

The analysis section was rewritten to correctly describe the bill as establishing a study commission on SNAP use and regulation, replacing an outdated analysis that described direct policy mandates (banning candy/soft drink purchases with SNAP, strengthening work requirements, data-sharing agreements, and out-of-state purchase verification).

TECHNICAL

Minor text corrections: 'snap' capitalized to 'SNAP' in section IV(c), and 'NH School Administrator's Association' corrected to 'NH School Administrators Association' in section II(r).

Introduced → As Amended by the Senate · 5 edits

MODERATE

The bill was completely rewritten from a prescriptive regulatory measure into a study commission. The original version mandated specific actions including submitting a federal waiver to ban candy and soft drinks from SNAP, restricting eligibility criteria, and creating multiple data-sharing agreements with state agencies. The amended version replaces all of that with a 20-member commission tasked with researching the feasibility, economic impacts, and practicality of various SNAP changes before making any policy recommendations.

Scope change

The bill shifted from directly mandating specific SNAP regulatory actions (waiver submission, eligibility restrictions, data-sharing) to establishing a fact-finding commission that will study and recommend potential changes. No regulatory action is required until the commission reports back in late 2026 and 2027.

SCOPE

The requirement for DHHS to submit a federal demonstration waiver by January 1, 2027 to exclude candy and soft drinks from SNAP-eligible foods was entirely removed.

A new 20-member commission was established to study SNAP in New Hampshire. Members include legislators, current SNAP recipients, representatives from DHHS, the governor's office, beverage/grocery/convenience store industries, food banks, legal aid, medical association, farmers' markets, and schools.

ELIGIBILITY

All provisions restricting SNAP eligibility were removed, including: the prohibition on seeking work requirement waivers without legislative approval, the ban on granting categorical eligibility for noncash benefits, the restriction on applying higher income or asset standards than federal law, and all data-sharing agreements with the lottery commission, vital records, employment security, corrections, economic security, Social Security Administration, and the national directory of new hires.

REQUIREMENT

The commission is tasked with researching the feasibility of changing SNAP (including federal consequences), studying how to prioritize SNAP dollars for healthy food, examining economic impacts on various industries, investigating fraud/waste/abuse prevalence, and studying the impact of a potential waiver on New Hampshire retailers including cross-border sales effects.

TIMELINE

The commission must hold its first meeting within 45 days of the effective date, submit an interim report with recommendations by November 1, 2026, and a final report by November 1, 2027.

Floor votes

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Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Jun 24, 2026

Signed into law

Signed by the Governor on 06/19/2026; Chapter 200

upper

Jun 5, 2026

Upper · Passed

Enrolled Bill Amendment # 2026-2031e Adopted, VV, (In recess of 06/04/2026); SJ 14

upper

Jun 2, 2026

Introduced

Enrolled Bill Amendment # 2026-2031e: AA VV (in recess of) 05/21/2026 HJ 14 P. 37

lower

May 7, 2026

Lower · Passed

Ought to Pass: MA VV 05/07/2026 HJ 12 P. 36

lower

Apr 22, 2026

Lower · Passed

Minority Committee Report: Ought to Pass

lower

Apr 22, 2026

Committee

Majority Committee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate 04/15/2026 (Vote 10-8; RC) HC 18 P. 14

lower

Mar 27, 2026

Introduced

Introduced (in recess of) 03/26/2026 and referred to Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs HJ 9 P. 55

lower

Mar 23, 2026

Upper · Passed

Ought to Pass: MA, VV; OT3rdg; 03/26/2026; SJ 7

upper

Mar 19, 2026

Upper · Passed

Committee Report: Ought to Pass, 03/26/2026; Vote 7-0; CC; SC 11

upper

Mar 10, 2026

Upper · Passed

Ought to Pass with Amendment #2026-1045s, MA, VV; Refer to Finance Rule 4-5; 03/12/2026; SJ 6

upper

Mar 6, 2026

Upper · Passed

Committee Amendment # 2026-1045s, AA, VV; 03/12/2026; SJ 6

upper

Mar 4, 2026

Upper · Passed

Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2026-1045s, 03/12/2026; Vote 5-0; CC; SC 9

upper

Nov 25, 2025

Introduced

Introduced 01/07/2026 and Referred to Health and Human Services; SJ 1

upper

1 primary · 4 co-sponsors