SB 633 New Hampshire Senate · 2026 Regular Session

relative to donations received by the granite patron of the arts fund.

SB 633 creates a voluntary $0.50-per-ticket surcharge for New Hampshire performing arts venues with 100-2,500 seats that choose to participate. Venues can add this to ticket prices, and all collected funds will go into a dedicated account managed by the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. The money supports the Division of Arts and State Council on Arts through grants, administrative costs, and program funding - no other uses are allowed. The program is optional for venues, requires no taxpayer money, and has minimal fiscal impact (under $10,000 annually).

Issues: ✓ Budget & Taxes

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Nov 2025

Committee Review

Apr 2026

Senate Passage

Feb 2026

House Passage

Apr 2026

Signed into Law

Jun 2026

Introduced Nov 25, 2025 Signed Jun 22, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 4 comparisons

What changed between versions

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

MINOR

No substantive policy changes were made between the version adopted by both bodies and the final chaptered version. The changes are purely administrative: the bill was assigned Chapter 144, section numbers were updated to reflect the chapter (e.g., '1' became '144:1'), the fiscal note was removed, and approval/effective dates were added. The actual policy content - donation thresholds, expenditure limits, reporting requirements - remains identical.

TECHNICAL

Section numbers changed from generic (1, 2) to chapter-specific (144:1, 144:2) as part of the standard chaptering process when a bill is signed into law.

The fiscal note (stating no fiscal impact on state, county, or local expenditures or revenue) was removed, as it is not included in the final chaptered law.

TIMELINE

Approval date (June 12, 2026) and effective date (August 11, 2026) were added to the final version, confirming the 60-day delay specified in the bill's effective date provision.

Introduced → As Amended by the Senate · 7 edits

MODERATE

The bill was completely rewritten. The introduced version created a new voluntary ticket surcharge program for performing arts venues (capped at $0.50 per ticket) with a dedicated fund. The amended version instead modifies an existing section (RSA 19-A:9, II) to govern how the division of arts and state council on the arts handle donations, adding approval thresholds and reporting requirements.

Scope change

The bill shifted from creating an entirely new voluntary ticket surcharge program for performing arts venues to amending an existing section that governs how the state's arts agencies handle incoming donations. The introduced version would have created a new revenue stream (ticket surcharges); the amended version instead adds oversight and approval requirements to existing donation authority.

SCOPE

The entire voluntary ticket surcharge program was deleted. This included a new section (RSA 19-A:16) that would have allowed performing arts venues with 100-2,500 capacity to add up to $0.50 per ticket as a voluntary surcharge, and a dedicated nonlapsing fund in the department of natural and cultural resources.

The bill now amends existing RSA 19-A:9, II to authorize the division of arts and state council on the arts to solicit and receive gifts, grants, donations, and federal matching funds for the encouragement of the arts, depositing them in the New Hampshire council on the arts fund.

FISCAL

The new subparagraph added to RSA 6:12, I(b) directing moneys from the performance art ticket surcharge fund was removed.

REQUIREMENT

Donations of $50,000 or more now require approval from the governor and executive council before acceptance.

Expenditures of $50,000 or more, and any expenditures on employees of the division, require approval from the governor, executive council, AND the fiscal committee of the general court.

The division and council must acknowledge receipt of any gifts, grants, or donations within 15 days using a form provided by the commissioner of the department of revenue administration.

ENFORCEMENT

Quarterly expenditure reports must be filed with the governor, executive council, and the fiscal committee of the general court.

Floor votes

How they voted

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Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Jun 22, 2026

Signed into law

Signed by the Governor on 06/12/2026; Chapter 144; Effective 08/11/2026

upper

May 7, 2026

Introduced

Sen. Lang Moved to Concur with the House Amendment, MA, VV; 05/07/2026; SJ 11

upper

Apr 23, 2026

Lower · Passed

Ought to Pass with Amendment 2026-1353h: MA VV 04/23/2026 HJ 11 P. 15

lower

Apr 23, 2026

Introduced

Amendment # 2026-1353h: AA VV 04/23/2026 HJ 11 P. 15

lower

Apr 9, 2026

Lower · Passed

Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2026-1353h 04/06/2026 (Vote 12-0; CC)

lower

Mar 30, 2026

Lower · Passed

Full Committee Work Session: 04/06/2026 10:00 am GP 159

lower

Mar 19, 2026

Lower · Passed

Full Committee Work Session: 03/23/2026 10:30 am GP 159

lower

Feb 26, 2026

Introduced

Introduced (in recess of) 02/19/2026 and referred to Ways and Means HJ 5 P. 127

lower

Feb 5, 2026

Upper · Passed

Ought to Pass with Amendment #2026-0517s, MA, VV; OT3rdg; 02/05/2026; SJ 3

upper

Feb 5, 2026

Introduced

Sen. Lang Floor Amendment # 2026-0517s, AA, VV; 02/05/2026; SJ 3

upper

Feb 5, 2026

Upper · Passed

Sen. Lang Moved Ought to Pass; 02/05/2026; SJ 3

upper

Jan 29, 2026

Committee

Committee Report: Referred to Interim Study, 02/05/2026, Vote 3-2; SC 4

upper

Jan 14, 2026

Committee

Committee Report: Referred to Interim Study, 01/29/2026, Vote 3-2; SC 3

upper

Nov 25, 2025

Introduced

Introduced 01/07/2026 and Referred to Ways and Means; SJ 1

upper

1 primary · 8 co-sponsors