SB 653 New Hampshire Senate · 2026 Regular Session

enabling counties to change the dates of their biennial budgets and relative to the adopting of a municipal budget committee and electing members thereof.

SB 653 allows counties to adjust their biennial budget cycles to align with state election years, directly affecting county governments. It requires county commissioners to first vote (by majority) to put the change on the ballot, with notice given 15-60 days prior via local media and public postings. Voters then decide at the November state election whether to shift the county’s budget cycle to start in a specified year. The bill establishes a clear process for this timing change but does not mandate it, taking effect 60 days after passage.

Bill status passed both 4 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2026

Committee Review

May 2026

Senate Passage

Feb 2026

House Passage

May 2026

Governor

Introduced Feb 4, 2026 Last action May 21, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced → As Amended by the House · 5 edits

MODERATE

The bill was amended to shift its focus from allowing counties to change budget dates to establishing a new municipal budget committee system for towns and districts. The changes add detailed procedures for electing or appointing committee members, define specific ballot language for voters to approve the committee, and outline how the committee can be rescinded or modified later.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded from solely affecting county budget timelines to creating a new governance structure (budget committees) for towns and districts, while retaining the original county budget date change provision.

REQUIREMENT

Added a new requirement for towns and districts to adopt a municipal budget committee consisting of members-at-large, with specific rules for how these members are elected or appointed.

Added specific ballot language that must be used when asking voters to approve the creation of the new budget committee.

Added provisions allowing towns and districts to vote later to change the number of committee members or the method used to select them.

Added a formal process for rescinding the budget committee, which would return full budgetary responsibility to the town's governing body.

TIMELINE

Modified the process for initial committee members, allowing them to be either elected immediately or appointed by a moderator to serve a one-year term until the next election.

Floor votes · House May 14, 2026

How they voted

85–90

Passed · 47 other

Total votes 222

May 14, 2026

D Democratic108

89 Nay 19

82% Nay

I Independent2

1 Yea 1

50% Yea

R Republican112

84 Yea 1 Nay 27

75% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

May 21, 2026

Introduced

Sen. Gray Moved Nonconcur with the House Amendment, MA, VV; 05/21/2026; SJ 13

upper

May 14, 2026

House · Passed

House Vote: pass (85-90-47)

house

May 14, 2026

Lower · Passed

Ought to Pass with Amendment 2026-1797h: MA RC 167-146 05/14/2026 HJ 13 P. 124

lower

May 14, 2026

Introduced

Amendment # 2026-1797h (NT): AA RC 164-145 05/14/2026 HJ 13 P. 120

lower

May 6, 2026

Lower · Passed

Minority Committee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate

lower

May 6, 2026

Lower · Passed

Majority Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2026-1797h (NT) 05/05/2026 (Vote 11-9; RC) HC 19 P. 28

lower

Feb 26, 2026

Introduced

Introduced (in recess of) 02/19/2026 and referred to Municipal and County Government HJ 5 P. 127

lower

Feb 12, 2026

Upper · Passed

Ought to Pass: MA, VV; OT3rdg; 02/19/2026; SJ 4

upper

Feb 10, 2026

Upper · Passed

Committee Report: Ought to Pass, 02/19/2026; Vote 5-0; CC; SC 6

upper

Feb 4, 2026

Introduced

Introduced 01/29/2026 and Referred to Election Law and Municipal Affairs; SJ 3

upper

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors