SB 625 allows immediate family members (parents, spouses, or children) of homicide victims to request an evidentiary hearing when the Department of Justice (DOJ) does not file criminal charges or seek a retrial after a hung jury in a homicide case. Families must first request a written explanation from the DOJ for not filing charges, and if they believe probable cause exists, they can petition a superior court to review the DOJ’s decision. The court will assess whether the evidence supports charging a suspect, potentially requiring the DOJ to provide investigative reports for private review and holding a hearing to evaluate witness credibility. If the court finds probable cause, it will recommend prosecution to the DOJ but only inform the family that probable cause exists - not the detailed recommendation.
HB 1515 repeals the child care grant program that provided recruitment and retention grants to New Hampshire child care employers through the Department of Health and Human Services. The bill removes the $7.5 million annual appropriation (from federal TANF funds) that was intended to support these grants, though the program was already unworkable due to federal restrictions. This change directly affects child care providers who previously could have accessed these grants. The repeal has no fiscal impact as the program could not operate under federal guidelines, and no new funding or changes to services are enacted.
HB 1542 sets all renewable energy fund compliance payments (the fees electric providers pay if they can't meet renewable energy requirements) to $0, effective January 1, 2027. This eliminates the primary revenue source for New Hampshire's Renewable Energy Fund (REF), which currently funds programs like low-income solar initiatives, non-residential renewable grants, and community solar projects. The fiscal note states this change would reduce annual REF revenue by approximately $6.7 million starting in 2028, causing all REF-funded programs and nine state positions supporting renewable energy compliance to cease without new legislative funding. The bill directly affects electric service providers (by removing compliance penalties), state programs, and low-income communities relying on REF-funded solar projects.
This constitutional amendment (CACR 12) would require a two-thirds vote in both the New Hampshire Senate and House of Representatives to pass new broad-based taxes, such as income, sales, or capital gains taxes. It directly affects the legislative process for enacting new taxes that broadly impact many residents or businesses, not existing tax laws. The key mechanism is changing the constitutional requirement for such taxes from a simple majority to a supermajority vote. If approved by voters in 2026, this would apply to all new broad-based tax legislation moving forward.
HB 1196 repeals New Hampshire's Housing Champion Designation and Grant Program, which provided financial incentives and recognition to municipalities for adopting housing-friendly policies. The bill ends the state's authority to issue new grants or designations under this program, affecting participating municipalities and the Department of Business and Economic Affairs that administered it. Existing contracts (worth approximately $2.6 million) will be honored until June 2027, but no new funding or recognition will be provided after the bill's effective date. The repeal also eliminates the Housing Champion Program Fund and the associated advisory committee.
HB 1706 repeals New Hampshire's state-administered refugee resettlement program and prohibits state agencies from using state funds for refugee resettlement activities. The bill specifically requires the Department of Health and Human Services to terminate existing contracts related to refugee resettlement (such as the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program) and bans all state spending - directly or indirectly - on resettlement efforts. It does not affect federal refugee programs or funds, as the state's involvement was limited to administering approximately $4.5 million annually in federal funds. The bill applies solely to state government actions and has no impact on existing refugee services or federal programs.
HB 1609 prohibits New Hampshire state, county, and municipal governments from using public funds or property to build, operate, or pay for immigrant detention facilities, particularly those managed by private companies. It bans spending on construction, renovation, repurposing public property for detention, selling public property for such use, and making payments to private detention operators. The bill does not affect existing 287(g) agreements between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities or the provision of health and safety services to detained individuals. Counties may face potential revenue losses if they stop cooperating with federal immigration programs, but municipalities are not expected to have financial impacts.
HB 1803 prohibits students from receiving both education tax credit scholarships (under RSA 77-G:2) and education freedom account funds (under RSA 194-F:2) in the same program year. This directly affects students currently using or eligible for both programs, requiring them to choose one funding source per year. The bill also removes an additional $2,036 grant for the Virtual Learning Academy Charter School (VLACS) when students in either program enroll part-time, shifting tuition responsibility to families. These changes aim to prevent duplicate funding and adjust state payments for specific school enrollments.
HB 675 increases the statewide education property tax revenue cap to $773 million for 2025 and requires municipalities to remit excess tax collections to the state education trust fund. It limits school district spending growth on non-facilities expenses by tying annual appropriations to the 3-year average Consumer Price Index (CPI), with stricter rules after 2027. The bill also raises the base per-pupil adequacy cost from $4,100 to $7,356 and mandates annual reporting of district spending to the Department of Education. These changes directly affect school districts and municipalities managing education funding, effective July 1, 2025. (Note: The bill’s title mentioning "central office expenses" does not align with the actual provisions; this summary reflects the actual tax and spending mechanisms described in the bill text.)
