HB 1224 modifies how towns calculate their default budget when no new budget is approved by the deadline. It specifically allows funding for vacant public safety positions (like police, fire, or emergency medical roles) that were listed in last year's approved budget, provided they remain vacant before the previous budget was approved. Unspent funds for these positions must reduce local taxes instead of being reallocated to other budget areas. This change directly affects New Hampshire towns using the default budget process for official ballot town meetings. The bill takes effect January 1, 2027.
HB 1121 defines the specific resources required to calculate the cost of an adequate education in New Hampshire. It mandates that the state include certain personnel and materials - such as teachers, counselors, nurses, instructional supplies, technology, facility maintenance, and transportation - in its funding calculations. This bill directly affects how the state determines the necessary resources for public schools to meet educational standards. The definition applies to all public school funding decisions under RSA 193-E:2-a, requiring the state to formally account for these elements when assessing educational costs. The bill takes effect 60 days after passage.
HB 1760 repeals a requirement that the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services seek a waiver to impose pharmacy copayments and premiums on Medicaid beneficiaries, including those in the New Hampshire Advantage Health Care Program and the Children's Health Insurance Program. It removes specific law sections (2025, 141:65; RSA 126-AA:2-a; and RSA 126-A:3, IX) that would have mandated these cost-sharing measures. The bill appropriates funds to the Department of Health and Human Services to cover the resulting revenue shortfall for the 2026-2027 biennium. This change directly eliminates new costs for Medicaid participants while maintaining program funding stability.
HB 1227 modifies how local tax caps are calculated for towns and school districts in New Hampshire. It requires that new annual debt payments from bond votes (approved at meetings) be added to the tax base once repayment begins. This change affects the calculation of the base amount used to determine the annual tax cap limit, which is adjusted for inflation and population changes. The bill applies to existing tax caps without needing towns to re-adopt them, effective 60 days after passage.
HB 366 increases the annual funding floor for New Hampshire school building aid grants from $50 million to $60 million, starting July 2025. It requires at least $5 million of this total to fund projects that began construction between 2009 and 2019 but were delayed due to prior funding limitations, prioritizing these under existing application rules. This change directly affects school districts seeking construction or renovation funding, with local districts expected to receive an estimated $45-50 million more annually starting in 2026. The bill does not create new state spending but adjusts existing appropriations from the Education Trust Fund.
HB 1596 raises New Hampshire's cigarette and little cigar tax from $1.78 to $2.80 per pack of 20, increasing revenue for state funds. It appropriates $18 million annually to New Hampshire's university system to restore higher education funding to 2024 levels. The bill also stops collecting premiums for two health programs: the Children's Health Insurance Program and the NH Granite Advantage health care program. These changes take effect July 1, 2026, with tobacco tax revenue funding the university appropriation and education trust fund.
HB 1810 imposes a $4 fee per ton (or equivalent) on bulk road salt, road salt mix, and brine sold in New Hampshire to fund certified winter road maintenance practices. The fee is collected annually by bulk sellers (e.g., suppliers to municipalities, businesses, or state agencies) and deposited into a dedicated road salt mitigation fund. Sellers must file annual returns with the Department of Revenue Administration, maintain sales records for three years, and provide receipts showing the fee paid. This policy directly affects road salt bulk sellers and ensures funds support certified winter road maintenance programs across the state.
HB 1661 expands New Hampshire's Housing Finance Authority's "Community Heroes" program to provide homeownership assistance to essential workers. It appropriates $750,000 for fiscal year 2027 and $1.5 million annually thereafter from the General Fund to fund the program, with no more than 10% allowed for administrative costs. The program specifically targets eligible workers in healthcare, childcare, elder care, law enforcement, firefighting, education, and active military service, allowing them to use funds for down payments, closing costs, or interest rate reductions. The bill requires the Housing Finance Authority to establish rules defining eligibility and takes effect July 1, 2028, for the annual appropriation.
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.)
HB 572 establishes the "Partners in Housing" program, a low-interest loan and grant program under the Housing Champions Fund to help municipalities, counties, and developers build workforce housing. The program prioritizes single-family starter homes, duplexes, small apartment buildings, and "missing middle housing" on municipally-owned land suitable for residential development, with $2 million of the $10 million total funding specifically allocated for this initiative. Municipalities can identify suitable public land for housing development, which would be added to a statewide list prioritized for program funding, and projects must include at least 20% affordable units for 20 years. The program also includes expedited review processes for qualifying projects to speed up development. The bill appropriates $10 million for the Housing Champions Fund, with $500,000 designated for program administration.