Immigration (Citizenship & Naturalization)

HB 458 would amend New Hampshire law to require that local welfare assistance (such as aid for the poor) be provided only to U.S. citizens or permanent legal residents. This change directly affects individuals seeking local financial support through town welfare programs, removing eligibility for non-citizen residents. The bill modifies existing welfare law (RSA 165:1) to specify citizenship or legal residency as a requirement for receiving aid. It takes effect 60 days after passage, with potential cost reductions for municipalities as fewer people would qualify for assistance. The bill does not create new programs but changes eligibility rules for current local welfare support.

HB 1062 authorizes New Hampshire's Secretary of State to randomly audit the citizenship status of registered voters who provided a "qualified voter affidavit" as proof of citizenship. The bill requires using government and private databases to verify citizenship, with confirmed citizens marked in the voter database to avoid future audits. If audits suggest non-citizenship, the findings are sent to the Attorney General for review. This directly affects registered voters who used the affidavit method during registration, adding a verification step to the voter registration process. The law does not change voting eligibility but adds a new administrative check for citizenship.