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HB 1337 Repeals the NH Council on Autism Spectrum Disorders.

Education In Senate

Repeals the NH Council on Autism Spectrum Disorders.

Impact Score — How Does This Bill Affect You?

4

Overall Impact Score

Concerning

Scale: 1 (harmful) to 10 (beneficial)

5
💰

Your Wallet

Council members are unpaid volunteers; savings are negligible

3
🏘️

Your Community

Eliminates the only state body coordinating education and services for students with autism

5
⚖️

Your Freedom

Reduces a layer of government oversight but removes advocacy for a vulnerable population

Status

Passed House March 11, 2026. Vote: 178–155.

Voted Yes

178 R

Voted No

0 R + 155 D

R Yes D Yes R No D No

Sponsor

Rep. Foss (R-Hillsborough)

The Short Version

Eliminates the state council that coordinates healthcare, education, and services for people with autism — a body created by the legislature in 2008. While this isn't directly an "education" bill, the council's work includes educational support and policy recommendations for students on the spectrum. Removing it strips away an advocacy body for some of the most vulnerable students. Passed 178–155.

Who's Behind This Bill?

Who Benefits

  • ▲ Minimal — council members are unpaid volunteers

Who Pays the Price

  • ▼ Families of students with autism (lose advocacy body)
  • ▼ Students on the spectrum (lose cross-agency coordination)

Roll Call Detail (1 vote)

Every recorded floor vote on this bill, with each legislator's individual vote. Click a name to see that rep's full record.

Who actually supports this bill?

Across the 1 recorded vote on this bill — counting each legislator's net direction and treating kill motions as opposing the bill — Republicans supported it ( 176 for , 6 against ) , and Democrats opposed it ( 2 for , 149 against ) .

"Supporting" means voting for passage OR voting against a kill motion. "Opposing" is the inverse. Concurs and amendment-only votes don't count.

Ought to Pass (passage vote) 2026-03-11
Passed

YES = Pass the bill. NO = Reject the bill.

176R + 2D
Voted to Pass (178)
6R + 149D
Voted Against (155)
38
Absent
21
Not voting
Show all 392 individual votes

Voted Yea (178)

Republicans (176)
Democrats (2)

Voted Nay (155)

Republicans (6)
Democrats (149)
Absent (38)

Brian Seaworth (R) , Catherine Sofikitis (D) , Cindy Bennett (R) , Dale Girard (D) , Dale Swanson (D) , David Lundgren (R) , Denise DeDe-Poulin (R) , Dick Thackston (R) , Gaby Grossman (D) , Geoff Smith (D) , Jaci Grote (D) , James Gruber (D) , Jay Markell (R) , Jeanine Notter (R) , Jennifer Rhodes (R) , Jim Fedolfi (R) , John Janigian (R) , Jonathan Smith (R) , Jose Cambrils (R) , Karel Crawford (R) , Kristine Perez (R) , Marc Plamondon (D) , Mark Warden (R) , Mary Ford (R) , Matthew Hicks (D) , Mike Bordes (R) , Mike Drago (R) , Molly Howard (D) , Myles England (D) , Patricia Cornell (D) , Peggy Balboni (D) , Peter Lovett (D) , Peter Varney (R) , Sayra Devito (R) , Terry Roy (R) , Thomas Buco (D) , Tom Dolan (R) , Wayne Hemingway (R)

Full Analysis

The NH Council on Autism Spectrum Disorders was created in 2008 to coordinate services across healthcare, education, and social services for people with autism. It provides policy recommendations, identifies gaps in services, and advocates for the autism community.

HB 1337 repeals the council entirely. The stated rationale is typically "government efficiency" or reducing bureaucracy, but the council costs virtually nothing to operate — its members are volunteers. What it provides is institutional knowledge, cross-agency coordination, and a voice for families navigating the complex intersection of education, healthcare, and disability services.

For students on the autism spectrum, the council helps ensure that educational services — speech therapy, occupational therapy, behavioral support, transition planning — are coordinated with healthcare providers and community services. Eliminating it doesn't save meaningful money; it just removes the only state-level body specifically focused on ensuring these students don't fall through the cracks.

Read the Actual Bill → See All Bills

Bill statuses as of May 2026. Check LegiScan or NH General Court for the latest.