HB 1815 Declares education funding is a "shared" state-local responsibility — overriding court rulings that the state must pay more.

For over 30 years, NH courts have told the legislature the same thing: the state constitution requires the state to fund an adequate education for every child. The landmark Claremont decisions (1993, 1997) and the more recent ConVal ruling (2023) all reached the same conclusion — the state is shirking its duty, and property-poor communities are paying the price.

HB 1815 is the legislature's response: instead of funding schools adequately, just redefine the obligation. The bill declares that education funding is a "shared" state-local responsibility, attempting to legislatively overrule court decisions that say otherwise. It's the legal equivalent of covering your ears and shouting.

The real-world impact falls hardest on property-poor towns like Claremont, Berlin, and Franklin. When the state doesn't pay its share, these communities either raise property taxes to crushing levels or accept underfunded schools. Wealthier towns like Bedford and Windham can make up the difference; poor towns can't. This bill codifies that inequality into law.

Rep. Bob Lynn (R-Windham) — who represents one of NH's wealthiest towns — is the primary sponsor. The irony writes itself.