A busy Wednesday saw the Governor sign 13 bills into law covering school finance reporting, drone regulation, and election administration. Twenty-three bills were killed, including measures on indigent defense costs and river management grants. Dozens of other bills shifted status as the legislative session continues.
Signed into Law
- HB 1514 — Requires the Departments of Education and Revenue Administration to send compliance and financial reports directly to school boards, giving local leaders better access to fiscal data.
- HB 1537 — Allows high-resolution cameras on school buses to identify drivers who illegally pass stopped buses.
- SB 103 — Sets minimum polling station requirements for larger municipalities during presidential elections to reduce wait times.
- SB 660 — Modifies rules around photo ID cards issued specifically for voting purposes.
- HB 1089 — Extends DES authority to evaluate and mitigate contamination risks for new community water systems.
- HB 1153 — Creates a study committee to review NH statutes governing cats and dogs.
- SB 560 — Updates the state’s geographic coordinate system to current standards, affecting surveying, mapping, and GPS applications.
- HB 1780 — Increases penalties for violations of seed, plant, and nursery stock sale regulations.
- HB 1363 — Modifies rules governing employer background checks on job applicants.
- SB 49 — Establishes rules for the unlawful operation of drones in NH, addressing privacy and safety concerns.
- SB 470 — Creates a path for certain professionals to expunge disciplinary records after demonstrating rehabilitation.
- SB 496 — Updates supervision and registration requirements for broker-dealer associates who sell investment products to NH residents.
- HB 649 — Updates vehicle maintenance obligations for motor vehicle operators.
Killed
- SB 261 — Would have required recording of custodial police interrogations and funded equipment purchases for law enforcement agencies.
- HB 611 — Would have reformed repayment rules for indigent defendants who received court-appointed counsel.
- HB 734 — Would have reformed the state education property tax and expanded the low- and moderate-income homeowners property tax relief program.
- HB 65 — Would have required landlords to offer tenants the option of reporting rent payments to credit bureaus.
- HB 624 — Would have funded grants for local river management advisory committees; failed 187-164.
18 others were killed today, covering elections, housing, healthcare, and miscellaneous procedural matters.
On the Move
- HB 112 — Advances to the Senate; would require college students to demonstrate civics knowledge through a naturalization test, course, or competency exam.
- HB 1816 — Moves forward in the Senate; would allow the Department of Education to intervene in school districts facing financial emergencies.
- HB 158 — Advances; would require the Secretary of State to conduct biennial reviews of absentee ballot data and report findings to the legislature.
- HB 1099 — Clears the Senate; would create a study committee on private special education providers and district reimbursement costs.
To see how your state legislators voted on these bills, visit nhpolitics.org/find-your-rep.