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HB 394 · 2025 · House · Education Policy and Administration Committee

Cooperative school budget committee powers

AI-generated

relative to the powers and duties of cooperative school district budget committees and the role of cooperative school district board member representatives on such committees.

Directs the cooperative school district budget committee to review and recommend on proposed warrant articles or supplemental appropriations and changes the school board's appointed member on the committee to a non-voting ex-officio role.AI-generated

Status

Signed into law · June 25, 2025
  1. ✓Introduced
  2. ✓House
  3. ✓Senate
  4. ✓Governor
  5. ✓Law

Analysis

This bill directs the cooperative school district budget committee to review and provide a recommendation on all proposed warrant articles or supplemental appropriations involving the expenditure of funds. The bill also changes the school board appointed member on the cooperative school board budget committee to a non-voting ex-officio role.

From the bill's official ANALYSIS section.

In the bill's words

Quoted verbatim from the bill as enacted. Passages chosen from the operative text.Computed by this site

“A cooperative school district at an annual meeting, under a proper article in the warrant, may vote to establish a budget committee pursuant to RSA 32:14 and may rescind such action in a like manner.”
RSA 195:12-a
“The budget committee shall have the same number of members as the cooperative district school board plus one additional member from the school board as provided in this paragraph.”
RSA 195:12-a
“The terms of office and manner of election of members shall be determined in the same manner as for the cooperative school board.”
RSA 195:12-a
“Whenever it is voted to establish a budget committee, the moderator in the first instance shall appoint the members of the budget committee, except for the additional member appointed from the school board, within 15 days of the vote establishing the committee.”
RSA 195:12-a

Official record

Bill page — docket & status

gc.nh.gov · the authoritative source

Sponsors

Rep. Walter SpilsburyRPrimeVice Chair· Education Funding

Public testimony

26 signed in online · 4 wrote testimony

4% support96% oppose0% neutral

In their wordsVerbatim, exactly as submitted

“No way are you taking more voting power away from us. Find a real job.”
— Lindsay Doyle, Concordopposes
“People who are anti-education, anti-knowledge should have no power over what is taught in schools. Teach real facts and real history”
— Stephen Tyler, Portsmouthopposes
“OPPOSE HB394 – School Budget Committees Taking Power from Elected Boards Dear Members of the House Education Committee, I strongly oppose HB394, which would shift power from democratically elected school boards to appointed budget committee members.…”
— Sean Devlin, Nashuaopposes

Verbatim excerpts of submitted testimony, quoted from the testimony tool.

Read the testimony · as of Aug 12, 2026

Votes

yeanay
Starting text: Bill as introduced
  • Feb 19, 2025HouseCommittee report· consent calendar: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2025-0467h17–0
    Overall
    100% yea
  • Mar 6, 2025HouseVoice voteAmendment 2025-0467hadopted
  • Mar 6, 2025HouseVoice voteOught to Pass with Amendment 2025-0467hadopted
    Resulting text: Bill as amended by the House
  • May 15, 2025SenateCommittee report: Ought to Pass3–2
    Overall
    60% yea
  • May 15, 2025SenateVoice voteOught to Passadopted
  • Jun 12, 2025SenateVoice voteEnrolledadopted

Hearings and debates

  • Feb 5, 2025Public hearingHouse Education Policy and Administration3:31:42–3:38:316m 49slocated in the stream transcriptPublic Hearing
  • Feb 19, 2025Public hearingHouse Education Policy and Administration48:22–49:271m 5slocated in the stream transcriptCommittee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2025-0467h; Executive Session
  • Mar 6, 2025Floor debateHouse floorWatchnot located in the transcript — opens the full streamOught to Pass with Amendment 2025-0467h — adopted, voice vote; Amendment # 2025-0467h — adopted, voice vote
  • Apr 29, 2025Public hearingSenate Education2:12–6:464m 34slocated in the stream transcriptHearing
  • May 15, 2025Floor debateSenate floor1:40:16–1:44:314m 15slocated in the stream transcriptCommittee Report: Ought to Pass; Ought to Pass — adopted, voice vote
  • Jun 12, 2025Floor debateSenate floorWatchnot located in the transcript — opens the full streamEnrolled Adopted — voice vote

Timestamps locate where this bill is taken up in the chamber's YouTube stream.

Legislative history

  1. Jan 9, 2025HouseIntroduced (in recess of) 01/09/2025 and referred to Education Policy and Administration HJ 3 P. 8
  2. Feb 5, 2025HousePublic Hearing: 02/05/2025 01:00 pm LOB 205-207
  3. Feb 19, 2025HouseExecutive Session: 02/19/2025 09:30 am LOB 205-207
  4. Feb 19, 2025House: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2025-0467h 02/19/2025 (Vote 17-0; CC) HC 14 P. 5
  5. Mar 6, 2025HouseAmendment # 2025-0467h: AA VV 03/06/2025 HJ 7 P. 5
  6. Mar 6, 2025HouseOught to Pass with Amendment 2025-0467h: MA VV 03/06/2025 HJ 7 P. 5
  7. Mar 6, 2025SenIntroduced 03/06/2025 and Referred to Education; SJ 7
  8. Apr 29, 2025SenHearing: 04/29/2025, Room 101, LOB, 09:15 am; SC 19
  9. May 15, 2025Sen: Ought to Pass, 05/15/2025, Vote 3-2; SC 21A
  10. May 15, 2025SenOught to Pass: MA, VV; OT3rdg; 05/15/2025; SJ 13
  11. Jun 12, 2025SenEnrolled Adopted, VV, (In recess 06/12/2025); SJ 17
  12. Jun 12, 2025HouseEnrolled (in recess of) 06/12/2025 HJ 17 P. 24
  13. Jun 23, 2025HouseSigned by Governor Ayotte 06/23/2025; Chapter 128; eff. 07/01/2025

Coverage

No reporting linked yet.

Background reading

Evergreen reading on the policy area — spanning perspectives — not coverage of this specific bill.

  • Taking the Mystery Out of Fund BalanceExplainer

    New Hampshire Municipal Association — Defines unassigned fund balance and explains how New Hampshire municipalities and districts account for year-end surpluses.AI-generated

  • Municipal Budgeting: Tackling the UnexpectedExplainer

    New Hampshire Municipal Association — Describes how reserves and fund balances function as a buffer against revenue shortfalls and emergency costs.AI-generated

  • HB 1610 (2026)NH context

    Citizens Count — A nonpartisan summary of the bill changing how New Hampshire school districts may retain year-end unassigned funds.AI-generated

  • ConVal School Board takes action against potential impact of HB 1610District flexibility

    Monadnock Ledger-Transcript — Reports on a New Hampshire district's concerns that tighter retention limits reduce budgeting flexibility.AI-generated

  • $16M back to voters from unassigned fund balanceTaxpayer return

    Eagle Tribune — Illustrates the case for returning accumulated surpluses to taxpayers rather than retaining them in district accounts.AI-generated

Documents (PDF)

Bill text & amendments link direct to gc.nh.gov; committee reports stream from the state record.