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HB 407 · 2025 · House · Municipal and County Government Committee

Town budget ballot approval threshold

AI-generated

setting a minimum threshold for the adoption of town and school budget and spending items for towns using a ballot to select such methods during town meeting.

Sets a minimum adoption threshold for town and school budget and spending items decided by ballot vote during town meeting.AI-generated

Status

Killed in the House — Inexpedient to Legislate · February 20, 2025
  1. ✓Introduced
  2. ✕House
  3. Senate
  4. Governor
  5. Law

Analysis

This bill sets a minimum threshold for the adoption of town and school budget and spending items for towns using a ballot to select such methods during town meeting.

From the bill's official ANALYSIS section.

Official record

Bill page — docket & status

gc.nh.gov · the authoritative source

Sponsors

Rep. Ross BerryRPrimeChair· Election Law
  • Rep. Joe AlexanderRChair· Housing
  • Rep. Jason OsborneRMajority Leader
  • Rep. Joe SweeneyRDeputy Majority Leader

Also: Rep. Samuel FarringtonR

Public testimony

37 signed in online · 6 wrote testimony

8% support92% oppose0% neutral

In their wordsVerbatim, exactly as submitted

“It is concerning to me that the NH House has before it, a piece of legislation (HB407) that appears to advocate for and propose instituting policy that would essentially restrict the rights of citizens to have their voices heard via the votes they cast if the number of voters fails to meet a certain minimum percentage threshold.…”
— Rep. Nancy Murphy, Merrimack · Town of Merrimack/ Hillsborough 12opposes
“The Town of Merrimack rarely gets 15 % of our registered voters to come out to vote despite effort of Town Hall to get the word out by mailing a voter’s guide to every residence and advertising polling time and date in several places around Town.…”
— Sharon Marunicz, Merrimackopposes
“I am opposed to bill HB476 that would further restrict abortion, reproductive healthcare, in New Hampshire.…”
— Joan Tulk, NOTTINGHAMopposes

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

Read the testimony · as of Aug 12, 2026

Hearings

  • 2025-01-309:30 amHouse Municipal and County GovernmentLOB 301-303Public hearing
  • 2025-02-102:00 pmHouse Municipal and County GovernmentLOB 301-303Public hearing

Legislative history

  1. Jan 9, 2025HouseIntroduced (in recess of) 01/09/2025 and referred to Municipal and County Government HJ 3 P. 8
  2. Jan 30, 2025HousePublic Hearing: 01/30/2025 11:10 am LOB 301-303
  3. Feb 10, 2025HouseExecutive Session: 02/10/2025 02:00 pm LOB 301-303
  4. Feb 10, 2025House: Inexpedient to Legislate 02/10/2025 (Vote 18-0; CC) HC 12 P. 9
  5. Feb 20, 2025HouseInexpedient to Legislate: MA VV 02/20/2025 HJ 6 P. 10

Coverage

No reporting linked yet.

Documents (PDF)

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