Citizen in a RepublicNH Bill Briefing
← All bills

SB 105 · 2025 · Senate · Election Law and Municipal Affairs Committee

Allowing town budget caps

AI-generated

enabling towns to adopt budget caps.

Enables towns to adopt budget caps that limit the annual growth of municipal appropriations.AI-generated

Status

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

Analysis

This bill enables towns to adopt budget caps.

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

“The first year after the budget cap is adopted, the current per resident expenditure shall be the per resident expenditure adopted in the warrant article under RSA 32:5-h, IV.”
RSA 32:5-g
“The provisions of RSA 32:5-g may be adopted by any town in the state whose legislative body raises and appropriates funds through an annual meeting.”
RSA 32:5-h
“In subsequent years, the current per resident expenditure shall be the previous year's current per resident expenditure times (1+IFP), where IFP is the previous year's IF.”
RSA 32:5-g
“The current town population shall be the most recent figure calculated by the department of business and economic affairs, office of planning and development, pursuant to RSA 78-A:25, I.”
RSA 32:5-g

Official record

Bill page — docket & status

gc.nh.gov · the authoritative source

Sponsors

Sen. Keith MurphyRPrimeDeputy President Pro Tempore
  • Sen. James GrayRChair· Election Law and Municipal Affairs
  • Sen. Daniel InnisRChair, Majority Policy Conference
  • Rep. Diane PauerRChair· Municipal and County Government

Public testimony

141 signed in online · 23 wrote testimony

9% support90% oppose1% neutral

In their wordsVerbatim, exactly as submitted

“This is another attempt to insert statewide mandates over a town’s ability to already meet, discuss and decide if they would like to go in the direction of considering and adopting budget caps.”
— James Mason, Hancockopposes
“All towns voting on budget caps rejected them. It makes no sense for this bill to be passed--we are not a nanny state and we believe in local control.”
— Claudia Damon, CONCORDopposes
“OPPOSE SB105 Stop imposing state mandated caps on local communities! Robin Helrich Hopkinton”
— Robin Helrich, Hopkintonopposes

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
  • Mar 6, 2025SenateCommittee report: Ought to Pass4–1
    Overall
    80% yea
  • Mar 6, 2025SenateVoice voteOught to Passadopted
  • Apr 28, 2025HouseCommittee report· regular calendar: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2025-1626h10–8
    Overall
    56% yea
  • May 8, 2025HouseVoice voteAmendment 2025-1626hadopted
  • May 8, 2025HouseRoll callOught to Pass with Amendment 2025-1626hAdopted193–168How they voted
    Overall
    53% yea
    Party-line vote
    Republicans
    192–996% yea
    Democrats
    1–1591% yea
    Resulting text: Bill as amended by the House
  • May 15, 2025SenateRoll callSen. Gray Moved to Concur with the House AmendmentAdopted15–8How they voted
    Overall
    65% yea
    Party-line vote
    Republicans
    15–0100% yea
    Democrats
    0–80% yea
    Resulting text: Bill as adopted by both chambers
  • Jun 12, 2025SenateVoice voteEnrolledadopted

Hearings and debates

  • Feb 18, 2025Public hearingSenate Election Law and Municipal Affairs1:44–3:051m 21slocated in the stream transcriptHearing
  • Mar 6, 2025Floor debateSenate floorWatchnot located in the transcript — opens the full streamCommittee Report: Ought to Pass; Ought to Pass — adopted, voice vote
  • Apr 7, 2025Public hearingHouse Municipal and County Government1:12:37–1:18:335m 56slocated in the stream transcriptPublic Hearing
  • Apr 28, 2025Public hearingHouse Municipal and County Government2:21:52–2:28:056m 13slocated in the stream transcriptMajority Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2025-1626h — roll call; Executive Session
  • May 8, 2025Floor debateHouse floor2:41:44–2:54:2312m 39slocated in the stream transcriptOught to Pass with Amendment 2025-1626h — adopted, roll call 193-168; Amendment # 2025-1626h — adopted, voice vote
  • May 15, 2025Floor debateSenate floor55:39–57:482m 9slocated in the stream transcriptSen. Gray Moved to Concur with the House Amendment — adopted, roll call 15-8
  • 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, 2025SenIntroduced 01/09/2025 and Referred to Election Law and Municipal Affairs; SJ 3
  2. Feb 18, 2025SenHearing: 02/18/2025, Room 103, LOB, 09:15 am; SC 10
  3. Mar 6, 2025Sen: Ought to Pass, 03/06/2025; Vote 4-1; CC; SC 11
  4. Mar 6, 2025SenOught to Pass: MA, VV; OT3rdg; 03/06/2025; SJ 6
  5. Mar 27, 2025HouseIntroduced (in recess of) 03/27/2025 and referred to Municipal and County Government HJ 11 P. 111
  6. Apr 7, 2025HousePublic Hearing: 04/07/2025 10:45 am LOB 301-303
  7. Apr 28, 2025HouseExecutive Session: 04/28/2025 10:00 am LOB 301-303
  8. Apr 28, 2025HouseMajority : Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2025-1626h 04/28/2025 (Vote 10-8; RC) HC 23 P. 15
  9. Apr 30, 2025HouseMinority : Inexpedient to Legislate
  10. May 8, 2025HouseAmendment # 2025-1626h: AA VV 05/08/2025 HJ 14 P. 49
  11. May 8, 2025HouseOught to Pass with Amendment 2025-1626h: MA RC 193-168 05/08/2025 HJ 14 P. 50
  12. May 15, 2025SenSen. Gray Moved to Concur with the House Amendment, RC 15Y-8N, MA; 05/15/2025; SJ 13
  13. Jun 12, 2025SenEnrolled Adopted, VV, (In recess 06/12/2025); SJ 17
  14. Jun 12, 2025HouseEnrolled (in recess of) 06/12/2025 HJ 17 P. 24
  15. Jun 24, 2025SenSigned by the Governor on 06/24/2025; Chapter 0131; Effective 08/23/2025

Coverage

No reporting linked yet.

Documents (PDF)

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