SB 174 · 2025 · Senate · Commerce Committee

Ignoring bedroom count in zoning

prohibiting planning boards from considering the number of bedrooms a given unit or development has during the hearing and approval process.

Prohibits planning boards from differentiating based on the number of bedrooms in a residential development during the hearing and approval process.AI-generated

Status

Died on the table in the House · May 22, 2025

✓Introduced
✓Senate
✕House
Governor
Law

Analysis

This bill prohibits planning boards from differentiating based on the number of bedrooms in a residential development during the hearing and approval process.

From the bill's official ANALYSIS section.

In the bill's words

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

“"Residential development" means any housing project that includes one or more dwelling units, regardless of whether they are intended for rent or purchase.”

RSA 674:77

“If a residential development proposal adequately provides for water supply and sewage disposal in accordance with RSA 485-A, and, if applicable, the planning board's site plan review regulations or subdivision regulations, planning boards shall not use the number of bedrooms as a basis to reject the application.”

RSA 674:78

“"Bedroom" means a furnished room with a bed, primarily intended for sleeping purposes, unless otherwise specified by local regulations.”

RSA 674:77

“Nothing in this section shall be construed to affect the department of environmental services’ regulations for individual sewage disposal systems.”

RSA 674:78

Official record

Bill page — docket & status

gc.nh.gov · the authoritative source

Public testimony

22 signed in online · 13 wrote testimony

18% support82% oppose0% neutral

In their wordsVerbatim, exactly as submitted

“Municipalities often regulate the number of bedrooms per dwelling unit in dense zoning districts to ensure the infrastructure capacity exists to support the developments and housing in those zoning districts.…”

— ROBERT WEIMAR, HAMPSTEAD · HAMPSTEAD PLANNING BOARDopposes

“SB174 The local control at the town planning boards should have the authority to decide number of bedrooms for a given unit or development. Each town’s water and septic needs vary depending on the lot details.”

— Carol Schutte, Hampton Fallsopposes

“This bill does not address any problem that exists in Wolfeboro or similar towns and is an unwarranted intrusions into municipalities' zoning powers. New Hampshire is not a one size fits all state and blanket mandates like this can cause more problems than they solve.”

— Roger Murray, Wolfeboroopposes

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 20, 2025SenateCommittee report: Ought to Pass4–2
Overall
67% yea
Mar 20, 2025SenateVoice voteOught to Passadopted
May 6, 2025HouseCommittee report· consent calendar: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2025-1639h16–0
Overall
100% yea
May 22, 2025HouseVoice voteAmendment 2025-1639hadopted
May 22, 2025HouseDivisionFloor amendment 2025-2343h (Rep. Howland)Adopted234–124
Overall
65% yea
May 22, 2025HouseRoll callLay SB174 on Table (Rep. B. Boyd)Failed179–180How they voted
Overall
50% yea
Party-line vote
Republicans
140–5671% yea
Democrats
39–12424% yea
May 22, 2025HouseRoll callOught to Pass with Amendment 2025-1639h 2025-2343hFailed176–183How they voted
Overall
49% yea
Party-line vote
Republicans
55–14128% yea
Democrats
121–4274% yea
May 22, 2025HouseDivisionLay SB174 on Table (Rep. Alexander Jr.)Adopted239–120
Overall
67% yea

Hearings and debates

Mar 4, 2025Public hearingSenate Commerce52:53–1:04:1911m 26slocated in the stream transcriptHearing
Mar 20, 2025Floor debateSenate floor1:33:21–1:35:372m 16slocated in the stream transcriptCommittee Report: Ought to Pass; Ought to Pass — adopted, voice vote
Apr 8, 2025Public hearingHouse Housing1:29:56–1:38:278m 31slocated in the stream transcriptPublic Hearing
May 6, 2025Public hearingHouse Housing33:34–35:412m 7slocated in the stream transcriptCommittee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2025-1639h; Executive Session
May 22, 2025Floor debateHouse floor3:50:56–4:06:4015m 44slocated in the stream transcriptOught to Pass with Amendment 2025-1639h 2025-2343h — failed, roll call 176-183; Amendment # 2025-1639h — adopted, voice vote; FLAM # 2025-2343h (Rep. Howland) — adopted, division 234-124
Dec 17, 2025Floor debateHouse floorWatchnot located in the transcript — opens the full streamDied on Table, Session ended

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

Legislative history

Jan 9, 2025SenIntroduced 01/09/2025 and Referred to Commerce; SJ 3
Mar 4, 2025SenHearing: 03/04/2025, Room 100, SH, 10:15 am; SC 11
Mar 20, 2025Sen: Ought to Pass, 03/20/2025, Vote 4-2; SC 13
Mar 20, 2025SenOught to Pass: MA, VV; OT3rdg; 03/20/2025; SJ 8
Mar 27, 2025HouseIntroduced (in recess of) 03/27/2025 and referred to Housing HJ 11 P. 112
Apr 8, 2025HousePublic Hearing: 04/08/2025 10:30 am LOB 305
May 6, 2025HouseExecutive Session: 05/06/2025 10:00 am LOB 305
May 6, 2025House: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2025-1639h 05/06/2025 (Vote 16-0; CC)
May 17, 2025HouseRemoved from Consent (Reps. Kuttab, Panek, Bordes, Rice, B. Boyd, Boehm, Porcelli, Perez, Andrus, Ball) 05/17/2025 HJ 15 P. 4
May 22, 2025HouseAmendment # 2025-1639h: AA VV 05/22/2025 HJ 15 P. 40
May 22, 2025HouseFLAM # 2025-2343h (Rep. Howland): AA DV 234-124 05/22/2025 HJ 15 P. 41
May 22, 2025HouseLay SB174 on Table (Rep. B. Boyd): MF RC 179-180 05/22/2025 HJ 15 P. 41
May 22, 2025HouseOught to Pass with Amendment 2025-1639h 2025-2343h: MF RC 176-183 05/22/2025 HJ 15 P. 43
May 22, 2025HouseLay SB174 on Table (Rep. Alexander Jr.): MA DV 239-120 05/22/2025 HJ 15 P. 45
Dec 17, 2025HouseDied on Table, Session ended 12/17/2025 HJ 18

Coverage

No reporting linked yet.

Documents (PDF)

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