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HB 78 · 2025 · House · Municipal and County Government Committee

County commissioner residency requirement

AI-generated

requiring a person to have a domicile in the district from which they serve as county commissioner.

Requires a person to have a domicile in the county where they seek to hold the office of county commissioner.AI-generated

Status

Signed into law · May 8, 2025
  1. ✓Introduced
  2. ✓House
  3. ✓Senate
  4. ✓Governor
  5. ✓Law

Analysis

This bill requires a person to have a domicile in the county where they seek to hold the office of county commissioner.

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

“To hold the office of county commissioner, sheriff, county attorney, county treasurer, register of deeds, or register of probate, a person [must have a domicile in the county for which he] shall be, at the time of his or her election, an inhabitant who resides actually and permanently in the county from which he or she is chosen.”
RSA 655:9
“The changes in qualifications for Strafford county commissioner established by this act shall not affect constituencies or terms of office of commissioners presently in office.”
RSA 655:9
“The commissioner qualifications established by this act shall be in effect for the purpose of electing commissioners at the 2026 state general election, or for any vacancy in a commissioner district for any reason prior to the 2026 state general election. 6:3 Effective Date.”
RSA 655:9

Official record

Bill page — docket & status

gc.nh.gov · the authoritative source

Sponsors

Rep. Len TurcotteRPrime
  • Rep. Claudine BurnhamRClerk· Election Law
  • Sen. James GrayRChair· Election Law and Municipal Affairs

Also: Rep. Aidan AnkarbergI, Rep. Michael GrangerR, Rep. Kelley PotenzaR

Public testimony

32 signed in online · 9 wrote testimony

97% support0% oppose3% neutral

In their wordsVerbatim, exactly as submitted

“This bill should pass to correct the current bill ensuring that commissioners are domiciled in the district they represent.”
— Carlton Cooper, Rochestersupports
“This bill corrects the error of omission of needing to be domiciled in the district for Commissioner of Strafford County and added to RSA 655:9.”
— Joseph Pitre, FARMINGTONsupports
“It is imperative that an individual running for a County Commissioner seat reside in the district they are running for. That is the only way to ensure we are getting the proper representation for each district within the county.”
— Humphrey Williams, Miltonsupports

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
  • Jan 23, 2025HouseCommittee report· regular calendar: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2025-0034h13–5
    Overall
    72% yea
  • Feb 6, 2025HouseDivisionAmendment 2025-0034hAdopted325–30
    Overall
    92% yea
  • Feb 6, 2025HouseVoice voteOught to Pass with Amendment 2025-0034hadopted
    Resulting text: Bill as amended by the House
  • Mar 27, 2025SenateCommittee report: Ought to Pass5–0
    Overall
    100% yea
  • Mar 27, 2025SenateVoice voteOught to Passadopted
  • Apr 17, 2025SenateVoice voteEnrolledadopted

Hearings and debates

  • Jan 13, 2025Public hearingHouse Municipal and County Government4:01:45–4:03:241m 39slocated in the stream transcriptPublic Hearing
  • Jan 23, 2025Public hearingHouse Municipal and County Government6:57:12–7:02:585m 46slocated in the stream transcriptMajority Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2025-0034h — roll call; Executive Session
  • Feb 6, 2025Floor debateHouse floor3:04:39–3:05:471m 8slocated in the stream transcriptOught to Pass with Amendment 2025-0034h — adopted, voice vote; Amendment # 2025-0034h — adopted, division 325-30
  • Mar 18, 2025Public hearingSenate Election Law and Municipal Affairs34:07–35:161m 9slocated in the stream transcriptHearing
  • Mar 27, 2025Floor debateSenate floorWatchnot located in the transcript — opens the full streamCommittee Report: Ought to Pass; Ought to Pass — adopted, voice vote
  • Apr 17, 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 8, 2025HouseIntroduced 01/08/2025 and referred to Municipal and County Government HJ 2 P. 5
  2. Jan 13, 2025HousePublic Hearing: 01/13/2025 01:35 pm LOB 301-303
  3. Jan 23, 2025HouseExecutive Session: 01/23/2025 01:40 pm LOB 301-303
  4. Jan 23, 2025HouseMajority : Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2025-0034h 01/23/2025 (Vote 13-5; RC) HC 10 P. 10
  5. Jan 28, 2025HouseMinority : Inexpedient to Legislate
  6. Feb 6, 2025HouseAmendment # 2025-0034h: AA DV 325-30 02/06/2025 HJ 4 P. 32
  7. Feb 6, 2025HouseOught to Pass with Amendment 2025-0034h: MA VV 02/06/2025 HJ 4 P. 32
  8. Mar 6, 2025SenIntroduced 03/06/2025 and Referred to Election Law and Municipal Affairs; SJ 7
  9. Mar 18, 2025SenHearing: 03/18/2025, Room 103, LOB, 10:00 am; SC 13
  10. Mar 27, 2025Sen: Ought to Pass, 03/27/2025; Vote 5-0; CC; SC 14
  11. Mar 27, 2025SenOught to Pass: MA, VV; OT3rdg; 03/27/2025; SJ 9
  12. Apr 17, 2025SenEnrolled Adopted, VV, (In recess 04/17/2025); SJ 11
  13. Apr 10, 2025HouseEnrolled (in recess of) 04/10/2025 HJ 12 P. 163
  14. May 8, 2025HouseSigned by Governor Ayotte 05/08/2025; Chapter 6; eff. 05/08/2025

Coverage

No reporting linked yet.

Documents (PDF)

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