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SB 297 · 2025 · Senate · Finance Committee

Regulating pooled risk management programs

AI-generated

relative to pooled risk management programs.

Transfers regulatory authority over pooled risk management programs from the secretary of state to the insurance department, requires licensing, permits guaranty funds and assessable policies, sets excess or stop-loss coverage requirements, and authorizes insurance department examinations of program finances.AI-generated

Status

Died — the House and Senate did not agree · June 12, 2025
  1. ✓Introduced
  2. ✕Senate
  3. House
  4. Governor
  5. Law

Analysis

This bill: I. Transfers authority over pooled risk management programs from the secretary of state to the insurance department. II. Requires pooled risk management programs to be licensed by the insurance department. III. Allows pooled risk management programs to establish a guaranty fund to protect from financial impairment. IV. Requires pooled risk management programs to seek to maintain certain amounts in excess or stop loss coverage, unless the insurance commissioner determines that a lesser amount is appropriate. V. Allows pooled risk management programs to issue assessable policies. VI. Allows the insurance commissioner to examine the financials of pooled risk management programs under certain conditions.

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

“Any such notification to a pooled risk management program's members under this section shall include an estimate of the amount of that potential assessment.”
RSA 5-B:4-b
“Each pooled risk management program shall meet the following standards of organization and operation.”
RSA 5-B:5
““Employee representative” means an employee of a member, who shall not be in a position to make participation decisions for a member.”
RSA 420-R:2
“To accomplish the purposes of this chapter, any two or more political subdivisions of this state may, by resolution of its governing body, form an association under the laws of this state and establish and enter into agreements constituting a pooled risk management program.”
RSA 420-R:3

Official record

Bill page — docket & status

gc.nh.gov · the authoritative source

Sponsors

Sen. Sharon CarsonRPrimePresident of the Senate

Public testimony

108 signed in online · 44 wrote testimony

3% support93% oppose5% neutral

In their wordsVerbatim, exactly as submitted

“The City opposes this bill. The financial consequences are considerable for municipalities as a result of the measures in this bill. The analysis behind the bill is severely flawed. Members of the SOS Office have a personal bias that clouds their judgement on this matter.…”
— Shaun Mulholland, Lebanon · City of Lebanonopposes
“To be clear, I am not opposed to the idea that pooled insurance groups need to maintain adequate reserves. That part is just common sense. What I am opposed to is the way that SB297 addresses the problem.…”
— Dan Smith, Newmarketopposes
“NH legislators need to make sure that risk pools are able to provide the insurance educators bargained for in their collective bargaining agreements.…”
— Shannon Cole, Kensingtonopposes
“I've selected "neutral" as I understand the need to increase the reserves in the pools. I'm also aware of the impact that the single year time period would have on the costs for all concerned.…”
— Michael Cahill, Newmarket · Rockingham 10 Newfields, Newmarketneutral
“My hope is that the House Commerce Committee can work towards a compromise that ensures that all risk pool programs for public employees and retirees provide the insurance benefits for which union members collectively and fairly bargained for, while addressing the concerns expressed by the Secretary of State which are the basis for this bill.”
— Kim Paynter, Eppingneutral
“Please work to reach a compromise to preserve the health benefits for public employees and retirees which are part of our collective bargaining agreements. It is essential to address the concerns of the NH Secretary of State also, so that risk pool accounts remain solvent.”
— Kelli O’Connor-Maynard, North Hamptonneutral

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 Pass with Amendment # 2025-0951s6–0
    Overall
    100% yea
  • Mar 20, 2025SenateVoice voteCommittee amendment 2025-0951sadopted
  • Mar 20, 2025SenateVoice voteOught to Pass with Amendment #2025-0951sadopted
    Resulting text: Bill as amended by the Senate
  • May 27, 2025HouseCommittee report· consent calendar: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2025-2473h16–0
    Overall
    100% yea
  • Jun 5, 2025HouseVoice voteSpecial Order to next order of business (Rep. Hunt)adopted
  • Jun 5, 2025HouseVoice voteAmendment 2025-2473hadopted
  • Jun 5, 2025HouseVoice voteOught to Pass with Amendment 2025-2473hadopted
    Resulting text: Bill as amended by the House
  • Jun 12, 2025SenateVoice voteSen. Gray Moved Nonconcur with the House Amendmentadopted

Hearings and debates

  • Mar 4, 2025Public hearingSenate Finance1:13:12–1:19:146m 2slocated in the stream transcriptHearing
  • Mar 20, 2025Floor debateSenate floorWatchnot located in the transcript — opens the full streamCommittee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2025-0951s; Ought to Pass with Amendment #2025-0951s — adopted, voice vote; Committee Amendment # 2025-0951s — adopted, voice vote
  • Apr 23, 2025Public hearingHouse Commerce and Consumer Affairs5:26:02–5:38:5112m 49slocated in the stream transcriptPublic Hearing
  • May 7, 2025Public hearingHouse Commerce and Consumer AffairsWatchnot located in the transcript — opens the full streamSubcommittee Work Session
  • May 20, 2025Public hearingHouse Commerce and Consumer Affairs1:36:46–1:54:3317m 47slocated in the stream transcriptSubcommittee Work Session
  • May 21, 2025Public hearingHouse Commerce and Consumer Affairs1:40:47–1:43:222m 35slocated in the stream transcriptSubcommittee Work Session
  • May 27, 2025Public hearingHouse Commerce and Consumer Affairs27:43–32:595m 16slocated in the stream transcriptCommittee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2025-2473h; Subcommittee Work Session; Executive Session
  • Jun 5, 2025Floor debateHouse floor15:27–16:0033slocated in the stream transcriptOught to Pass with Amendment 2025-2473h — adopted, voice vote; Amendment # 2025-2473h — adopted, voice vote; Special Order to next order of business (Rep. Hunt) — adopted, voice vote
  • Jun 12, 2025Floor debateSenate floor32:56–33:4549slocated in the stream transcriptSen. Gray Moved Nonconcur with the House Amendment — adopted, voice vote

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

Legislative history

  1. Feb 13, 2025SenIntroduced 02/13/2025 and Referred to Finance; SJ 6
  2. Mar 4, 2025SenHearing: 03/04/2025, Room 103, SH, 01:00 pm; SC 11
  3. Mar 20, 2025Sen: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2025-0951s, 03/20/2025; Vote 6-0; CC; SC 13
  4. Mar 20, 2025SenCommittee Amendment # 2025-0951s, AA, VV; 03/20/2025; SJ 8
  5. Mar 20, 2025SenOught to Pass with Amendment #2025-0951s, MA, VV; OT3rdg; 03/20/2025; SJ 8
  6. Mar 27, 2025HouseIntroduced (in recess of) 03/27/2025 and referred to Commerce and Consumer Affairs HJ 11 P. 113
  7. Apr 23, 2025HousePublic Hearing: 04/23/2025 01:30 pm LOB 302-304
  8. May 7, 2025HouseSubcommittee Work Session: 05/07/2025 10:00 am LOB 302-304
  9. May 20, 2025HouseSubcommittee Work Session: 05/20/2025 10:00 am LOB 302-304
  10. May 21, 2025HouseSubcommittee Work Session: 05/21/2025 10:00 am LOB 302-304
  11. May 27, 2025HouseSubcommittee Work Session: 05/27/2025 10:00 am LOB 302-304
  12. May 27, 2025HouseExecutive Session: 05/27/2025 01:15 pm LOB 302-304
  13. May 27, 2025House: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2025-2473h 05/27/2025 (Vote 16-0; CC) HC 27 P. 8
  14. Jun 3, 2025HouseRemoved from Consent (Reps. Polozov, DeRoy, Morton, McFarlane, Tom Mannion, Perez, Sabourin, Panek, Comtois, Mehegan) 06/03/2025 HJ 16 P. 2
  15. Jun 5, 2025HouseSpecial Order to next order of business (Rep. Hunt): MA VV 06/05/2025 HJ 16 P. 142
  16. Jun 5, 2025HouseAmendment # 2025-2473h: AA VV 06/05/2025 HJ 16 P. 143
  17. Jun 5, 2025HouseOught to Pass with Amendment 2025-2473h: MA VV 06/05/2025 HJ 16 P. 149
  18. Jun 12, 2025SenSen. Gray Moved Nonconcur with the House Amendment, MA, VV; 06/12/2025; SJ 16

Coverage

No reporting linked yet.

Background reading

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

  • Municipal Risk Pools 101Explainer

    Benchmark Analytics — Overview of what municipal risk pools are and how governments band together to share liability, property, and workers' compensation risk.AI-generated

  • Operations Manual for Public Entity Risk PoolsIndustry

    Association of Governmental Risk Pools (AGRiP) — The national pooling association's manual describing how member-governed public risk pools operate and manage surplus and reserves.AI-generated

  • Coverage & BenefitsNH context — pool's view

    Primex (NH Public Risk Management Exchange) — A New Hampshire risk pool's description of the coverage and member-ownership model it offers to towns and schools.AI-generated

  • How the Local Government Center lost its appealNH context

    NH Business Review — Coverage of the state Supreme Court ruling requiring the Local Government Center to return surplus to member towns and schools.AI-generated

  • State: Primex Deal Possible Game ChangerNH context

    New Hampshire Public Radio — Report on a settlement with the Primex risk pool over excess surplus and its implications for oversight of public pools.AI-generated

  • New Hampshire risk pool insurance crisis deepensNH context

    Valley News — Recent reporting on financial strains in New Hampshire's municipal risk pools amid renewed legislative scrutiny.AI-generated

Documents (PDF)

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