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HB 1066 · 2026 · House · Municipal and County Government Committee

Rules for lease warrant articles

AI-generated

relative to warrant articles authorizing lease agreements.

Modifies the rules and procedures governing warrant articles that authorize municipal lease agreements.AI-generated

Status

Referred to interim study (Senate) · April 16, 2026
  1. ✓Introduced
  2. ✓House
  3. ✕Senate
  4. Governor
  5. Law

Analysis

This bill modifies rules and procedures regarding warrant articles that authorize lease agreements.

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

“Municipalities and counties shall not issue any bonds or notes, nor enter into any leases, that are payable on demand.”
RSA 33:2
“Appropriations to fund lease agreements with nonappropriation clauses may be approved by a simple majority vote of the legislative body.”
RSA 33:7-e
“The governing body may enter into leases of real property, fixtures, equipment, or any combination of such, as required by the municipality under this section, if the lease does not qualify under RSA 33:7-e.”
RSA 33:7-f
“The total amount of such payments shall be sufficient to extinguish the entire loan on account of which they are made at maturity.”
RSA 33:2

Official record

Bill page — docket & status

gc.nh.gov · the authoritative source

Sponsors

Rep. Diane PauerRPrimeChair· Municipal and County Government
  • Rep. Ross BerryRChair· Election Law
  • Rep. Karel CrawfordRClerk· Transportation
  • Rep. Juliet Harvey-BoliaRDeputy Majority Floor Leader
  • Rep. Robert WherryRChair· Special Committee on COVID Response Efficacy
  • Rep. Kenneth WeylerRChair· Finance
  • Sen. Bill GannonRChair· Judiciary

Also: Rep. Scott BryerR, Rep. Keith ErfR, Rep. Jim KofaltR, Rep. Richard BrownR

Public testimony

8 signed in online · 2 wrote testimony

25% support75% oppose0% neutral

In their wordsVerbatim, exactly as submitted

“Clear procedures for leases protect taxpayers and ensure local governments are accountable in financial decisions.”
— Hannah Meiselman, Machestersupports
“Please do not support HB1066. As a past member of Keene's Energy Committee, I am aware that our city's energy services contract yielded tremendous cost avoidance, Curtailing other municipalities access to similar opportunities would be to the detriment of NH taxpayers.”
— Ann Shedd, KEENEopposes

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 3, 2026HouseCommittee report· regular calendar: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2026-0923h10–8
    Overall
    56% yea
  • Mar 12, 2026HouseRoll callLay HB1066 on Table (Rep. B. Boyd)Failed167–175How they voted
    Overall
    49% yea
    Party-line vote
    Republicans
    16–1758% yea
    Democrats
    151–0100% yea
  • Mar 12, 2026HouseVoice voteAmendment 2026-0923hadopted
  • Mar 12, 2026HouseDivisionOught to Pass with Amendment 2026-0923hAdopted174–171
    Overall
    50% yea
    Resulting text: Bill as amended by the House
  • Apr 9, 2026SenateCommittee report: Referred to Interim Study4–0
    Overall
    100% yea
  • Apr 16, 2026SenateCommittee report: Referred to Interim Study4–0
    Overall
    100% yea
  • Apr 16, 2026SenateVoice voteRefer to Interim Studyadopted

Hearings and debates

  • Jan 27, 2026Public hearingHouse Municipal and County Government3:20:40–3:41:5221m 12slocated in the stream transcriptPublic Hearing
  • Feb 17, 2026Public hearingHouse Municipal and County GovernmentWatchnot located in the transcript — opens the full stream==RECESSED== Executive Session
  • Mar 3, 2026Public hearingHouse Municipal and County Government1:22:54–1:28:095m 15slocated in the stream transcriptMajority Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2026-0923h — roll call; ==CONTINUED== Executive Session
  • Mar 12, 2026Floor debateHouse floor1:22:46–1:32:379m 51slocated in the stream transcriptOught to Pass with Amendment 2026-0923h — adopted, division 174-171; Amendment # 2026-0923h — adopted, voice vote; Lay HB1066 on Table (Rep. B. Boyd) — failed, roll call 167-175
  • Mar 24, 2026Public hearingSenate Election Law and Municipal Affairs1:09:26–1:17:428m 16slocated in the stream transcriptHearing
  • Apr 9, 2026Floor debateSenate floor28:58–31:202m 22slocated in the stream transcriptCommittee Report: Referred to Interim Study; HB 1066 was Removed from the Consent Calendar; Special Order to the Next Session, Without Objection — adopted
  • Apr 16, 2026Floor debateSenate floor31:44–33:231m 39slocated in the stream transcriptCommittee Report: Referred to Interim Study; Refer to Interim Study — adopted, voice vote

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

Legislative history

  1. Jan 7, 2026HouseIntroduced 01/07/2026 and referred to Municipal and County Government HJ 1 P. 4
  2. Jan 27, 2026HousePublic Hearing: 01/27/2026 10:50 am GP 154
  3. Feb 17, 2026House==RECESSED== Executive Session: 02/17/2026 09:00 am GP 154
  4. Mar 3, 2026House==CONTINUED== Executive Session: 03/03/2026 10:30 am GP 154
  5. Mar 3, 2026HouseMajority : Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2026-0923h 03/03/2026 (Vote 10-8; RC) HC 10 P. 61
  6. Mar 4, 2026HouseMinority : Inexpedient to Legislate
  7. Mar 12, 2026HouseLay HB1066 on Table (Rep. B. Boyd): MF RC 167-175 03/12/2026 HJ 8 P. 25
  8. Mar 12, 2026HouseAmendment # 2026-0923h: AA VV 03/12/2026 HJ 8 P. 24
  9. Mar 12, 2026HouseOught to Pass with Amendment 2026-0923h: MA DV 174-171 03/12/2026 HJ 8 P. 27
  10. Mar 12, 2026SenIntroduced 03/12/2026 and Referred to Election Law and Municipal Affairs; SJ 7
  11. Mar 24, 2026SenHearing: 03/24/2026, Room 122-123, SH, 09:35 am; SC 11
  12. Apr 9, 2026Sen: Referred to Interim Study, 04/09/2026; Vote 4-0; CC; SC 13
  13. Apr 9, 2026SenHB 1066 was Removed from the Consent Calendar; 04/09/2026; SJ 8
  14. Apr 9, 2026SenSpecial Order to the Next Session, Without Objection, MA; 04/09/2026; SJ 8
  15. Apr 16, 2026SenCommittee Report: Referred to Interim Study, 04/16/2026, Vote 4-0; SC 14
  16. Apr 16, 2026SenRefer to Interim Study, MA, VV; 04/16/2026; SJ 9

Coverage

No reporting linked yet.

Documents (PDF)

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