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HB 1134 · 2026 · House · Municipal and County Government Committee

Town meeting budget override rules

AI-generated

relative to the town meeting form of local governance.

Determines the order in which total appropriations in warrant articles accumulate for purposes of triggering an override vote of a local tax or budget cap.AI-generated

Status

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

Analysis

This bill determines the order in which total appropriations in warrant articles accumulate for purposes of determining when a warrant article will trigger an override vote of a local tax or budget cap.

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

“Every article included in a warrant for a town meeting shall be acted upon before final adjournment of the town meeting, which shall include satisfying all provisions for debate pursuant to RSA 40:7.”
RSA 40:11
“If voting on a warrant article requires the use of a ballot by statute, the moderator shall ensure the warrant article is acted upon by conducting a "yes-no" ballot vote for that warrant article.”
RSA 40:11
“For a town or district that uses an official ballot form of meeting under RSA 40:13 or operates under a charter adopted pursuant to RSA 49-D, approved appropriations for warrant articles shall accumulate in the order in which warrant articles are approved at an annual meeting, if any, then accumulate in the order in which warrant articles appear on an official ballot.”
RSA 40:11

Official record

Bill page — docket & status

gc.nh.gov · the authoritative source

Sponsors

Rep. Diane PauerRPrimeChair· Municipal and County Government
  • Rep. Lex BerezhnyRAssistant Majority Leader
  • Rep. Keith AmmonRMajority Floor Leader
  • Rep. Juliet Harvey-BoliaRDeputy Majority Floor Leader
  • Sen. Kevin AvardRDeputy Majority Whip
  • Sen. Keith MurphyRDeputy President Pro Tempore

Also: Rep. Susan DeRoyR, Rep. Keith ErfR, Rep. Michael GrangerR, Rep. Melissa LitchfieldR, Rep. Rich NalevankoR, Rep. Richard LascellesR

Public testimony

22 signed in online · 5 wrote testimony

23% support77% oppose0% neutral

In their wordsVerbatim, exactly as submitted

“This bill provides clarity with regard to the treatment of warrant articles in relation to local tax caps, and I strongly support OTP.”
— Rich Nalevanko, Alsteadsupports
“Excellent! NH needs this at the state-level. This performance-based engineering of budget priorities was used by republicans in Nashua in mid-2000s and it worked. There were cries of doom and "cutting to the bone" from the typical bloodsuckers.…”
— Daniel Richardson, Nashuasupports
“Republicans sponsoring this bill are shortsighted and do not have our best interests at heart.”
— Donna Tully, Littletonopposes
“I am very opposed to HB 1134 as I cannot see what, if any, particular solution or goal this bill will serve.…”
— Andrew Harmon, New Hamptonopposes

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
  • Feb 3, 2026HouseCommittee report· regular calendar: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2026-0204h10–8
    Overall
    56% yea
  • Mar 5, 2026HouseDivisionLay HB1134 on Table (Rep. Maggiore)Adopted154–167
    Overall
    48% yea
  • Mar 5, 2026HouseVoice voteAmendment 2026-0204hadopted
  • Mar 5, 2026HouseDivisionOught to Pass with Amendment 2026-0204hAdopted168–156
    Overall
    52% yea
    Resulting text: Bill as amended by the House
  • Apr 9, 2026SenateCommittee reportCommittee report: Referred to Interim Study5–0
    Overall
    100% yea
  • Apr 9, 2026SenateVoice voteRefer to Interim Studyadopted

Hearings and debates

  • Jan 23, 2026Public hearingHouse Municipal and County Government54:34–1:12:5918m 25slocated in the stream transcriptPublic Hearing
  • Mar 5, 2026Floor debateHouse floor7:21:54–7:33:5812m 4slocated in the stream transcriptOught to Pass with Amendment 2026-0204h — adopted, division 168-156; Amendment # 2026-0204h — adopted, voice vote; Lay HB1134 on Table (Rep. Maggiore) — adopted, division 154-167
  • Mar 18, 2026Public hearingSenate Election Law and Municipal Affairs9:52–11:161m 24slocated in the stream transcriptHearing
  • Apr 9, 2026Floor debateSenate floorWatchnot located in the transcript — opens the full streamCommittee 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. 7
  2. Jan 23, 2026HousePublic Hearing: 01/23/2026 09:35 am GP 154
  3. Feb 3, 2026HouseExecutive Session: 02/03/2026 11:15 am GP 153
  4. Feb 3, 2026HouseMajority : Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2026-0204h 02/03/2026 (Vote 10-8; RC) HC 9 P. 43
  5. Feb 10, 2026HouseMinority : Inexpedient to Legislate
  6. Mar 5, 2026HouseLay HB1134 on Table (Rep. Maggiore): MA DV 154-167 03/05/2026 HJ 6 P. 125
  7. Mar 5, 2026HouseAmendment # 2026-0204h: AA VV 03/05/2026 HJ 6
  8. Mar 5, 2026HouseOught to Pass with Amendment 2026-0204h: MA DV 168-156 03/05/2026 HJ 6
  9. Mar 5, 2026SenIntroduced 03/05/2026 and Referred to Election Law and Municipal Affairs; SJ 6
  10. Mar 18, 2026SenHearing: 03/18/2026, Room 103, SH, 01:00 pm; SC 10
  11. Apr 9, 2026Sen: Referred to Interim Study, 04/09/2026; Vote 5-0; CC; SC 13
  12. Apr 9, 2026SenRefer to Interim Study, MA, VV; 04/09/2026; SJ 8

Coverage

No reporting linked yet.

Background reading

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

Documents (PDF)

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