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HB 1224 · 2026 · House · Municipal and County Government Committee

Default budget calculation for town meetings

AI-generated

relative to the default budget for official ballot town meetings.

Amends the definition of default budget to include salary and benefit reductions for vacant positions, subject to an exception.AI-generated

Status

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

Analysis

This bill amends the definition of default budget to include salary and benefit reductions of vacant positions, subject to an exception.

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

“For the purposes of this paragraph, one-time expenditures shall be appropriations not likely to recur in the succeeding budget, and eliminated positions shall not include vacant positions under recruitment if vacancy occurred after the previous year's budget was approved, as determined by the governing body of the local political subdivision, unless the provisions of RSA 40:14-b are adopted.”
Section 1
“The default budget may contain funding for vacant public safety positions under recruitment and vacant before the previous year's budget was approved if such positions were in the previous year's approved budget and are listed as separate line items in the budget.”
Section 2
“Any budget line item in the operating budget authorized for the previous year from which a transfer was made for any one-time expenditures shall be reduced by the amount of the transfer in the default budget.”
Section 1
“In calculating the default budget amount, the governing body, or the budget committee if the provisions of RSA 40:14-b are adopted, shall follow the statutory formula which may result in a higher or lower amount than the proposed operating budget.”
Section 1

Official record

Bill page — docket & status

gc.nh.gov · the authoritative source

Sponsors

Rep. Ron DunnRPrimeVice Chair· Resources, Recreation and Development
  • Rep. Joe AlexanderRChair· Housing
  • Rep. Juliet Harvey-BoliaRDeputy Majority Floor Leader
  • Rep. Diane PauerRChair· Municipal and County Government

Also: Rep. Aidan AnkarbergI, Rep. Cyril AuresR, Rep. Riché ColcombeR, Rep. Susan DeRoyR, Rep. Kristine PerezR, Rep. Clayton WoodR

Public testimony

19 signed in online · 2 wrote testimony

11% support89% oppose0% neutral

In their wordsVerbatim, exactly as submitted

“Another winner! Great bill to help with government efficiency and right-sizing.”
— Daniel Richardson, Nashuasupports
“Republicans sponsoring this bill are shortsighted and do not have our best interests at heart.”
— Donna Tully, Littletonopposes

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 # 2026-0301h10–8
    Overall
    56% yea
  • Mar 12, 2026HouseDivisionAmendment 2026-0301hAdopted187–149
    Overall
    56% yea
  • Mar 12, 2026HouseRoll callOught to Pass with Amendment 2026-0301hAdopted186–160How they voted
    Overall
    54% yea
    Party-line vote
    Republicans
    185–796% yea
    Democrats
    1–1531% yea
    Resulting text: Bill as amended by the House
  • May 7, 2026SenateCommittee report: Referred to Interim Study5–0
    Overall
    100% yea
  • May 7, 2026SenateVoice voteRefer to Interim Studyadopted

Hearings and debates

  • Jan 23, 2026Public hearingHouse Municipal and County Government2:55:19–2:58:213m 2slocated 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 Government40:55–43:082m 13slocated in the stream transcriptMajority Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2026-0301h — roll call; ==CONTINUED== Executive Session
  • Mar 12, 2026Floor debateHouse floor2:21:14–2:23:011m 47slocated in the stream transcriptOught to Pass with Amendment 2026-0301h — adopted, roll call 186-160; Amendment # 2026-0301h — adopted, division 187-149
  • Apr 21, 2026Public hearingSenate Election Law and Municipal Affairs1:56:20–1:58:332m 13slocated in the stream transcriptHearing
  • May 7, 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. 11
  2. Jan 23, 2026HousePublic Hearing: 01/23/2026 10:20 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 # 2026-0301h 03/03/2026 (Vote 10-8; RC) HC 10 P. 66
  6. Mar 4, 2026HouseMinority : Inexpedient to Legislate
  7. Mar 12, 2026HouseAmendment # 2026-0301h: AA DV 187-149 03/12/2026 HJ 8 P. 38
  8. Mar 12, 2026HouseOught to Pass with Amendment 2026-0301h: MA RC 186-160 03/12/2026 HJ 8 P. 39
  9. Mar 12, 2026SenIntroduced 03/12/2026 and Referred to Election Law and Municipal Affairs; SJ 7
  10. Apr 21, 2026SenHearing: 04/21/2026, Room 122-123, SH, 10:15 am; SC 15
  11. May 7, 2026Sen: Referred to Interim Study, 05/07/2026; Vote 5-0; CC; SC 17
  12. May 7, 2026SenRefer to Interim Study, MA, VV; 05/07/2026; SJ 11

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.