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HB 1477 · 2026 · House · Resources, Recreation and Development Committee

Permits for floating dock platforms

AI-generated

relative to the permitting and regulation of anchored seasonal floating platforms on public waters.

Limits anchored seasonal floating platforms on public waters to adjacent shorefront property owners, requires a $50 permit with identification through state police marine patrol, exempts certain government and conservation uses, and fines noncompliance.AI-generated

Status

Killed in the Senate — Inexpedient to Legislate · April 23, 2026
  1. ✓Introduced
  2. ✓House
  3. ✕Senate
  4. Governor
  5. Law

Analysis

This bill restricts anchored seasonal platforms on public waters to adjacent shorefront property owners, requires permits with identification and a $50 fee, exempts certain government and conservation uses, and imposes fines for noncompliance.

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

“As defined in RSA 270:72-b, I, no person shall erect, install, maintain, or exercise control over an anchored seasonal platform on the public waters of the state who is not the legal owner of the adjacent shorefront property except as authorized in paragraph III below.”
Section 1
“Any person erecting, installing, maintaining, or exercising control over an anchored seasonal platform on any public body of water shall attach his or her name and contact information to any such seasonal platform as provided in this subdivision and in accordance with rules established under RSA 270:72-g shall obtain an anchored seasonal platform permit from the division of state police, marine patrol.”
Section 1
“The cost of the permit shall be $50 dollars, $25 shall be deposited in the navigation safety fund established under RSA 270-E:6-a and $25 shall be deposited into the cyanobacteria mitigation loan and grant fund.”
Section 1
“Seasonal platforms installed on public waters that support a local, state, or federal government agency, an agency's sub-contractors, or a conservation group engaged in the non-recreational activities, or those engaged in aquaculture, including commercial storage of shellfish may be installed provided the platform meets the minimum requirements established in RSA 270:72-d and shall be exempted from paragraph II.”
Section 1

Official record

Bill page — docket & status

gc.nh.gov · the authoritative source

Sponsors

Rep. John MacDonaldRPrimeVice Chair· Municipal and County Government
  • Rep. Karel CrawfordRClerk· Transportation
  • Rep. Hope DamonDDeputy Ranking Member· Education Funding
  • Rep. Karen EbelDRanking Member· Finance Division 1

Also: Rep. Will DarbyD, Rep. Joseph HamblenR, Rep. Rosemarie RungD, Rep. David WalkerR

Public testimony

140 signed in online · 72 wrote testimony

88% support12% oppose0% neutral

ForFunds urgently needed cyanobacteria mitigation

AgainstUnnecessary tax and bureaucracy / "money grab"

AI-generatedLeading arguments, summarized by the testimony tool.

Read the arguments

In their wordsVerbatim, exactly as submitted

“I strongly support this bill. More and more floating devices are popping up on our lakes making, possibly introducing plants and other harmful bacteria.”
— LILLIANE LEBEL, Templesupports
“Boating and navigation safety needs our support. Thank you.”
— Paul Shellito, Center Harborsupports
“All floats in state waterbodies should have permits. Also using this to fund efforts to combat Cyanobacteria impacts on our N.H. economy is an important addition.”
— Alexander Campbell, Sandwcjsupports
“This is a bad bill that selectively targets lakefront homeowners when numerous other members of the public use the public lakes, using boat launches and coming onto the lakes on a daily basis.…”
— Daniel F Weidner, Wolfeboroopposes
“I am a homeowner on Lake Sunapee. I strongly oppose this bill as an additional burden on lakefront owners whose taxes have skyrocketed in the past few years. If the lakes are supposed to be for everybody then everybody should bear the burden.…”
— James Morgan, Newburyopposes
“This is nothing more than a blatant attempt at more taxation and more bureacracy. As a lakefront owner I pay alot of real estate taxes, I pay a license fee for my boat trailer, for my boat and now you want to charge me for putting a raft in the lake for 4 months?…”
— Mitchell Harris, Sunapeeopposes

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 14, 2026HouseCommittee report· regular calendar: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2026-0067h11–0
    Overall
    100% yea
  • Feb 5, 2026HouseVoice voteAmendment 2026-0067hadopted
  • Feb 5, 2026HouseDivisionOught to Pass with Amendment 2026-0067hAdopted284–47
    Overall
    86% yea
    Resulting text: Bill as amended by the House
  • Mar 17, 2026HouseCommittee report· regular calendar: Inexpedient to Legislate14–11
    Overall
    56% yea
  • Mar 26, 2026HouseDivisionLay HB1477 on Table (Rep. Weyler)Failed169–178
    Overall
    49% yea
  • Mar 26, 2026HouseRoll callInexpedient to LegislateFailed172–180How they voted
    Overall
    49% yea
    Party-line vote
    Republicans
    171–2189% yea
    Democrats
    1–1591% yea
  • Mar 26, 2026HouseVoice voteOught to Passadopted
    Resulting text: Bill as amended by the House
  • Apr 23, 2026SenateCommittee report: Inexpedient to Legislate3–1
    Overall
    75% yea
  • Apr 23, 2026SenateVoice voteInexpedient to Legislateadopted

Hearings and debates

  • Jan 14, 2026Public hearingHouse Resources, Recreation and Development5:34:32–5:37:222m 50slocated in the stream transcriptCommittee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2026-0067h — roll call; Public Hearing; Executive Session
  • Feb 5, 2026Floor debateHouse floor5:24:32–5:27:062m 34slocated in the stream transcriptOught to Pass with Amendment 2026-0067h — adopted, division 284-47; Amendment # 2026-0067h — adopted, voice vote; Referred to Finance
  • Mar 13, 2026Public hearingHouse Finance - Division I1:46:46–1:47:531m 7slocated in the stream transcriptDivision I Work Session
  • Mar 17, 2026Public hearingHouse Finance1:17:49–1:19:441m 55slocated in the stream transcriptMajority Committee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate — roll call; Executive Session
  • Mar 26, 2026Floor debateHouse floor1:10:22–1:15:325m 10slocated in the stream transcriptInexpedient to Legislate — failed, roll call 172-180; Ought to Pass — adopted, voice vote; Lay HB1477 on Table (Rep. Weyler) — failed, division 169-178
  • Apr 15, 2026Public hearingSenate Ways and Means35:03–38:063m 3slocated in the stream transcriptHearing
  • Apr 23, 2026Floor debateSenate floor1:24:19–1:26:081m 49slocated in the stream transcriptCommittee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate; Inexpedient to Legislate — 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 Resources, Recreation and Development HJ 1 P. 22
  2. Jan 14, 2026HousePublic Hearing: 01/14/2026 02:30 pm GP 228
  3. Jan 14, 2026HouseExecutive Session: 01/14/2026 02:30 pm GP 228
  4. Jan 14, 2026House: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2026-0067h 01/14/2026 (Vote 11-0; RC) HC 5 P. 27
  5. Feb 5, 2026HouseAmendment # 2026-0067h: AA VV 02/05/2026 HJ 3 P. 55
  6. Feb 5, 2026HouseOught to Pass with Amendment 2026-0067h: MA DV 284-47 02/05/2026 HJ 3 P. 55
  7. Feb 5, 2026HouseReferred to Finance 02/05/2026 HJ 3 P. 55
  8. Mar 13, 2026HouseDivision I Work Session: 03/13/2026 10:00 am GP 230
  9. Mar 17, 2026HouseExecutive Session: 03/17/2026 10:00 am GP 230
  10. Mar 17, 2026HouseMajority : Inexpedient to Legislate 03/17/2026 (Vote 14-11; RC)
  11. Mar 18, 2026HouseMinority : Ought to Pass
  12. Mar 26, 2026HouseLay HB1477 on Table (Rep. Weyler): MF DV 169-178 03/26/2026 HJ 9 P. 15
  13. Mar 26, 2026HouseInexpedient to Legislate: MF RC 172-180 03/26/2026 HJ 9 P. 15
  14. Mar 26, 2026HouseOught to Pass: MA VV 03/26/2026 HJ 9 P. 17
  15. Mar 26, 2026SenIntroduced 03/26/2026 and Referred to Ways and Means; SJ 7
  16. Apr 15, 2026SenHearing: 04/15/2026, Room 122-123, SH, 09:45 am; SC 13
  17. Apr 23, 2026Sen: Inexpedient to Legislate, 04/23/2026, Vote 3-1; SC 15
  18. Apr 23, 2026SenInexpedient to Legislate, MA, VV === BILL KILLED ===; 04/23/2026; SJ 10

Coverage

No reporting linked yet.

Documents (PDF)

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