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HB 1499 · 2026 · House · Housing Committee

Eviction grounds and free school meals

AI-generated

(New Title) relative to additional grounds for eviction under the landlord and tenant statute, relative to the responsibility of local school districts to provide meals to students during school hours, and reimbursing schools for meals provided to students at no cost and making an appropriation therefor.

Adds identity theft used to obtain a rental and certain criminal convictions, including illegal reentry and sex-offense registration, as eviction grounds unless disclosed beforehand, and lets school boards raise free-meal eligibility to 200 percent of the poverty level with state reimbursement.AI-generated

Status

Died — conference committee did not agree · June 2, 2026
  1. ✓Introduced
  2. ✓House
  3. ✕Senate
  4. Governor
  5. Law

Analysis

This bill: I. Allows eviction if a tenant uses someone else’s personal information to obtain the rental or if the tenant or an occupant has certain criminal convictions, including improper entry as a non-citizen or a conviction requiring registration as a sexual offender or offender against children. The landlord cannot use a conviction disclosed in writing before the start of the tenancy as grounds for eviction. II. Authorizes school boards to raise eligibility for free meals, requires the department of education to reimburse schools who raise eligibility, and provides an appropriation therefor.

From the bill's official ANALYSIS section.

In the bill's words

Quoted verbatim from the bill As Amended by the Senate (2nd committee). Passages chosen from the operative text.Computed by this site

“Any conviction disclosed in writing by the tenant or occupant to the landlord or disclosed via a criminal background check run by the landlord prior to the start of any tenancy shall prevent the landlord from later terminating the tenancy for any specific conviction disclosed.”
Section 1
“Any eviction brought pursuant to RSA 540:2, II(j) or (k) shall name as defendant only the person or persons alleged to have violated RSA 540:2, II(j) or (k) without naming remaining members of the household and the court may enter judgment against only the named defendants.”
Section 2
“Each school board may vote to raise eligibility for free meals to 200 percent of the federal poverty level.”
Section 3
“The governor is authorized to draw a warrant for said sums out of any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated.”
Section 4

Official record

Bill page — docket & status

gc.nh.gov · the authoritative source

Sponsors

Rep. Joe AlexanderRPrimeChair· Housing
  • Rep. Ross BerryRChair· Election Law
  • Rep. Katelyn KuttabRClerk· Judiciary
  • Rep. Jason OsborneRMajority Leader
  • Rep. Joe SweeneyRDeputy Majority Leader
  • Sen. Daniel InnisRChair, Majority Policy Conference
  • Sen. Timothy LangRMajority Whip

Also: Rep. Harry BeanR, Rep. Calvin BeaulierR

Public testimony

268 signed in online · 65 wrote testimony

2% support98% oppose0% neutral

ForLandlords should be able to evict disruptive or drug-related tenants

AgainstImmigration-status eviction grounds are discriminatory

AI-generatedLeading arguments, summarized by the testimony tool.

Read the arguments

In their wordsVerbatim, exactly as submitted

“I live in affordable housing and my drug dealing neighbor’s customers’ traffic every 2 hours all night long trigger migraines that cost medicare $25,000 whenever I have to be admitted to the hospital for them.…”
— Margaret Konze, Pembrokesupports
“This bill impacts families and increases the numbers of unhoused in our communities.”
— Nancy Lee Harding, BEDFORDopposes
“I write in strong opposition to HB 1499, which expands the grounds for eviction under New Hampshire law. This bill would further destabilize tenants and communities at a time when housing insecurity is already at crisis levels across the state.…”
— David Preece, Manchesteropposes
“This is an overly broad bill. Landlords already have the right to evict tenants. This legislation is overly sweeping and innocent families will lose housing as a result.”
— Louise Ewing, Antrimopposes

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

Hearings and debates

  • Jan 20, 2026Public hearingHouse Housing2:19:07–2:23:444m 37slocated in the stream transcriptPublic Hearing
  • Feb 3, 2026Public hearingHouse HousingWatchnot located in the transcript — opens the full streamMajority Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2026-0490h — roll call; Executive Session
  • Feb 19, 2026Floor debateHouse floor2:35:04–2:38:143m 10slocated in the stream transcriptOught to Pass with Amendment 2026-0490h — adopted, roll call 193-154; Amendment # 2026-0490h — adopted, voice vote; Referred to Finance
  • Mar 31, 2026Public hearingSenate Judiciaryfrom 1:59:30located in the stream transcript==ROOM CHANGE== Hearing
  • May 7, 2026Floor debateSenate floorWatchnot located in the transcript — opens the full streamCommittee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2026-1772s; Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2026-1772s — adopted, voice vote; Committee Amendment # 2026-1772s — adopted, voice vote
  • May 14, 2026Floor debateHouse floorWatchnot located in the transcript — opens the full streamHouse Non-Concurs with Senate Amendment 2026-1952s 2026-1910s and 2026-1772s and Requests CofC (Rep. Alexander Jr.) — adopted, voice vote; Speaker Appoints: Reps. Alexander Jr., Ladd, Beaulier, Dumont
  • May 14, 2026Floor debateSenate floor9:09:21–9:12:513m 30slocated in the stream transcriptCommittee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2026-1910s; Ought to Pass with Amendments #2026-1910s and #2026-1952s — adopted, voice vote; Committee Amendment # 2026-1910s — 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 Housing HJ 1 P. 23
  2. Jan 20, 2026HousePublic Hearing: 01/20/2026 10:00 am GP 231
  3. Feb 3, 2026HouseExecutive Session: 02/03/2026 10:00 am GP 231
  4. Feb 3, 2026HouseMajority : Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2026-0490h 02/03/2026 (Vote 10-8; RC) HC 7 P. 33
  5. Feb 10, 2026HouseMinority : Inexpedient to Legislate
  6. Feb 19, 2026HouseAmendment # 2026-0490h: AA VV 02/19/2026 HJ 5 P. 80
  7. Feb 19, 2026HouseOught to Pass with Amendment 2026-0490h: MA RC 193-154 02/19/2026 HJ 5 P. 81
  8. Feb 19, 2026HouseReferred to Finance 02/19/2026 HJ 5 P. 83
  9. Feb 19, 2026HouseReferral Waived by Committee Chair per House Rule 47(f) 02/19/2026 HJ 5 P. 112
  10. Feb 19, 2026SenIntroduced 02/19/2026 and Referred to Judiciary; SJ 5
  11. Mar 31, 2026Sen==ROOM CHANGE== Hearing: 03/31/2026, Room 100, SH, 02:05 pm; SC 12
  12. May 7, 2026Sen: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2026-1772s, 05/07/2026; Vote 5-0; CC; SC 17
  13. May 7, 2026SenCommittee Amendment # 2026-1772s, AA, VV; 05/07/2026; SJ 11
  14. May 7, 2026SenOught to Pass with Amendment # 2026-1772s, MA, VV; Refer to Finance Rule 4-5; 05/07/2026; SJ 11
  15. May 14, 2026Sen: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2026-1910s, 05/14/2026, Vote 7-0; SC 18A
  16. May 14, 2026SenCommittee Amendment # 2026-1910s, AA, VV; 05/14/2026; SJ 12
  17. May 14, 2026SenSen. Fenton Floor Amendment # 2026-1952s, AA, VV; 05/14/2026; SJ 12
  18. May 14, 2026SenOught to Pass with Amendments #2026-1910s and #2026-1952s, MA, VV; OT3rdg; 05/14/2026; SJ 12
  19. May 14, 2026HouseHouse Non-Concurs with Senate Amendment 2026-1952s 2026-1910s and 2026-1772s and Requests CofC (Rep. Alexander Jr.): MA VV 05/14/2026 HJ 13 P. 150
  20. May 14, 2026HouseSpeaker Appoints: Reps. Alexander Jr., Ladd, Beaulier, Dumont 05/14/2026 HJ 13 P. 150
  21. May 14, 2026SenSen. Gannon Accedes to House Request for Committee of Conference, MA, VV; (In recess 05/14/2026); SJ 13
  22. May 14, 2026SenPresident Appoints: Senators Abbas, Lang, Fenton; (In Recess 05/14/2026); SJ 13
  23. May 26, 2026HouseConference Committee Meeting: 05/26/2026 02:30 pm GP 234
  24. Jun 2, 2026SenConference Committee Report; Not Signed Off; SJ 14

Coverage

No reporting linked yet.

Documents (PDF)

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