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HB 1657 · 2026 · House · Executive Departments and Administration Committee

Reporting prolonged state job vacancies

AI-generated

relative to the reporting and elimination of prolonged vacancies in state government.

Directs state agencies to identify vacant positions and report them to the joint committee on employee classification, which may propose legislation to abolish those positions.AI-generated

Status

Killed in the House — Inexpedient to Legislate · March 11, 2026
  1. ✓Introduced
  2. ✕House
  3. Senate
  4. Governor
  5. Law

Analysis

This bill directs state agencies to identify vacant positions and provide such information to the joint committee on employee classification, and following review by the joint committee, legislation to abolish the position may be proposed by the joint committee.

From the bill's official ANALYSIS section.

In the bill's words

Quoted verbatim from the bill as introduced. Passages chosen from the operative text.Computed by this site

“The report shall include a spreadsheet including the agency; classified or unclassified status; pay grade; position code; funded or unfunded status; allocation of funding for the position between state general funds, federal funds, or specific state funds; date the position became vacant; days vacant as of the report and the accounting unit description.”
Section 1
“Any full or part-time classified or unclassified position in an agency that has been vacant for at least 90 days shall not be filled without express approval of the governor and the executive council.”
Section 1

Official record

Bill page — docket & status

gc.nh.gov · the authoritative source

Sponsors

Rep. Erica LayonRPrimeChair· Executive Departments and Administration

Rep. Daniel Popovici-MullerR, Rep. Matt Sabourin dit ChoinièreR

Public testimony

4 signed in online · 1 wrote testimony

0% support100% oppose0% neutral

In their wordsVerbatim, exactly as submitted

“I oppose this bill because it reduces transparency or public oversight and does not meaningfully improve outcomes for New Hampshire residents.”
— Tiffany Gladu, Goffstownopposes

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 18, 2026HouseCommittee report· consent calendar: Inexpedient to Legislate15–0
    Overall
    100% yea
  • Mar 11, 2026HouseVoice voteInexpedient to Legislateadopted

Hearings and debates

  • Jan 28, 2026Public hearingHouse Executive Departments and Administration4:58:58–5:04:485m 50slocated in the stream transcriptPublic Hearing
  • Mar 11, 2026Floor debateHouse floorWatchnot located in the transcript — opens the full streamInexpedient 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 Executive Departments and Administration HJ 1 P. 30
  2. Jan 28, 2026HousePublic Hearing: 01/28/2026 02:40 pm GP 231
  3. Feb 18, 2026HouseExecutive Session: 02/18/2026 02:40 pm GP 231
  4. Feb 18, 2026HouseCommittee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate 02/18/2026 (Vote 15-0; CC) HC 10 P. 20
  5. Mar 11, 2026HouseInexpedient to Legislate: MA VV 03/11/2026 HJ 7 P. 43

Coverage

No reporting linked yet.

Documents (PDF)

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