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HB 173 · 2026 · House · Municipal and County Government Committee

Restricting changes to warrant articles

AI-generated

relative to maintaining the purpose of a petitioned warrant article.

Prevents petitioned warrant articles from being amended in a manner that changes their purpose.AI-generated

Status

Referred to interim study (Senate) · March 20, 2026
  1. ✓Introduced
  2. ✓House
  3. ✕Senate
  4. Governor
  5. Law

Analysis

This bill prevents warrant articles from being amended to change their purpose.

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

“No warrant article shall be amended to eliminate the subject matter of the article or to change the purpose of a petitioned warrant article.”
Section 1
“An amendment that changes the dollar amount of an appropriation in a warrant article shall not be deemed to violate this subparagraph.”
Section 1

Official record

gc.nh.gov · the authoritative source

Sponsors

Rep. John SellersRPrime
  • Rep. Keith AmmonRMajority Floor Leader
  • Rep. Lisa PostRClerk· Commerce and Consumer Affairs
  • Rep. Diane PauerRChair· Municipal and County Government
  • Rep. Lisa MazurRVice Chair· Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs
  • Rep. James CreightonRChair· Labor, Industrial and Rehabilitative Services

Also: Rep. Sheila SeidelR, Rep. Paul TerryR, Rep. James TierneyR, Rep. Joseph GuthrieR

Public testimony

No one submitted online testimony on this bill. See the record

Votes

yeanay
Starting text: Bill as introduced
  • Sep 24, 2025HouseCommittee report· regular calendarCommittee report: Ought to Pass10–7
    Overall
    59% yea
  • Jan 8, 2026HouseDivisionOught to PassAdopted187–162
    Overall
    54% yea
  • Mar 26, 2026SenateCommittee report: Referred to Interim Study5–0
    Overall
    100% yea
  • Mar 26, 2026SenateVoice voteRefer to Interim Studyadopted

Hearings and debates

  • Jan 23, 2025Public hearingHouse Municipal and County Government1:11:17–1:12:251m 8slocated in the stream transcriptPublic Hearing
  • Jan 30, 2025Public hearingHouse Municipal and County Government6:09:45–6:27:5018m 5slocated in the stream transcriptExecutive Session
  • Sep 24, 2025Public hearingHouse Municipal and County Government5:57:52–6:00:553m 3slocated in the stream transcriptMajority Committee Report: Ought to Pass — roll call; Executive Session
  • Jan 8, 2026Floor debateHouse floor5:13:54–5:22:448m 50slocated in the stream transcriptOught to Pass — adopted, division 187-162
  • Mar 3, 2026Public hearingSenate Election Law and Municipal Affairs1:35:11–1:38:223m 11slocated in the stream transcriptHearing
  • Mar 26, 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 8, 2025HouseIntroduced 01/08/2025 and referred to Municipal and County Government HJ 2 P. 9
  2. Jan 23, 2025HousePublic Hearing: 01/23/2025 10:40 am LOB 301-303
  3. Jan 30, 2025HouseExecutive Session: 01/30/2025 02:00 pm LOB 301-303
  4. Jan 31, 2025HouseRetained in Committee
  5. Sep 24, 2025HouseExecutive Session: 09/24/2025 01:00 pm GP 154
  6. Sep 24, 2025HouseMajority : Ought to Pass 09/24/2025 (Vote 10-7; RC) HC 51 P. 41
  7. Nov 13, 2025HouseMinority : Inexpedient to Legislate
  8. Jan 8, 2026HouseOught to Pass: MA DV 187-162 01/08/2026 HJ 2 P. 59
  9. Jan 7, 2026SenIntroduced 01/07/2026 and Referred to Election Law and Municipal Affairs; SJ 2
  10. Mar 3, 2026SenHearing: 03/03/2026, Room 122-123, SH, 10:00 am; SC 7
  11. Mar 26, 2026Sen: Referred to Interim Study, 03/26/2026; Vote 5-0; CC; SC 11
  12. Mar 26, 2026SenRefer to Interim Study, MA, VV; 03/26/2026; SJ 7

Coverage

No reporting linked yet.

Documents (PDF)

  • Introducedversion

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