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HB 488 · 2026 · House · Municipal and County Government Committee

Municipal board conflict of interest rules

AI-generated

(Second New Title) relative to limiting conflicts of interest and concentrations of power for municipal board and committee members.

Limits conflicts of interest and excessive concentration of power among municipal board and committee members.AI-generated

Status

Killed in the Senate — Inexpedient to Legislate · March 20, 2026
  1. ✓Introduced
  2. ✓House
  3. ✕Senate
  4. Governor
  5. Law

Analysis

This bill limits conflicts of interest and excessive concentration of power for municipal board and committee members.

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

“No person shall at the same time hold any 2 of the following offices: selectman, treasurer or deputy treasurer, moderator, trustee of trust funds, collector of taxes, finance director or equivalent position, auditor, highway agent, and head of the town’s police or fire department.”
RSA 669:7
“No town clerk or deputy town clerk shall hold any other elected or appointed office other than tax collector, if authorized as provided in RSA 41:45-a.”
RSA 669:7
“No deputy town clerk shall hold any other elected or appointed office other than deputy tax collector, if authorized as provided in RSA 41:45-c.”
RSA 669:7
“Notwithstanding these requirements, a town clerk or deputy town clerk may serve as a school district clerk.”
RSA 669:7

Official record

Bill page — docket & status

gc.nh.gov · the authoritative source

Sponsors

Rep. Walter SpilsburyRPrimeVice Chair· Education Funding

Public testimony

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

Votes

yeanay
Starting text: Bill as introduced
  • Oct 28, 2025HouseCommittee report· regular calendarCommittee report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2025-3045h (NT)15–1
    Overall
    94% yea
  • Jan 8, 2026HouseVoice voteAmendment 2025-3045hadopted
  • Jan 8, 2026HouseVoice voteFloor amendment 2026-0029h (Rep. Pauer)adopted
  • Jan 8, 2026HouseDivisionOught to Pass with Amendment 2025-3045h and 2026-0029hAdopted320–22
    Overall
    94% yea
    Resulting text: Bill as amended by the House
  • Mar 26, 2026SenateCommittee report: Inexpedient to Legislate5–0
    Overall
    100% yea
  • Mar 26, 2026SenateVoice voteInexpedient to Legislateadopted

Hearings and debates

  • Jan 23, 2025Public hearingHouse Municipal and County Government4:00:59–4:09:148m 15slocated in the stream transcriptPublic Hearing
  • Jan 30, 2025Public hearingHouse Municipal and County Government7:15:05–7:19:314m 26slocated in the stream transcriptExecutive Session
  • Sep 24, 2025Public hearingHouse Municipal and County Government1:00:07–1:08:108m 3slocated in the stream transcriptFull Committee Work Session; ==RECESSED== Executive Session
  • Oct 28, 2025Public hearingHouse Municipal and County Government25:43–30:154m 32slocated in the stream transcriptCommittee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2025-3045h (NT) — roll call; ==CONTINUED== Executive Session
  • Jan 8, 2026Floor debateHouse floor5:37:27–5:53:3616m 9slocated in the stream transcriptOught to Pass with Amendment 2025-3045h and 2026-0029h — adopted, division 320-22; Amendment # 2025-3045h (NT) — adopted, voice vote; FLAM # 2026-0029h (NT) (Rep. Pauer) — adopted, voice vote
  • Mar 10, 2026Public hearingSenate Election Law and Municipal Affairs48:09–54:015m 52slocated in the stream transcriptHearing
  • Mar 26, 2026Floor debateSenate floorWatchnot located in the transcript — opens the full streamCommittee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate; Vote 5-0; CC; Inexpedient to Legislate — adopted, voice vote

Timestamps locate where this bill is taken up in the chamber's YouTube stream.

Legislative history

  1. Jan 9, 2025HouseIntroduced (in recess of) 01/09/2025 and referred to Municipal and County Government HJ 3 P. 12
  2. Jan 23, 2025HousePublic Hearing: 01/23/2025 01:20 pm 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, 2025HouseFull Committee Work Session: 09/24/2025 09:00 am GP 154
  6. Sep 24, 2025House==RECESSED== Executive Session: 09/24/2025 01:00 pm GP 154
  7. Oct 28, 2025House==CONTINUED== Executive Session: 10/28/2025 11:00 am GP 154
  8. Oct 28, 2025House: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2025-3045h (NT) 10/28/2025 (Vote 15-1; RC) HC 51 P. 42
  9. Jan 8, 2026HouseAmendment # 2025-3045h (NT): AA VV 01/08/2026 HJ 2 P. 62
  10. Jan 8, 2026HouseFLAM # 2026-0029h (NT) (Rep. Pauer): AA VV 01/08/2026 HJ 2 P. 63
  11. Jan 8, 2026HouseOught to Pass with Amendment 2025-3045h and 2026-0029h: MA DV 320-22 01/08/2026 HJ 2 P. 64
  12. Jan 7, 2026SenIntroduced 01/07/2026 and Referred to Election Law and Municipal Affairs; SJ 2
  13. Mar 10, 2026SenHearing: 03/10/2026, Room 122-123, SH, 09:30 am; SC 9
  14. Mar 26, 2026SenCommittee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate; Vote 5-0; CC; 03/26/2026; SC 11
  15. Mar 26, 2026SenInexpedient to Legislate, MA, VV === BILL KILLED ===; 03/26/2026; SJ 7

Coverage

No reporting linked yet.

Documents (PDF)

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