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HB 491 · 2026 · House · Education Funding Committee

Study of school funding alternatives

AI-generated

establishing a committee to study alternative funding methods for public education and how to reduce its reliance on local real estate property taxes.

Establishes a committee to study alternative methods of funding public education and reducing its reliance on local real estate property taxes.AI-generated

Status

Killed in the House — Inexpedient to Legislate · January 7, 2026
  1. ✓Introduced
  2. ✕House
  3. Senate
  4. Governor
  5. Law

Analysis

This bill establishes a committee to study alternative funding methods for public education and how to reduce its reliance on local real estate property taxes.

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

“There is established a committee to study how New Hampshire funds public education and how to reduce its reliance on local real estate property taxes.”
Section 1
“Five members of the house of representatives, appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives, 2 from the ways and means committee, 2 from the education committee, and one from the finance committee.”
Section 2
“The committee shall make recommendations for rebalancing and changing available revenue sources and assess the manner in which the state now funds public general education, with a specific focus on the impacts of over-burdening the local real property tax.”
Section 3
“The first meeting of the committee shall be held within 45 days of the effective date of this section.”
Section 4

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
  • Nov 13, 2025HouseCommittee report· regular calendar: Inexpedient to Legislate10–8
    Overall
    56% yea
  • Jan 7, 2026HouseRoll callInexpedient to LegislateAdopted195–157How they voted
    Overall
    55% yea
    Party-line vote
    Republicans
    195–199% yea
    Democrats
    0–1560% yea

Hearings and debates

  • Feb 7, 2025Public hearingHouse Education Funding5:36:09–5:37:171m 8slocated in the stream transcriptPublic Hearing
  • Mar 12, 2025Public hearingHouse Education Funding35:28–36:581m 30slocated in the stream transcriptExecutive Session; Retained in Committee
  • Sep 16, 2025Public hearingHouse Education Funding1:09:46–1:40:2730m 41slocated in the stream transcriptSubcommittee Work Session
  • Sep 30, 2025Public hearingHouse Education Funding41:14–50:569m 42slocated in the stream transcriptSubcommittee Work Session
  • Nov 13, 2025Public hearingHouse Education FundingWatchnot located in the transcript — opens the full streamMajority Committee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate — roll call; Executive Session
  • Jan 7, 2026Floor debateHouse floor3:38:12–3:48:2710m 15slocated in the stream transcriptInexpedient to Legislate — adopted, roll call 195-157

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 Education Funding HJ 3 P. 13
  2. Feb 7, 2025HousePublic Hearing: 02/07/2025 02:30 pm LOB 205-207
  3. Mar 11, 2025House==CANCELLED== Executive Session: 03/11/2025 10:30 am LOB 205-207
  4. Mar 12, 2025HouseExecutive Session: 03/12/2025 10:30 am LOB 201
  5. Mar 12, 2025HouseRetained in Committee
  6. Sep 16, 2025HouseSubcommittee Work Session: 09/16/2025 10:00 am GP 232
  7. Sep 30, 2025HouseSubcommittee Work Session: 09/30/2025 10:00 am GP 232
  8. Nov 4, 2025House==RESCHEDULED== Executive Session: 11/04/2025 02:00 pm GP 232
  9. Nov 13, 2025HouseExecutive Session: 11/13/2025 02:00 pm GP 232
  10. Nov 13, 2025HouseMajority : Inexpedient to Legislate 11/13/2025 (Vote 10-8; RC) HC 51 P. 24
  11. Nov 20, 2025HouseMinority : Ought to Pass
  12. Jan 7, 2026HouseInexpedient to Legislate: MA RC 195-157 01/07/2026 HJ 1 P. 109

Coverage

No reporting linked yet.

Documents (PDF)

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