HB 564 · 2026 · House · Education Policy and Administration Committee
School administrative unit budget process changes
AI-generatedrelative to the adoption of school administrative unit budgets.
Revises the annual budget adoption procedure for school administrative units and repeals the alternative adoption procedure.AI-generated
Status
Signed into law · June 24, 2026- ✓Introduced
- ✓House
- ✓Senate
- ✓Governor
- ✓Law
Analysis
This bill revises the annual budget adoption procedure for school administrative units and repeals the alternative procedure.
From the bill's official ANALYSIS section.
In the bill's words
Quoted verbatim from the bill as enacted. Passages chosen from the operative text.Computed by this site
“Single district school administrative units shall be considered the same as a single school district and shall be exempt from meeting the requirements of this chapter, except that they shall provide superintendent services pursuant to RSA 194-C:4[.], adopt a budget, conduct budget voting pursuant to RSA 194-C:9, and conduct public hearings under RSA 194-C:10. 153:4 School Administration Units;”
“Superintendents, assistant superintendents, business administrators, teacher consultants, and the regularly employed office personnel of the school administrative unit office shall be deemed employees of the school administrative unit for the purposes of payment of salaries and contributions to the employee's retirement system of the state of New Hampshire and workers' compensation.”
“At the end of the fiscal year, any unassigned general fund balance shall be apportioned and returned to the constituent school districts.”
“The provisions of this paragraph shall apply to school administrative units with 2 or more districts.”
Official record
gc.nh.gov · the authoritative source
Sponsors
- Rep. Juliet Harvey-BoliaRDeputy Majority Floor Leader
- Rep. Diane PauerRChair· Municipal and County Government
- Rep. Vanessa SheehanRVice Chair· Legislative Administration
- Rep. James CreightonRChair· Labor, Industrial and Rehabilitative Services
- Sen. Kevin AvardRDeputy Majority Whip
- Sen. Ruth WardRChair· Education
Also: Rep. Louise AndrusR, Rep. John SellersR
Public testimony
No one submitted online testimony on this bill. See the record
Votes
yeanay- Nov 5, 2025HouseCommittee report· regular calendarCommittee report: Ought to Pass11–7Overall61% yea
- Overall56% yeaParty-line voteRepublicans185–199% yeaDemocrats6–1474% yea
- Overall100% yea
- Resulting text: Bill as amended by the Senate
- May 7, 2026HouseRoll callHouse Concurs with Senate Amendment 2026-1468s (Rep. Noble)Adopted184–140How they votedResulting text: Bill as adopted by both chambersOverall57% yeaParty-line voteRepublicans184–0100% yeaDemocrats0–1400% yea
- Jun 4, 2026SenateVoice voteEnrolledadopted
Hearings and debates
- Feb 5, 2025Public hearingHouse Education Policy and Administration4:56:50–5:00:413m 51slocated in the stream transcriptPublic Hearing
- Nov 5, 2025Public hearingHouse Education Policy and Administration6:09:21–6:10:311m 10slocated in the stream transcriptMajority Committee Report: Ought to Pass — roll call; Executive Session
- Jan 7, 2026Floor debateHouse floor5:38:15–5:41:503m 35slocated in the stream transcriptOught to Pass — adopted, roll call 191-148
- Feb 12, 2026Public hearingSenate Education Finance56:16–56:3923slocated in the stream transcriptHearing
- Apr 23, 2026Floor debateSenate floor1:33:59–1:34:4041slocated in the stream transcriptCommittee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2026-1468s; Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2026-1468s — adopted, voice vote; Committee Amendment # 2026-1468s — adopted, voice vote
- May 7, 2026Floor debateHouse floor14:33–14:5623slocated in the stream transcriptHouse Concurs with Senate Amendment 2026-1468s (Rep. Noble) — adopted, roll call 184-140
- Jun 4, 2026Floor debateSenate floor3:29:55–3:30:1823slocated in the stream transcriptEnrolled Adopted — voice vote
Timestamps locate where this bill is taken up in the chamber's YouTube stream.
Legislative history
- Jan 9, 2025HouseIntroduced (in recess of) 01/09/2025 and referred to Education Policy and Administration HJ 3 P. 16
- Feb 5, 2025HousePublic Hearing: 02/05/2025 01:45 pm LOB 205-207
- Feb 25, 2025HouseRetained in Committee
- Nov 5, 2025HouseExecutive Session: 11/05/2025 02:00 pm GP 232
- Nov 5, 2025HouseMajority : Ought to Pass 11/05/2025 (Vote 11-7; RC) HC 51 P. 28
- Nov 20, 2025HouseMinority : Inexpedient to Legislate
- Jan 7, 2026HouseOught to Pass: MA RC 191-148 01/07/2026 HJ 1 P. 141
- Jan 29, 2026SenIntroduced 01/29/2026 and Referred to Education Finance; SJ 3
- Feb 12, 2026SenHearing: 02/12/2026, Room 103, SH, 09:20 am; SC 5
- Apr 23, 2026Sen: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2026-1468s, 04/23/2026; Vote 4-0; CC; SC 15
- Apr 23, 2026SenHB 564 was Removed from the Consent Calendar; 04/23/2026; SJ 10
- Apr 23, 2026SenCommittee Amendment # 2026-1468s, AA, VV; 04/23/2026; SJ 10
- Apr 23, 2026SenOught to Pass with Amendment # 2026-1468s, MA, VV; OT3rdg; 04/23/2026; SJ 10
- May 7, 2026HouseHouse Concurs with Senate Amendment 2026-1468s (Rep. Noble): MA RC 184-140 05/07/2026 HJ 12 P. 2
- Jun 4, 2026SenEnrolled Adopted, VV, (In recess 06/04/2026); SJ 14
- Jun 4, 2026HouseEnrolled (in recess of) 06/04/2026 HJ 15
- Jun 19, 2026HouseSigned by Governor Ayotte 06/19/2026; Chapter 153; eff.08/18/2026
Coverage
No reporting linked yet.
Background reading
Evergreen reading on the policy area — spanning perspectives — not coverage of this specific bill.
New Hampshire Municipal Association — Defines unassigned fund balance and explains how New Hampshire municipalities and districts account for year-end surpluses.AI-generated
New Hampshire Municipal Association — Describes how reserves and fund balances function as a buffer against revenue shortfalls and emergency costs.AI-generated
- HB 1610 (2026)NH context
Citizens Count — A nonpartisan summary of the bill changing how New Hampshire school districts may retain year-end unassigned funds.AI-generated
- ConVal School Board takes action against potential impact of HB 1610District flexibility
Monadnock Ledger-Transcript — Reports on a New Hampshire district's concerns that tighter retention limits reduce budgeting flexibility.AI-generated
- $16M back to voters from unassigned fund balanceTaxpayer return
Eagle Tribune — Illustrates the case for returning accumulated surpluses to taxpayers rather than retaining them in district accounts.AI-generated
Documents (PDF)
- Introducedversion
- As Amended by the Senateversion
- Adopted by both chambersversion
- Chaptered (final law)version
- Amendment 2026-1468samendment
Bill text & amendments link direct to gc.nh.gov; committee reports stream from the state record.