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HB 590 · 2026 · House · Election Law Committee

Cooperative school board election rules

AI-generated

relative to cooperative school district school board elections.

Requires cooperative school boards to elect representatives from pre-existing districts using only voters residing within that district.AI-generated

Status

Killed in the Senate — Inexpedient to Legislate · April 10, 2026
  1. ✓Introduced
  2. ✓House
  3. ✕Senate
  4. Governor
  5. Law

Analysis

This bill requires cooperative school boards to elect representatives from pre-existing districts only from voters within the district.

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

“The method of selection and terms of members of cooperative school boards shall be as provided in the bylaws or articles of agreement of the cooperative school district, as the case may be; provided, however, that such bylaws and articles of agreement shall be limited to the following requirements:”
RSA 195:19-a
“Apportionment of members of the cooperative school board shall be reviewed and reapportioned, if necessary, based upon the latest federal decennial census and pursuant to RSA 195:19-a.”
RSA 195:19-b
“The members of the cooperative school board shall be elected by the voters of their pre-existing district and shall be residents of such pre-existing district.”
RSA 195:19-a
“Apportionment shall provide flexibility to the cooperative school district in meeting requirements of the one-man one-vote doctrine for a pre-existing district or pre-existing districts to support as nearly as possible the pre-existing board representation based upon population and pursuant to RSA 195.”
RSA 195:19-a

Official record

Bill page — docket & status

gc.nh.gov · the authoritative source

Sponsors

Rep. Louise AndrusRPrime
  • Sen. Daniel InnisRChair, Majority Policy Conference
  • Sen. Howard PearlRChair· Executive Departments and Administration

Also: Rep. Jose CambrilsR, Rep. Riché ColcombeR, Rep. Barbara ComtoisR, Rep. Kristine PerezR, Rep. Alvin SeeR, Rep. Len TurcotteR, Rep. Clayton WoodR

Public testimony

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

Votes

yeanay
Starting text: Bill as introduced
  • Sep 16, 2025HouseCommittee report· consent calendarCommittee report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2025-2934h15–2
    Overall
    88% yea
  • Jan 8, 2026HouseVoice voteRecommit (Rep. Berry)adopted
  • Mar 3, 2026HouseCommittee report· regular calendar: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2026-1066h9–8
    Overall
    53% yea
  • Mar 11, 2026HouseVoice voteAmendment 2026-1066hadopted
  • Mar 11, 2026HouseDivisionOught to Pass with Amendment 2026-1066hAdopted181–149
    Overall
    55% yea
    Resulting text: Bill as amended by the House
  • Apr 16, 2026SenateCommittee report: Inexpedient to Legislate4–0
    Overall
    100% yea
  • Apr 16, 2026SenateVoice voteInexpedient to Legislateadopted

Hearings and debates

  • Mar 4, 2025Public hearingHouse Election LawWatchnot located in the transcript — opens the full stream==RECESSED== Executive Session
  • Mar 18, 2025Public hearingHouse Election Law56:34–58:231m 49slocated in the stream transcript==CONTINUED== Executive Session; Retained in Committee
  • Sep 16, 2025Public hearingHouse Election Law1:35:42–1:41:245m 42slocated in the stream transcriptCommittee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2025-2934h; Executive Session
  • Jan 8, 2026Floor debateHouse floor7:03:12–7:04:251m 13slocated in the stream transcriptRecommit (Rep. Berry) — adopted, voice vote
  • Mar 11, 2026Floor debateHouse floor6:03:28–6:07:233m 55slocated in the stream transcriptOught to Pass with Amendment 2026-1066h — adopted, division 181-149; Amendment # 2026-1066h — adopted, voice vote
  • Mar 31, 2026Public hearingSenate Election Law and Municipal AffairsWatchnot located in the transcript — opens the full streamHearing
  • Apr 16, 2026Floor debateSenate floorWatchnot located in the transcript — opens the full streamCommittee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate; 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 Election Law HJ 3 P. 17
  2. Feb 25, 2025HousePublic Hearing: 02/25/2025 10:20 am LOB 306-308
  3. Mar 4, 2025House==RECESSED== Executive Session: 03/04/2025 01:00 pm LOB 306-308
  4. Mar 18, 2025House==CONTINUED== Executive Session: 03/18/2025 10:00 am LOB 306-308
  5. Mar 18, 2025HouseRetained in Committee
  6. Sep 16, 2025HouseExecutive Session: 09/16/2025 10:15 am GP 158
  7. Sep 16, 2025House: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2025-2934h 09/16/2025 (Vote 15-2; CC) HC 51 P. 8
  8. Jan 2, 2026HouseRemoved from Consent (Reps. Lane, Telerski, Newsom, Bricchi, Simpson, Muirhead, Ebel, Snodgrass, Damon, Ames) 01/02/2026 HJ 1 P. 43
  9. Jan 8, 2026HouseRecommit (Rep. Berry): MA VV 01/08/2026 HJ 2 P. 71
  10. Mar 3, 2026HouseMajority : Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2026-1066h 03/03/2026 (Vote 9-8; RC) HC 10 P. 39
  11. Mar 4, 2026HouseMinority : Inexpedient to Legislate
  12. Mar 11, 2026HouseAmendment # 2026-1066h: AA VV 03/11/2026 HJ 7 P. 142
  13. Mar 11, 2026HouseOught to Pass with Amendment 2026-1066h: MA DV 181-149 03/11/2026 HJ 7 P. 143
  14. Mar 12, 2026SenIntroduced 03/12/2026 and Referred to Election Law and Municipal Affairs; SJ 7
  15. Mar 31, 2026SenHearing: 03/31/2026, Room 122-123, SH, 10:00 am; SC 12
  16. Apr 16, 2026Sen: Inexpedient to Legislate, 04/16/2026, Vote 4-0, CC; SC 14
  17. Apr 16, 2026SenInexpedient to Legislate, MA, VV === BILL KILLED ===; 04/16/2026; SJ 9

Coverage

No reporting linked yet.

Documents (PDF)

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