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CACR 28 · 2026 · House · Education Policy and Administration Committee

Religious societies choosing public teachers

AI-generated

relating to morality and piety. Providing that town, parishes, bodies corporate, or religious societies may elect and contract with teachers.

Rewrites the state constitution's morality and piety article to affirm that towns, parishes, bodies corporate, and religious societies have the exclusive right to elect and contract with their own public teachers, pending voter approval in November 2026.AI-generated

Status

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

Analysis

This constitutional amendment concurrent resolution grants towns, parishes, bodies corporate, and religious societies a constitutional right to elect their own public teachers, and grants every denomination of Christian additional religious protections under the constitution.

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

“Provided notwithstanding, That the several towns, parishes, bodies corporate, or religious societies, shall at all times have the exclusive right of electing their own public teachers, and of contracting with them for their support and maintenance.”
From the bill
“And no person of any one particular religious sect or denomination, shall ever be compelled to pay towards the support of the teacher or teachers of another persuasion, sect or denomination.”
From the bill
“And every denomination of Christians demeaning themselves quietly, and as good subjects of the state, shall be equally under the protection of the law: and no subordination of any one sect or denomination to another, shall ever be established by law.”
From the bill
“And nothing herein shall be understood to affect any former contracts made for the support of the ministry; but all such contracts shall remain, and be in the same state as if this constitution had not been made.”
From the bill

Official record

Bill page — docket & status

gc.nh.gov · the authoritative source

Sponsors

Rep. Julius SotiRPrime

Rep. Matt Sabourin dit ChoinièreR, Rep. John SellersR, Rep. Kelley PotenzaR

Public testimony

1,522 signed in online · 865 wrote testimony

1% support99% oppose0% neutral

ForRestores historical language and local control

AgainstViolates the Establishment Clause / separation of church and state

AI-generatedLeading arguments, summarized by the testimony tool.

Read the arguments

In their wordsVerbatim, exactly as submitted

“This is a direct RESTORATION of NH Constitution language of June 2, 1784. Municipalities would regain local control of education and reverse the centuries-long transmogrification toward concentration in state control.…”
— Daniel Richardson, Nashuasupports
“Please oppose this unconstitutional support of a particular dogma.”
— David Reid, Henniker · My familyopposes
“Live free or die? But you must be evangelical Christian? Come ON!”
— Patricia Doyle, Windhamopposes
““And every p?e?r?s?o?n?,? ?d?e?n?o?m?i?n?a?t?i?o?n? ?o?r? ?s?e?c?t? ???????????????????????? ???? ???????????????????? ?????????????????? ???????????????????? ??????????????, ?????? ???? ???????? ???????????????? ???? ??????…”
— Michelle Moge, Derryopposes

Verbatim excerpts of submitted testimony, quoted from the testimony tool.

Read the testimony · as of Aug 12, 2026

Votes

yeanay
Starting text: Bill as introduced
  • Feb 9, 2026HouseCommittee report· consent calendar: Inexpedient to Legislate14–1
    Overall
    93% yea
  • Mar 5, 2026HouseVoice voteInexpedient to Legislateadopted

Hearings and debates

  • Feb 4, 2026Public hearingHouse Education Policy and Administration3:30:47–3:31:531m 6slocated in the stream transcriptPublic Hearing
  • Mar 5, 2026Floor debateHouse floorWatchnot located in the transcript — opens the full streamInexpedient to Legislate — adopted, voice vote

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

Legislative history

  1. Jan 7, 2026HouseIntroduced 01/07/2026 and referred to Education Policy and Administration HJ 1 P. 41
  2. Feb 4, 2026HousePublic Hearing: 02/04/2026 01:00 pm GP 232
  3. Feb 9, 2026HouseExecutive Session: 02/09/2026 10:00 am GP 232
  4. Feb 9, 2026HouseCommittee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate 02/09/2026 (Vote 14-1; CC) HC 9 P. 10
  5. Mar 5, 2026HouseInexpedient to Legislate: MA VV 03/05/2026 HJ 6 P. 11

Coverage

No reporting linked yet.

Documents (PDF)

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