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HB 1166 · 2026 · House · Finance Committee

Restrictions on budget trailer bill contents

AI-generated

relative to the contents of the budget trailer bill.

Prohibits the budget trailer bill from including statutory changes not required to implement the biennial budget and requires each trailer bill line item to reference its corresponding budget line item.AI-generated

Status

Killed in the House — Inexpedient to Legislate · March 11, 2026
  1. ✓Introduced
  2. ✕House
  3. Senate
  4. Governor
  5. Law

Analysis

This bill prohibits the budget trailer bill from including any statutory changes that are not explicitly required to implement the biannual budget and requires that each line item in the trailer bill reference the line item in the budget bill that it is needed to implement.

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

“Changes to Statutory Law. – Not later than February 15 of the first year of each biennial legislative session, the governor shall transmit to the legislature a document to be known as the trailer bill containing only any changes to statutory law deemed necessary for the ensuing biennium.”
RSA 9:2-a
“This document shall be separate from the document known as the budget as provided in RSA 9:2 and shall not be considered a budget bill as provided in part II, article 18-a of the New Hampshire constitution.”
RSA 9:2-a
“Nothing shall be contained in the trailer bill as submitted by the governor or in any subsequent changes by the legislature that is not explicitly required to implement the biannual budget, and each line item in the trailer bill shall reference the line item in the budget bill that it is needed to implement.”
RSA 9:2-a
“This document shall be available in printed format and at least one electronic computer file format in common use at the time and shall be publicly posted on the department of administrative services' website on the date of the transmittal.”
RSA 9:2-a

Official record

Bill page — docket & status

gc.nh.gov · the authoritative source

Sponsors

Rep. Michael HarringtonRPrime

Public testimony

9 signed in online · 3 wrote testimony

100% support0% oppose0% neutral

In their wordsVerbatim, exactly as submitted

“It's confusing when things are slipped in such as with the budget 2, both for transparency and for democratic process. Also I don't like being beholden to the it party's whims. A lot of us are independent.”
— Heather Spears, Boscawensupports
“The trailer bill should not be used as a way to sneak in policy changes that would not be agreed to by the legislature as stand-alone policies. Only items which are necessary to implement the budget should be included.…”
— Holly Cooper, Concordsupports
“This bill, HB1166, will prevent statute changes that are not needed to implement the two year budget bill. We need transparency and don't need pet projects slipped in at the last minute. The house should vote on items and have time to investigate what effects they will have.”
— Nancy Wood, Concordsupports

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 20, 2026HouseCommittee report· consent calendar: Inexpedient to Legislate24–1
    Overall
    96% yea
  • Mar 11, 2026HouseVoice voteInexpedient to Legislateadopted

Hearings and debates

  • Jan 30, 2026Public hearingHouse Finance36:37–38:121m 35slocated in the stream transcriptPublic Hearing
  • Feb 20, 2026Public hearingHouse Finance1:15:42–1:22:416m 59slocated in the stream transcriptCommittee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate; Executive Session
  • Mar 11, 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 Finance HJ 1 P. 9
  2. Jan 22, 2026House==CANCELLED== Public Hearing: 01/22/2026 11:00 am GP 230
  3. Jan 30, 2026HousePublic Hearing: 01/30/2026 10:30 am GP 230
  4. Feb 20, 2026HouseExecutive Session: 02/20/2026 02:30 pm GP 230
  5. Feb 20, 2026House: Inexpedient to Legislate 02/20/2026 (Vote 24-1; CC) HC 10 P. 21
  6. Mar 11, 2026HouseInexpedient to Legislate: MA VV 03/11/2026 HJ 7 P. 44

Coverage

No reporting linked yet.

Documents (PDF)

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