Citizen in a RepublicNH Bill Briefing
← All bills

HB 1427 · 2026 · House · Municipal and County Government Committee

Limits on municipal and school bonding

AI-generated

limiting the authority of a municipality, county, or school district to issue bonds.

Limits the authority of municipalities, counties, and school districts to issue bonds to cases involving declared emergencies, essential infrastructure at risk, securing matching funds, or express voter approval.AI-generated

Status

Killed in the House — Inexpedient to Legislate · February 19, 2026
  1. ✓Introduced
  2. ✕House
  3. Senate
  4. Governor
  5. Law

Analysis

This bill limits the authority of municipalities, counties, and school districts to issue bonds to only circumstances of declared emergencies, where essential infrastructure is at risk, for securement of substantial matching funds, or where directed by the express will of the voters.

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

““Essential infrastructure” shall mean facilities and systems directly necessary for the provision of drinking water, wastewater treatment, emergency services, and public safety, and closely related facilities whose failure would pose an imminent threat to public health or safety.”
RSA 33:3-h
“Except as otherwise provided in this section, no municipality, county, or school district shall issue bonds for any purpose after January 1, 2027.”
RSA 33:3-h
“Upon expiration of the 4 year period, only bonds meeting the exemptions in paragraph IV shall be permitted.”
RSA 33:3-h
“Any bond issued in violation of this section shall be voidable upon a successful action brought by a taxpayer of the issuing political subdivision.”
RSA 33:3-h

Official record

Bill page — docket & status

gc.nh.gov · the authoritative source

Sponsors

Rep. Donald McFarlaneRPrime
  • Rep. Ross BerryRChair· Election Law
  • Rep. Dan McGuireRVice Chair· Finance
  • Rep. Marie Louise BjelobrkRClerk· Municipal and County Government

Also: Rep. Travis CorcoranR, Rep. Mary MurphyR, Rep. Diane KelleyR, Rep. Linda McGrathR

Public testimony

10 signed in online · 3 wrote testimony

30% support70% oppose0% neutral

In their wordsVerbatim, exactly as submitted

“Some municipality administrations have shown the incompetence to issue in-debt themselves for decades into the future on short-term items and labor (which should always be ANNUAL budgeting). They keep piling on debt service until a huge portion of budget is absorbed by obligations.…”
— Daniel Richardson, Nashuasupports
“On behalf of the City Council for the City of Rochester, we write to express opposition to HB 1427. Bonds are essential for municipalities, counties, and schools to provide the services and infrastructure our citizens rely on in their daily lives.…”
— Katie Ambrose, Rochester · Rochester City Councilopposes
“I have represented my school, my city and my county over the past 20 years. In each entity, they use capital reserves for mid-priced expenditures such as snow plows and project under $500,000. For high-priced expenditures such as building projects, they use long-term bonding.…”
— Terry Clark, Keeneopposes

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 10, 2026HouseCommittee report· regular calendar: Inexpedient to Legislate13–5
    Overall
    72% yea
  • Feb 19, 2026HouseRoll callInexpedient to LegislateAdopted234–112How they voted
    Overall
    68% yea
    Party-line vote
    Republicans
    75–11240% yea
    Democrats
    159–0100% yea

Hearings and debates

  • Jan 23, 2026Public hearingHouse Municipal and County Government2:30:14–2:39:038m 49slocated in the stream transcriptPublic Hearing
  • Feb 3, 2026Public hearingHouse Municipal and County GovernmentWatchnot located in the transcript — opens the full stream==RECESSED== Executive Session
  • Feb 10, 2026Public hearingHouse Municipal and County Government29:27–30:361m 9slocated in the stream transcriptCommittee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate — roll call; ==CONTINUED== Executive Session
  • Feb 19, 2026Floor debateHouse floor5:06:37–5:07:461m 9slocated in the stream transcriptInexpedient to Legislate — adopted, roll call 234-112

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 Municipal and County Government HJ 1 P. 20
  2. Jan 23, 2026HousePublic Hearing: 01/23/2026 10:00 am GP 154
  3. Feb 3, 2026House==RECESSED== Executive Session: 02/03/2026 01:00 pm GP 154
  4. Feb 10, 2026House==CONTINUED== Executive Session: 02/10/2026 09:00 am GP 154
  5. Feb 10, 2026House: Inexpedient to Legislate 02/10/2026 (Vote 13-5; RC) HC 7 P. 36
  6. Feb 19, 2026HouseInexpedient to Legislate: MA RC 234-112 02/19/2026 HJ 5 P. 95

Coverage

No reporting linked yet.

Documents (PDF)

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