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HB 1491 · 2026 · House · Commerce and Consumer Affairs Committee

Municipal pooled risk management programs

AI-generated

relative to pooled risk management programs.

Establishes and regulates political subdivision risk management programs, setting eligibility and reporting requirements, oversight and enforcement authority, financial and solvency standards, and tax exemption and confidentiality provisions.AI-generated

Status

Vetoed by the governor — the override vote has not been held yet · June 24, 2026
  1. ✓Introduced
  2. ✓House
  3. ✓Senate
  4. Governor
  5. Law

Governor's veto message

“Risk pools are cooperative self-insurance organizations that allow our municipalities, counties, and school districts to manage health care costs and other risks instead of utilizing commercial insurance. Predictability is essential to deliver on this goal, which means reserves driven by actuarial expertise and operations following industry best practices.”
— Gov. Kelly Ayotte · Jun 19, 2026 · excerpt
Governor's press release

A passage from the Governor's veto message, quoted verbatim. The full message enters the record on veto day.

Analysis

This bill: I. Provides for regulation of assessment pooled risk management programs by the secretary of state and advance premium pooled risk management programs by the insurance department. II. Requires advance premium pooled risk management programs to be licensed by the insurance department. III. Requires advance premium pooled risk management programs to seek to maintain certain amounts in excess or stop loss coverage, unless the insurance commissioner determines that a lesser amount is appropriate. IV. Allows the insurance commissioner to examine the financials of advance premium pooled risk management programs under certain conditions.

From the bill's official ANALYSIS section.

In the bill's words

Quoted verbatim from the bill as passed by both chambers.

““Political Subdivision Risk Management Program” or “program” means any formal arrangement established or maintained by 2 or more political subdivisions for the purpose of jointly covering risk that is not organized and operated as an assessable risk pool regulated in accordance with the requirements of RSA 5-B.”
RSA 420-R:2, XI

This definition establishes the scope of entities the new chapter creates and distinguishes them from RSA 5-B risk pools.AI-generated

“Any arrangement authorized and meeting the standards required under this chapter is not an insurance company, reciprocal insurer, or insurer under the laws of this state, and administration of any activities of the arrangement shall not constitute doing an insurance business for purposes of regulation or taxation.”
RSA 420-R:3, I

This provision exempts qualifying programs from being treated as insurers for regulation and taxation purposes.AI-generated

“Any entity that does not meet the requirements of RSA 5-B and has been found to be operating without the commissioner’s approval shall be subject to an administrative fine not to exceed $10,000 for each day it has operated without the commissioner’s approval.”
RSA 420-R:5, IV

This sets a per-day penalty for programs operating without the insurance commissioner's approval.AI-generated

“Common or preferred stock; equity rights or warrants; convertible securities; private equity; hedge funds; commodities; cryptocurrencies or digital assets; below-investment-grade fixed income; structured credit, including CLOs and CDOs; synthetic securities; foreign-currency-denominated assets; and all derivative instruments of any type are prohibited.”
RSA 420-R:11, II

This enumerates the investment categories, including cryptocurrencies and derivatives, that the programs are barred from holding.AI-generated

Official record

Bill page — docket & status

gc.nh.gov · the authoritative source

Sponsors

Rep. John HuntRPrimeChair· Commerce and Consumer Affairs
  • Sen. Daniel InnisRChair· Commerce
  • Sen. Rebecca Perkins KwokaDMinority Leader

Also: Rep. Susan PorcelliR

Public testimony

32 signed in online · 8 wrote testimony

84% support16% oppose0% neutral

ForProvides stringent oversight of non-assessable pools

AgainstBill would lower maximum contingency reserves

AI-generatedLeading arguments, summarized by the testimony tool.

Read the arguments

In their wordsVerbatim, exactly as submitted

“Pelham School District is a member of HealthTrust and we strongly support HB1491. The bill allows for strong oversight, prudent reserves, and a solvency model applied to similar insurance entities nationally by all 50 state Insurance Departments.”
— Chip McGee, Pelham · The Pelham School Districtsupports
“This will allow for stringent oversight of non-assessable risk pools. It will also allow the continuation of these risk pools and protect the local governments from unexpected shortfalls similar to the short sighted funding of the retirement systems in the past.”
— Gary Winn, Chesterfieldsupports
“I support this bill as it allows non-assessable risk pools to maintain adequate reserves while having solid oversight and aligns with similar insurance entities nationally.”
— Megan Barr, Pelhamsupports
“The Rockingham County Conservation District (RCCD) opposes legislation that would restrict or eliminate non-assessable health risk pools or require insufficient contingency reserves.…”
— Vicky Nelson, Brentwood · Rockingham County Conservation Districtopposes
“I oppose this bill that would lower maximum contingency reserves allowed in health risk pools.”
— Philip Langsdorf, Granthamopposes
“As a fiscal conservative I feel the current reserve pool accounting is the more conservative and prudent.”
— PAUL HAZELTON, HEBRONopposes

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

Read the testimony · as of Aug 12, 2026

Hearings and debates

  • Feb 4, 2026Public hearingHouse Commerce and Consumer Affairs4:45:54–5:48:521h 2m 58s
  • Feb 10, 2026Subcommittee work sessionHouse Commerce and Consumer Affairs9:09–43:4934m 40s
  • Feb 18, 2026Full committee work sessionHouse Commerce and Consumer Affairs5:34:05–5:35:551m 50s
  • Mar 3, 2026Executive sessionHouse Commerce and Consumer Affairs4:36:50–4:38:131m 23s
  • Apr 7, 2026Public hearingSenate Finance17:32–1:51:001h 33m 28s
  • May 21, 2026Floor debateHouse floor24:29–25:301m 1s

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

Votes

yeanay
Starting text: Bill as introduced

Legislative history

  1. Jan 7, 2026HouseIntroduced 01/07/2026 and referred to Commerce and Consumer Affairs HJ 1 P. 22
  2. Feb 4, 2026HousePublic Hearing: 02/04/2026 01:45 pm GP 229
  3. Feb 10, 2026HouseSubcommittee Work Session: 02/10/2026 01:00 pm GP 229
  4. Feb 18, 2026HouseFull Committee Work Session: 02/18/2026 02:00 pm GP 229
  5. Mar 3, 2026HouseExecutive Session: 03/03/2026 01:00 pm GP 229
  6. Mar 3, 2026House: Ought to Pass 03/03/2026 (Vote 14-0; CC) HC 10 P. 8
  7. Mar 11, 2026HouseOught to Pass: MA VV 03/11/2026 HJ 7 P. 12
  8. Mar 12, 2026SenIntroduced 03/12/2026 and Referred to Finance; SJ 7
  9. Apr 7, 2026SenHearing: 04/07/2026, Room 103, SH, 01:30 pm; SC 13
  10. Apr 7, 2026SenHearing: 04/07/2026, Room 103, SH, 01:31 pm, on proposed amendment # 2026-1316s; SC 13
  11. May 14, 2026Sen: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2026-1924s, 05/14/2026; Vote 7-0; CC; SC 18A
  12. May 14, 2026SenCommittee Amendment # 2026-1924s, AA, VV; 05/14/2026; SJ 12
  13. May 14, 2026SenOught to Pass with Amendment # 2026-1924s, MA, VV; OT3rdg; 05/14/2026; SJ 12
  14. May 21, 2026HouseHouse Concurs with Senate Amendment 2026-131s and 2026-1924s (Rep. Hunt): MA VV 05/21/2026 HJ 14 P. 2
  15. Jun 4, 2026SenEnrolled Adopted, VV, (In recess 06/04/2026); SJ 14
  16. Jun 4, 2026HouseEnrolled (in recess of) 06/04/2026 HJ 15
  17. Jun 19, 2026HouseVetoed by Governor Ayotte 06/19/2026

Coverage

Background reading

Evergreen reading on the policy area — spanning perspectives — not coverage of this specific bill.

  • Municipal Risk Pools 101Explainer

    Benchmark Analytics — Overview of what municipal risk pools are and how governments band together to share liability, property, and workers' compensation risk.AI-generated

  • Operations Manual for Public Entity Risk PoolsIndustry

    Association of Governmental Risk Pools (AGRiP) — The national pooling association's manual describing how member-governed public risk pools operate and manage surplus and reserves.AI-generated

  • Coverage & BenefitsNH context — pool's view

    Primex (NH Public Risk Management Exchange) — A New Hampshire risk pool's description of the coverage and member-ownership model it offers to towns and schools.AI-generated

  • How the Local Government Center lost its appealNH context

    NH Business Review — Coverage of the state Supreme Court ruling requiring the Local Government Center to return surplus to member towns and schools.AI-generated

  • State: Primex Deal Possible Game ChangerNH context

    New Hampshire Public Radio — Report on a settlement with the Primex risk pool over excess surplus and its implications for oversight of public pools.AI-generated

  • New Hampshire risk pool insurance crisis deepensNH context

    Valley News — Recent reporting on financial strains in New Hampshire's municipal risk pools amid renewed legislative scrutiny.AI-generated

Documents (PDF)

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