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HB 1512 · 2026 · House · Municipal and County Government Committee

Local vote to block EFA vouchers

AI-generated

allowing municipalities to hold a vote to prevent their residents from receiving education freedom account vouchers.

Allows municipalities to hold a vote to prevent their residents from receiving education freedom account vouchers.AI-generated

Status

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

Analysis

This bill allows municipalities to a vote to prevent their residents from receiving education freedom account vouchers.

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

“Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, any municipality, city, town, or village may hold a referendum to determine whether its residents shall be entitled to receive education freedom account vouchers pursuant to RSA 194-F.”
RSA 194-F:13
“Any referendum held pursuant to this section shall be held, to whatever extent possible, using the same or similar procedures and methods of adoption as under RSA 40.”
RSA 194-F:13
“Upon a vote of yes, residents eligible for education freedom account vouchers under RSA 194-F shall be permitted to receive such vouchers.”
RSA 194-F:13
“Upon a vote of no, no resident who would otherwise be eligible to receive an education freedom account voucher shall receive such voucher.”
RSA 194-F:13

Official record

Bill page — docket & status

gc.nh.gov · the authoritative source

Sponsors

Rep. Ellen ReadDPrimeDeputy Ranking Member· Housing
  • Rep. Hope DamonDDeputy Ranking Member· Education Funding
  • Rep. Heath HowardDDeputy Ranking Member· Executive Departments and Administration

Also: Rep. Aidan AnkarbergI

Public testimony

165 signed in online · 27 wrote testimony

90% support10% oppose0% neutral

In their wordsVerbatim, exactly as submitted

“I wholeheartedly support this bi-partisan bill! If the “free”-staters are allowed to destroy public schools by stealing hard-earned taxpayer funds to give to their rich friends who are already able to afford to send their kids to non-public schools, then municipalities should have the right to block that from happening if a majority of the voters want that.”
— Dan Williams, Concordsupports
“This is a local control Bill and needs to be supported by allowing municipalities to hold a vote to prevent their residents from receiving education freedom account vouchers.”
— Richard DeMark, Meredithsupports
“I support this bill. Permitting towns to determine by a town vote whether or not to allow EFA vouchers is a good idea, since the vouchers take funds from the local public schools' budget.”
— Nancy Miles, Hanoversupports
“EFA should only be governed by the state, not municipalities. We have already received targeted threats from people who are misinformed regarding where EFA funding comes from who would like to see the program dissolved.…”
— Lauren Rockafellow, Mont Vernonopposes
“This would negatively impact those families seeking better or special education for their child.”
— John Emery, Alllenstownopposes
“HB 1512 — Summary of Opposition Even well-intended bills that manage Education Freedom Accounts instead of dismantling them move us further from repairing public education. This bill legitimizes EFAs as a permanent policy rather than confronting the harm they cause.…”
— Bonnie Bruno, Hollisopposes

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 17, 2026HouseCommittee report· consent calendar: Inexpedient to Legislate17–0
    Overall
    100% yea
  • Mar 5, 2026HouseVoice voteInexpedient to Legislateadopted

Hearings and debates

  • Feb 3, 2026Public hearingHouse Municipal and County Government3:41:52–3:45:433m 51slocated in the stream transcriptPublic Hearing
  • Feb 17, 2026Public hearingHouse Municipal and County Government2:33:27–2:37:574m 30slocated in the stream transcriptCommittee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate; Executive Session
  • 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 Municipal and County Government HJ 1 P. 23
  2. Feb 3, 2026HousePublic Hearing: 02/03/2026 10:20 am GP 154
  3. Feb 17, 2026HouseExecutive Session: 02/17/2026 09:00 am GP 154
  4. Feb 17, 2026House: Inexpedient to Legislate 02/17/2026 (Vote 17-0; CC) HC 9 P. 24
  5. Mar 5, 2026HouseInexpedient to Legislate: MA VV 03/05/2026 HJ 6 P. 30

Coverage

No reporting linked yet.

Documents (PDF)

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