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HB 1727 · 2026 · House · Executive Departments and Administration Committee

Automatic enrollment in summer EBT

AI-generated

(New Title) relative to student data sharing for the Summer EBT program.

Creates a system for automatically enrolling eligible students in the Summer EBT program unless a parent or guardian opts out.AI-generated

Status

Signed into law · July 20, 2026
  1. ✓Introduced
  2. ✓House
  3. ✓Senate
  4. ✓Governor
  5. ✓Law

Analysis

This bill creates a system for automatic enrollment of eligible students into the Summer EBT (Electronic Benefits Transfer) program, unless their parent or guardian opts out.

From the bill's official ANALYSIS section.

In the bill's words

Quoted verbatim from the bill as enacted.

“the department of education shall provide the department of health and human services with the name, date of birth, and household address of each student eligible for free or reduced-price meals for the purpose of automatic enrollment in the Summer EBT program. No additional personally identifiable information beyond the elements enumerated in this paragraph shall be transmitted under this section.”
RSA 189:11-f, I

Exactly three data elements move between agencies — and the sentence forbidding anything else is in the same paragraph.AI-generated

“If a student is determined eligible for free or reduced-price meals and the parent or guardian has not returned the opt-out form within 15 days of receipt of notice of the decision, the student shall be automatically enrolled in the Summer EBT program.”
RSA 189:11-f, III

The default flips: eligible students are enrolled unless a parent opts out within 15 days.AI-generated

“School districts and school administrative units shall provide a distinct notice and opt-out form consistent with 42 U.S.C. section 1762(c)(1)(E) to the parent or guardian of each student concurrently with the notice of decision for free and reduced-price meals. If the decision is provided in a paper format, the opt-out form shall be a separate physical insert. If provided electronically, the opt-out mechanism shall be a prominent, separate step within the process.”
RSA 189:11-f, II

The opt-out cannot be buried — a separate insert on paper, a prominent separate step online.AI-generated

“Data transmitted under paragraph I shall be confidential, used exclusively for the administration and distribution of Summer EBT benefits, and deleted upon the completion of the distribution of benefits for the corresponding summer period, unless otherwise required by federal law.”
RSA 189:11-f, IV

The data is deleted once the summer’s benefits are distributed.AI-generated

“If SB 615 of the 2026 regular legislative session becomes law, section 2 of this act shall not take effect and section 3 of this act shall take effect upon its passage. If SB 615 of the 2026 regular legislative session does not become law, section 2 of this bill shall take effect upon its passage and section 3 of this act shall not take effect.”
Section 331:4

A contingency clause written because two bills were adding the same statute section at once.AI-generated

Official record

Bill page — docket & status

gc.nh.gov · the authoritative source

Sponsors

Rep. Mike BordesRPrime

Public testimony

23 signed in online · 4 wrote testimony

87% support13% oppose0% neutral

In their wordsVerbatim, exactly as submitted

“Opposition Testimony for HB 1727 The proposed HB 1727, while ostensibly designed to enhance food security for children through improved inter-agency data sharing, poses significant risks concerning the privacy of students.…”
— Georgina Lambert, Belmontopposes

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

Hearings and debates

  • Jan 14, 2026Public hearingHouse Executive Departments and Administration5:09:30–5:15:526m 22slocated in the stream transcriptPublic Hearing
  • Mar 11, 2026Floor debateHouse floorWatchnot located in the transcript — opens the full streamOught to Pass with Amendment 2026-0847h — adopted, voice vote; Amendment # 2026-0847h — adopted, voice vote
  • Apr 1, 2026Public hearingSenate Executive Departments and Administration2:35:16–2:52:0216m 46slocated in the stream transcriptHearing
  • May 7, 2026Floor debateSenate floorWatchnot located in the transcript — opens the full streamCommittee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2026-1748s; Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2026-1748s — adopted, voice vote; Committee Amendment # 2026-1748s — adopted, voice vote
  • May 14, 2026Floor debateSenate floorWatchnot located in the transcript — opens the full streamSen. Pearl Accedes to House Request for Committee of Conference — adopted, voice vote; President Appoints: Senators Pearl, Lang, Reardon; (In Recess
  • May 14, 2026Floor debateHouse floorWatchnot located in the transcript — opens the full streamHouse Non-Concurs with Senate Amendment 2026-1748s and Requests CofC (Rep. Layon) — adopted, voice vote; Speaker Appoints: Reps. Layon, Thibault, Slottje, Dargie
  • Jun 4, 2026Floor debateSenate floorWatchnot located in the transcript — opens the full streamConference Committee Report Filed, # 2026-2113c; Conference Committee Report # 2026-2113c, Adopted — voice vote; Enrolled Bill Amendment # 2026-2195e Adopted — voice vote
  • Jun 4, 2026Floor debateHouse floorWatchnot located in the transcript — opens the full streamConference Committee Report 2026-2113c: Adopted — voice vote; Enrolled Bill Amendment # 2026-2195e — adopted, voice vote; Enrolled (in recess)

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 Executive Departments and Administration HJ 1 P. 33
  2. Jan 14, 2026HousePublic Hearing: 01/14/2026 03:05 pm GP 231
  3. Feb 18, 2026HouseExecutive Session: 02/18/2026 03:05 pm GP 231
  4. Feb 18, 2026HouseCommittee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2026-0847h 02/18/2026 (Vote 14-1; CC) HC 10 P. 21
  5. Mar 11, 2026HouseAmendment # 2026-0847h: AA VV 03/11/2026 HJ 7 P. 43
  6. Mar 11, 2026HouseOught to Pass with Amendment 2026-0847h: MA VV 03/11/2026 HJ 7 P. 44
  7. Mar 12, 2026SenIntroduced 03/12/2026 and Referred to Executive Departments and Administration; SJ 7
  8. Apr 1, 2026SenHearing: 04/01/2026, Room 103, SH, 10:00 am; SC 12
  9. May 7, 2026Sen: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2026-1748s, 05/07/2026; Vote 4-0; CC; SC 17
  10. May 7, 2026SenCommittee Amendment # 2026-1748s, AA, VV; 05/07/2026; SJ 11
  11. May 7, 2026SenOught to Pass with Amendment # 2026-1748s, MA, VV; OT3rdg; 05/07/2026; SJ 11
  12. May 14, 2026HouseHouse Non-Concurs with Senate Amendment 2026-1748s and Requests CofC (Rep. Layon): MA VV 05/14/2026 HJ 13 P. 149
  13. May 14, 2026HouseSpeaker Appoints: Reps. Layon, Thibault, Slottje, Dargie 05/14/2026 HJ 13 P. 149
  14. May 14, 2026SenSen. Pearl Accedes to House Request for Committee of Conference, MA, VV; (In recess 05/14/2026); SJ 13
  15. May 14, 2026SenPresident Appoints: Senators Pearl, Lang, Reardon; (In Recess 05/14/2026); SJ 13
  16. May 27, 2026HouseConference Committee Meeting: 05/27/2026 10:00 am GP 231
  17. May 22, 2026HouseConferee Change: Rep. DeRoy Replaces Rep. Slottje 05/22/2026 HJ 14 P. 34
  18. Jun 4, 2026SenConference Committee Report Filed, # 2026-2113c; 06/04/2026
  19. Jun 4, 2026SenConference Committee Report # 2026-2113c, Adopted, VV; 06/04/2026; SJ 14
  20. Jun 4, 2026HouseConference Committee Report 2026-2113c: Adopted, VV 06/04/2026 HJ 15
  21. Jun 4, 2026SenEnrolled Bill Amendment # 2026-2195e Adopted, VV, (In recess of 06/04/2026); SJ 14
  22. Jun 4, 2026HouseEnrolled Bill Amendment # 2026-2195e: AA VV (in recess of) 06/04/2026 HJ 15
  23. Jun 4, 2026HouseEnrolled (in recess of) 06/04/2026 HJ 15
  24. Jun 4, 2026SenEnrolled Adopted, VV, (In recess 06/04/2026); SJ 15
  25. Jul 15, 2026HouseSigned by Governor Ayotte 07/15/2026; Chapter 331; eff. I. Secs 2&3 eff as prov sec 4 II Rem eff 07/15/2026

Coverage

No reporting linked yet.

Background reading

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

  • Summer EBTPrimary source

    USDA Food and Nutrition Service — The federal program, including the streamlined-certification provision the data sharing rests on.AI-generated

  • Summer nutrition programsAdvocacy

    Food Research & Action Center — Participation gaps and why automatic enrollment matters to reach.AI-generated

  • National School Lunch ProgramPrimary source

    USDA Food and Nutrition Service — The free and reduced-price eligibility determination that Summer EBT enrollment now piggybacks on.AI-generated

Documents (PDF)

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