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HB 1820 · 2026 · House · Education Policy and Administration Committee

State-run education freedom account program

AI-generated

requiring the department of education to administer the education freedom account program.

Transfers administration of the education freedom account program under RSA 194-F from scholarship organizations to the department of education.AI-generated

Status

Died on the table in the House · March 5, 2026
  1. ✓Introduced
  2. ✕House
  3. Senate
  4. Governor
  5. Law

Analysis

This bill changes the administration of the education freedom account program under RSA 194-F from scholarship organizations to the department of education.

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

“The department shall accept and approve applications for the fall and spring semesters each year and shall establish procedures for approving applications in an expeditious manner.”
RSA 194-F:3
“The department shall maintain an updated list of education service providers and shall ensure that the list is publicly available through various sources, including the department's website.”
RSA 194-F:4
“There is established the parent and education service provider advisory commission to assist the [scholarship organization] department by providing recommendations about implementing, administering, and improving the EFA program.”
RSA 194-F:5
“The [scholarship organization] department may approve education service providers on its own initiative, at the request of parents, or by notice to the [scholarship organization] department provided by prospective education service providers.”
RSA 194-F:6

Official record

Bill page — docket & status

gc.nh.gov · the authoritative source

Sponsors

Rep. David LuneauDPrimeDemocratic Advisor
  • Rep. Hope DamonDDeputy Ranking Member· Education Funding
  • Rep. Patricia CornellDRanking Member· Education Policy

Also: Rep. Sallie FellowsD, Rep. Tracy BricchiD, Sen. Debra AltschillerD, Sen. Donovan FentonD

Public testimony

128 signed in online · 35 wrote testimony

91% support9% oppose1% neutral

In their wordsVerbatim, exactly as submitted

“The Members of the NH Council on Developmental Disabilities believe this will could have a positive effect on the NH disability community.”
— Chase Eagleson, Concord · Members of the NH Council on Developmental Disabilitiessupports
“Yes!!! We will save SO much money and the program will be SO much more transparent if the Dept of Ed oversees the EFA program instead of paying a private company to do so. YES to the Dept of Ed overseeing this program!!!!”
— Marlise Bryant, Hollissupports
“Shifting the EFA program to be run by the Dept of Ed instead of outside scholarship groups would increase transparency and oversight for taxpayers.”
— Nicole Bump, Goffstownsupports
“I oppose this bill outright because it is nothing but a slick backdoor maneuver to dismantle the EFA program. The DOE should be abolished not in charge of New Hampshire children's tuition.”
— Alexander Lemp, Newportopposes
“The DOE is not competent enough to handle this responsibility.”
— Jasmine Davidson, Concordopposes
“Testimony Against HB 1820: Overreach and Mismanagement I strongly oppose HB 1820, which aims to mandate the Department of Education (DOE) to administer the Education Freedom Account (EFA) program without providing necessary funding or staffing.…”
— Georgina Lambert, Belmontopposes
“This rather feels like mandating GM dealers sell Toyota's because they are better cars. Insisting that AT&T say nice things about MCI won't make it so. I suggest that making competition and choice legal and common in the culture will solve this problem.…”
— tom luther, claremontneutral

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
  • Jan 29, 2026HouseCommittee report· regular calendar: Inexpedient to Legislate10–8
    Overall
    56% yea
  • Mar 5, 2026HouseRoll callLay HB1820 on Table (Rep. Noble)Adopted179–157How they voted
    Overall
    53% yea
    Party-line vote
    Republicans
    179–299% yea
    Democrats
    0–1550% yea

Hearings and debates

  • Jan 14, 2026Public hearingHouse Education Policy and Administration4:01:18–4:17:1615m 58slocated in the stream transcriptPublic Hearing
  • Jan 22, 2026Public hearingHouse Education Policy and AdministrationWatchnamed in a list of bills, not taken up — opens the full streamExecutive Session
  • Mar 5, 2026Floor debateHouse floor6:15:14–6:19:404m 26slocated in the stream transcriptLay HB1820 on Table (Rep. Noble) — adopted, roll call 179-157

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 Education Policy and Administration HJ 1 P. 37
  2. Jan 14, 2026HousePublic Hearing: 01/14/2026 01:00 pm GP 232
  3. Jan 22, 2026HouseExecutive Session: 01/22/2026 10:00 am GP 232
  4. Jan 29, 2026HouseMajority Committee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate 01/29/2026 (Vote 10-8; RC) HC 9 P. 38
  5. Feb 6, 2026HouseMinority Committee Report: Ought to Pass
  6. Mar 5, 2026HouseLay HB1820 on Table (Rep. Noble): MA RC 179-157 03/05/2026 HJ 6 P. 105

Coverage

No reporting linked yet.

Documents (PDF)

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