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HB 686 · 2026 · House · Election Law Committee

Ban on government-run political surveys

AI-generated

(New Title) prohibiting certain public entities from conducting or sponsoring political surveys, polls, or questionnaires in their official capacities.

Prohibits certain public entities from conducting or sponsoring political surveys, polls, or questionnaires in their official capacities, while exempting surveys conducted by institutions of higher education.AI-generated

Status

Referred to interim study (Senate) · April 10, 2026
  1. ✓Introduced
  2. ✓House
  3. ✕Senate
  4. Governor
  5. Law

Analysis

This bill prohibits certain public entities from conducting or sponsoring political surveys, polls, or questionnaires in their official capacities. This bill also exempts from such prohibition any surveys, polls, or questionnaires conducted by institutions of higher education.

From the bill's official ANALYSIS section.

In the bill's words

Quoted verbatim from the bill as amended by the House. Passages chosen from the operative text.Computed by this site

“No public employee, as defined in RSA 273-A:1, IX, shall electioneer while in the performance of his or her official duties.”
RSA 659:44-a
“No public employee shall use government property or equipment, including, but not limited to, telephones, facsimile machines, vehicles, and computers, for electioneering.”
RSA 659:44-a
“For the purposes of this section, "electioneer" means to act in any way specifically designed to influence the vote of a voter on any question or office.”
RSA 659:44-a
“No public body or public employee while acting in an official capacity, shall conduct or sponsor any survey, poll, or questionnaire concerning candidates, political parties, ballot measures, or policies reasonably anticipated to be submitted to voters.”
RSA 659:44-a

Official record

Bill page — docket & status

gc.nh.gov · the authoritative source

Sponsors

Rep. Kelley PotenzaRPrime
  • Rep. Ross BerryRChair· Election Law
  • Rep. Claudine BurnhamRClerk· Election Law
  • Rep. Katelyn KuttabRClerk· Judiciary
  • Rep. Robert WherryRChair· Special Committee on COVID Response Efficacy

Also: Rep. Aidan AnkarbergI, Rep. Susan DeRoyR, Rep. Len TurcotteR

Public testimony

21 signed in online · 11 wrote testimony

0% support100% oppose0% neutral

In their wordsVerbatim, exactly as submitted

“I am against this bill. It will throw an extra obstacle in the way of aged or sick voters who vote by mail because they have a hard time leaving their homes. If they have trouble leaving home, how do you expect them to get to a notary?…”
— Lauren Warner, Peterboroughopposes
“This bill is a partisan attempt to silence public employees, and to prevent them from sharing factual information regarding laws and elections that directly affect their work.…”
— Amy Tremblay, Hooksettopposes
“I oppose NH HB 686 because it raises concerns about the First Amendment and the silencing of public employees from sharing their expertise and experience. Teachers, firefighters, and police chiefs need to be able to speak on issues that affect their work and communities.”
— Candace Bergstrom, Stoddardopposes

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
  • Sep 16, 2025HouseCommittee report· regular calendarCommittee report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2025-2935h (NT)10–7
    Overall
    59% yea
  • Jan 7, 2026HouseVoice voteRecommit (Rep. Berry)adopted
  • Mar 3, 2026HouseCommittee report· regular calendar: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2026-0972h9–8
    Overall
    53% yea
  • Mar 11, 2026HouseVoice voteAmendment 2026-0972hadopted
  • Mar 11, 2026HouseDivisionOught to Pass with Amendment 2026-0972hAdopted178–152
    Overall
    54% yea
    Resulting text: Bill as amended by the House
  • Apr 16, 2026SenateCommittee report: Referred to Interim Study5–0
    Overall
    100% yea
  • Apr 16, 2026SenateVoice voteRefer to Interim Studyadopted

Hearings and debates

  • Feb 4, 2025Public hearingHouse Election Law4:50:13–5:00:129m 59slocated in the stream transcriptPublic Hearing
  • Feb 11, 2025Public hearingHouse Election Law5:15:10–5:16:181m 8slocated in the stream transcriptExecutive Session
  • Feb 14, 2025Public hearingHouse Election Law2:20:08–2:21:181m 10slocated in the stream transcriptSubcommittee Work Session
  • Feb 21, 2025Public hearingHouse Election LawWatchnot located in the transcript — opens the full streamSubcommittee Work Session
  • Mar 7, 2025Public hearingHouse Election LawWatchnot located in the transcript — opens the full streamSubcommittee Work Session
  • Mar 14, 2025Public hearingHouse Election LawWatchnot located in the transcript — opens the full streamSubcommittee Work Session
  • Mar 18, 2025Public hearingHouse Election Law21:00–23:262m 26slocated in the stream transcriptExecutive Session; Subcommittee Work Session; Retained in Committee
  • Sep 16, 2025Public hearingHouse Election Law1:33:39–1:36:022m 23slocated in the stream transcriptMajority Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2025-2935h (NT) — roll call; Public Hearing on non-germane Amendment # 2025-2935h; Executive Session
  • Jan 7, 2026Floor debateHouse floor7:13:58–7:15:401m 42slocated in the stream transcriptRecommit (Rep. Berry) — adopted, voice vote
  • Mar 11, 2026Floor debateHouse floor6:07:39–6:11:394mlocated in the stream transcriptOught to Pass with Amendment 2026-0972h — adopted, division 178-152; Amendment # 2026-0972h — adopted, voice vote
  • Mar 31, 2026Public hearingSenate Election Law and Municipal Affairs5:11:51–5:19:237m 32slocated in the stream transcriptHearing
  • Apr 16, 2026Floor debateSenate floorWatchnot located in the transcript — opens the full streamCommittee Report: Referred to Interim Study; Refer to Interim Study — adopted, voice vote

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

Legislative history

  1. Jan 9, 2025HouseIntroduced (in recess of) 01/09/2025 and referred to Election Law HJ 3 P. 23
  2. Feb 4, 2025HousePublic Hearing: 02/04/2025 02:30 pm LOB 306-308
  3. Feb 11, 2025HouseExecutive Session: 02/11/2025 10:10 am LOB 306-308
  4. Feb 14, 2025HouseSubcommittee Work Session: 02/14/2025 09:30 am LOB 306-308
  5. Feb 21, 2025HouseSubcommittee Work Session: 02/21/2025 09:30 am LOB 302-304
  6. Mar 7, 2025HouseSubcommittee Work Session: 03/07/2025 01:00 pm LOB 306-308
  7. Mar 14, 2025HouseSubcommittee Work Session: 03/14/2025 09:00 am LOB 306-308
  8. Mar 18, 2025HouseExecutive Session: 03/18/2025 10:00 am LOB 306-308
  9. Mar 18, 2025HouseSubcommittee Work Session: 03/18/2025 09:00 am LOB 307
  10. Mar 18, 2025HouseRetained in Committee
  11. Sep 16, 2025HousePublic Hearing on non-germane Amendment # 2025-2935h: 09/16/2025 10:00 am GP 158
  12. Sep 16, 2025HouseExecutive Session: 09/16/2025 10:15 am GP 158
  13. Sep 16, 2025HouseMajority : Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2025-2935h (NT) 09/16/2025 (Vote 10-7; RC) HC 51 P. 31
  14. Nov 18, 2025HouseMinority : Inexpedient to Legislate
  15. Jan 7, 2026HouseRecommit (Rep. Berry): MA VV 01/07/2026 HJ 1 P. 163
  16. Mar 3, 2026HouseMajority : Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2026-0972h 03/03/2026 (Vote 9-8; RC) HC 10 P. 40
  17. Mar 4, 2026HouseMinority : Inexpedient to Legislate
  18. Mar 11, 2026HouseAmendment # 2026-0972h: AA VV 03/11/2026 HJ 7 P. 143
  19. Mar 11, 2026HouseOught to Pass with Amendment 2026-0972h: MA DV 178-152 03/11/2026 HJ 7 P. 144
  20. Mar 12, 2026SenIntroduced 03/12/2026 and Referred to Election Law and Municipal Affairs; SJ 7
  21. Mar 31, 2026SenHearing: 03/31/2026, Room 122-123, SH, 01:45 pm; SC 12
  22. Apr 16, 2026Sen: Referred to Interim Study, 04/16/2026; Vote 5-0; CC; SC 14
  23. Apr 16, 2026SenRefer to Interim Study, MA, VV; 04/16/2026; SJ 9

Coverage

No reporting linked yet.

Documents (PDF)

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