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HB1257 • 2026

requiring that candidates for state representative and state senator live in the district for which they seek election for at least 2 years.

requiring that candidates for state representative and state senator live in the district for which they seek election for at least 2 years.

Elections
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Michael Cahill (D)
Last action
2026-03-05
Official status
HOUSE
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

requiring that candidates for state representative and state senator live in the district for which they seek election for at least 2 years.

requiring that candidates for state representative and state senator live in the district for which they seek election for at least 2 years.

What This Bill Does

  • requiring that candidates for state representative and state senator live in the district for which they seek election for at least 2 years.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-05 H

    Inexpedient to Legislate: MA VV 03/05/2026 HJ 6 P. 14

  2. 2026-02-24 H

    Committee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate 02/10/2026 (Vote 16-0; CC) HC 9 P. 13

  3. 2026-02-11 H

    Executive Session: 02/10/2026 11:00 am GP 158

  4. 2026-01-29 H

    Public Hearing: 02/03/2026 10:00 am GP 158

  5. 2025-12-01 H

    Introduced 01/07/2026 and referred to Election Law HJ 1 P. 12

Official Summary Text

requiring that candidates for state representative and state senator live in the district for which they seek election for at least 2 years.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HB 1257 - AS INTRODUCED

2026 SESSION
26-2780
08/09

HOUSE BILL
1257

AN ACT
requiring that candidates for state representative and state senator live in the district for which they seek election for at least 2 years.

SPONSORS: Rep. Cahill, Rock. 10

COMMITTEE: Election Law

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ANALYSIS

This bill requires candidates for the offices of state representative and state senator live in the district for which they seek election for at least 2 years.

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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in
bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [
in brackets and struckthrough.
]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
26-2780
08/09

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty-Six

AN ACT
requiring that candidates for state representative and state senator live in the district for which they seek election for at least 2 years.

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

1 State Representative; Residency Requirement. Amend RSA 655:8 to read as follows:
655:8 State Representative.
To hold the office of state representative, a person must be at least 18 years of age and must be qualified as provided in Part 2, Article 14 of the state constitution: for 2 years, at least, next preceding the election shall have been an inhabitant of this state
and of the town, ward, place, or district he or she may be chosen to represent
; and shall be, at the time of the election, an inhabitant of the town, ward, place, or district he or she may be chosen to represent, and shall cease to represent such town, ward, place, or district immediately on his or her ceasing to be qualified as aforesaid.

2 State Senator; Residency Requirement. Amend RSA 655:7 to read as follows:
655:7 State Senator.
To hold the office of state senator, a person must be qualified as provided in Part 2, Article 29 of the state constitution: the person must be of the age of 30 years, and shall have been an inhabitant of this state for 7 years immediately preceding the election
, shall have been an inhabitant of the district for which he or she may be chosen for 2 years
, and at the time thereof shall be an inhabitant of the district for which he or she shall be chosen. Should such person, after election, cease to be an inhabitant of the district for which he or she was chosen, he or she shall be disqualified to hold said position and a vacancy shall be declared therein.

3 Effective Date. This act shall take effect upon its passage.