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HB1297 • 2026

relative to property owned pursuant to the public trust doctrine.

relative to property owned pursuant to the public trust doctrine.

Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor
James Newsom (D)
Last action
2026-02-27
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.

relative to property owned pursuant to the public trust doctrine.

relative to property owned pursuant to the public trust doctrine.

What This Bill Does

  • relative to property owned pursuant to the public trust doctrine.

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. 2026-02-27 H

    Majority Committee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate 02/13/2026 (Vote 12-6; RC) HC 10 P. 99

  2. 2026-02-27 H

    Minority Committee Report: Ought to Pass

  3. 2026-02-05 H

    Public Hearing: 02/11/2026 01:30 pm GP 230

  4. 2026-02-05 H

    Executive Session: 02/13/2026 10:00 am GP 158

  5. 2025-12-01 H

    Introduced 01/07/2026 and referred to Judiciary HJ 1 P. 14

Official Summary Text

relative to property owned pursuant to the public trust doctrine.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HB 1297 - AS INTRODUCED

2026 SESSION
26-2826
08/09

HOUSE BILL
1297

AN ACT
relative to property owned pursuant to the public trust doctrine.

SPONSORS: Rep. Newsom, Merr. 9

COMMITTEE: Judiciary

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ANALYSIS

This bill prevents a person from acquiring property owned pursuant to the public trust doctrine from being adversely possessed.

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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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
26-2826
08/09

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty-Six

AN ACT
relative to property owned pursuant to the public trust doctrine.

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

1 Conveyances of Realty and Interests; No Prescription Against the Public; Public Trust Doctrine. Amend RSA 477:34 to read as follows:
477:34 Property.
No person shall acquire by prescription a right to any part of a town house, schoolhouse or church lot,
property owned pursuant to the public trust doctrine,
or of any public ground by fencing or otherwise inclosing the same or in any way occupying it adversely for any length of time.

2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.