(New Title) relative to the New Hampshire seal of civic excellence and engagement program.

CHAPTER 36
HB 1467-FN - FINAL VERSION

19Feb2026... 0522h
2026 SESSION
26-3070
12/09

HOUSE BILL
1467-FN

AN ACT
relative to the New Hampshire seal of civic excellence and engagement program.

SPONSORS: Rep. D. Paige, Carr. 1; Rep. Moffett, Merr. 4; Rep. Cornell, Hills. 22; Sen. Carson, Dist 14

COMMITTEE: Education Policy and Administration

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AMENDED ANALYSIS

This bill:

I. Establishes the required criteria for a high school student to be awarded the New Hampshire seal of civic excellence and engagement.

II. Authorizes school boards and school administrative unit boards to award qualifying graduating high school students the distinction of a seal affixed to their diploma and completion of the program referenced on their transcript.

III. Authorizes the state board of education to adopt rules relative to the program.

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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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
19Feb2026... 0522h 26-3070
12/09

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty-Six

AN ACT
relative to the New Hampshire seal of civic excellence and engagement program.

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

36:1 New Section; Seal of Civic Excellence and Engagement Program. Amend RSA 189 by inserting after section 11-d the following new section:
189:11-e Seal of Civic Excellence and Engagement Program.
I. A school board or school administrative unit board may affix the New Hampshire state seal of civic excellence and engagement on a diploma awarded to a student graduating from high school, as defined in RSA 194:23. The seal shall signify a student who has achieved a high level of proficiency in civics education and engagement by satisfying the established criteria. The criteria shall include, but is not limited to:
(a) Successful completion of civics education beyond the minimum requirements prescribed by law or adopted locally;
(b) Demonstrated proficiency in civics knowledge, including comparative forms of governance, through a standardized assessment, portfolio of work, or other mastery-based assessment as approved by the school board or school administrative unit board; and
(c)(1) Participation in at least one extracurricular activity or project evidencing citizenship and constitutional republican government knowledge attainment as approved by the school board or school administrative unit board; or
(2) Participation in student government activities.
II. The state board of education shall adopt rules, pursuant to RSA 541-A, relative to the seal of civic excellence and engagement program in order to assist school boards and school administrative unit boards in the consistent application of this section in recognizing high student proficiency. Such rules shall further articulate the qualification criteria to promote rigor and consistency in application statewide, including comparable expectations for civic engagement activities across districts and clear definition of the civic knowledge and skills to be measured, while allowing multiple locally determined pathways for assessment.
36:2 New Section; Diplomas; Seal of Civic Excellence and Engagement. Amend RSA 194 by inserting after section 23-f the following new section:
194:23-g Diplomas; Seal of Civic Excellence and Engagement. Commencing with the classes graduating high school in 2027 and for each graduating class thereafter, a school board or school administrative unit board may affix the New Hampshire state seal of civic excellence and engagement, pursuant to RSA 189:11-e, to a diploma awarded to a student who has achieved a high level of proficiency in civics education and engagement. The school board or school administrative unit board shall include on such student's transcript a designation that the student received the New Hampshire state seal of civic excellence and engagement.

36:3 Effective Date. This act shall take effect on July 4, 2026.

Approved: April 22, 2026
Effective Date: July 04, 2026