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HB1555 • 2026

relative to the administration and enforcement of the state fire code.

relative to the administration and enforcement of the state fire code.

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Erica Layon (R), Carol McGuire (R), Keith Murphy (R), Daniel Popovici-Muller (R), Yury Polozov (R), Victoria Sullivan (R), Matt Sabourin dit Choinière (R), Daniel Innis (R)
Last action
2026-07-10
Official status
SIGNED BY GOVERNOR
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 the administration and enforcement of the state fire code.

relative to the administration and enforcement of the state fire code.

What This Bill Does

  • relative to the administration and enforcement of the state fire code.

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.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

Amendment #2026-0668h : AA VV 02/19/2026 HJ 5 P. 76

Plain English: Amendment #2026-0668h : AA VV 02/19/2026 HJ 5 P. 76 1

  • The official amendment file could not be read automatically during the last sync, so only the official amendment metadata is shown right now.

Bill History

  1. 2026-07-10 H

    Signed by Governor Ayotte 07/02/2026; Chapter 231; eff. 7/1/2027

  2. 2026-06-23 S

    Enrolled Adopted, VV, (In recess 06/04/2026); SJ 14

  3. 2026-06-23 H

    Enrolled (in recess of) 06/04/2026 HJ 15

  4. 2026-05-21 H

    House Concurs with Senate Amendment 2026-1650s (Rep. Layon): MA DV 180-160 05/21/2026

  5. 2026-05-13 S

    Ought to Pass : MA, VV; OT3rdg; 05/14/2026; SJ 12

  6. 2026-05-12 S

    Committee Report: Ought to Pass, 05/14/2026; Vote 7-0; CC; SC 18A

  7. 2026-05-05 S

    Committee Amendment #2026-1650s , AA, VV; 05/07/2026; SJ 11

  8. 2026-05-05 S

    Ought to Pass with Amendment #2026-1650s , MA, VV; Refer to Finance Rule 4-5; 05/07/2026; SJ 11

  9. 2026-04-27 S

    Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment #2026-1650s , 05/07/2026; Vote 5-0; CC; SC 17

  10. 2026-04-02 S

    Hearing: 04/15/2026, Room 103, SH, 09:20 am; SC 13

  11. 2026-03-30 S

    Introduced 03/26/2026 and Referred to Executive Departments and Administration; SJ 7

  12. 2026-03-26 H

    Ought to Pass : MA RC 192-162 03/26/2026 HJ 9 P. 18

  13. 2026-03-19 H

    Majority Committee Report: Ought to Pass 03/17/2026 (Vote 14-10; RC)

  14. 2026-03-19 H

    Minority Committee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate

  15. 2026-03-13 H

    Executive Session: 03/17/2026 10:00 am GP 230

  16. 2026-02-25 H

    Division II Work Session: 03/06/2026 10:00 am GP 230

  17. 2026-02-19 H

    Amendment #2026-0668h : AA VV 02/19/2026 HJ 5 P. 76

  18. 2026-02-19 H

    Ought to Pass with Amendment 2026-0668h: MA VV 02/19/2026 HJ 5 P. 77

  19. 2026-02-19 H

    Referred to Finance 02/19/2026 HJ 5 P. 77

  20. 2026-02-11 H

    Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment #2026-0668h 02/11/2026 (Vote 14-0; CC) HC 7 P. 33

  21. 2026-02-05 H

    Executive Session: 02/11/2026 10:00 am GP 231

  22. 2026-01-29 H

    Full Committee Work Session: 02/04/2026 11:00 am GP 231

  23. 2026-01-15 H

    Public Hearing: 01/28/2026 01:00 pm GP 231

  24. 2025-12-10 H

    Introduced 01/07/2026 and referred to Executive Departments and Administration HJ 1 P. 25

Official Summary Text

relative to the administration and enforcement of the state fire code.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
CHAPTER 231
HB 1555-FN - FINAL VERSION

19Feb2026... 0668h
05/07/2026 1650s
2026 SESSION
26-2830
06/08

HOUSE BILL
1555-FN

AN ACT
relative to the administration and enforcement of the state fire code.

SPONSORS: Rep. Layon, Rock. 13; Rep. Popovici-Muller, Rock. 17; Rep. Sabourin dit Choiniere, Rock. 30; Rep. C. McGuire, Merr. 27; Rep. Polozov, Merr. 10; Sen. Innis, Dist 7; Sen. Murphy, Dist 16; Sen. Sullivan, Dist 18

COMMITTEE: Executive Departments and Administration

─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────

AMENDED ANALYSIS

This bill allows the state fire marshal to hear de novo appeals of local fire chief decisions within set timelines and grants them statewide authority to approve, deny, or allow project-specific alternatives and code modifications under the state building code.

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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... 0668h
05/07/2026 1650s 26-2830
06/08

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty-Six

AN ACT
relative to the administration and enforcement of the state fire code.

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

231:1 New Paragraph; State Board of Fire Control; Approval of Plans for Construction or Revision of all State Buildings Required. Amend RSA 153:8-a by inserting after paragraph II the following new paragraph:
III. The state fire marshal shall also be responsible for hearing appeals of any decision issued by the local fire chief, or the fire chief’s duly authorized subordinates, in accordance with RSA 154:2, II. The state fire marshal shall hold a hearing within 40 days of the receipt of an appeal, unless an extension of time has been granted by the state fire marshal at the written request of one of the parties, and shall render a decision in writing within 30 days of the conclusion of the hearing. The review of the state fire marshal shall be de novo. The hearing shall not be bound by the formal rules of evidence, and the state fire marshal may consider the evidence in the record transmitted by the fire chief or such other relevant evidence as may be admitted by the state fire marshal. In considering the appeal, the state fire marshal may affirm, modify, or reverse any decision issued pursuant to RSA 154:2, II(b). Any party aggrieved by a decision of the state fire marshal may appeal that decision to the building code review board in accordance with RSA 155-A:11.

231:2 New Paragraph; State Building Code; Enforcement Authority. Amend RSA 155-A:7 by inserting after paragraph V the following new paragraph:
VI. The state fire marshal shall have the power to approve, disapprove, or allow alternative materials, design and methods of construction and equipment and code modifications to the state building code for all municipalities.

231:3 Effective Date. This act shall take effect July 1, 2027.

Approved: July 02, 2026
Effective Date: July 01, 2027