HB173 • 2026

relative to maintaining the purpose of a petitioned warrant article.

Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor: John Sellers (R), Diane Pauer (R), Lisa Mazur (R), Sheila Seidel (R), Paul Terry (R), James Creighton (R), Keith Ammon (R), James Tierney (R), Joseph Guthrie (R), Lisa Post (R)
Last action: 2026-03-20
Official status: SENATE
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific information about enforcement mechanisms or penalties, leaving these aspects unclear.

Maintaining Petitioned Warrant Article Purpose

This bill prevents changes to the purpose of a petitioned warrant article in town meetings.

What This Bill Does

Prevents any amendments that change the purpose of a petitioned warrant article.

Who It Names or Affects

People who submit petitions for warrant articles in town meetings.
Local government officials responsible for managing town meeting agendas.

Terms To Know

petitioned warrant article: A proposal submitted by citizens to be discussed and voted on during a town meeting.
amendment: A change or addition made to an existing document, such as a warrant article.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify what happens if someone tries to bypass the restrictions.
It is unclear how this will be enforced in practice.
There are no details on penalties for violating these rules.

Bill History

2026-03-20 S
Refer to Interim Study, MA, VV; 03/26/2026; SJ 7
2026-03-18 S
Committee Report: Referred to Interim Study, 03/26/2026; Vote 5-0; CC; SC 11
2026-02-18 S
Hearing: 03/03/2026, Room 122-123, SH, 10:00 am; SC 7
2026-01-15 S
Introduced 01/07/2026 and Referred to Election Law and Municipal Affairs; SJ 2
2026-01-08 H
Ought to Pass : MA DV 187-162 01/08/2026 HJ 2 P. 59
2025-11-13 H
Majority Committee Report: Ought to Pass 09/24/2025 (Vote 10-7; RC) HC 51 P. 41
2025-11-13 H
Minority Committee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate
2025-09-03 H
Executive Session: 09/24/2025 01:00 pm GP 154
2025-01-31 H
Retained in Committee
2025-01-22 H
Executive Session: 01/30/2025 02:00 pm LOB 301-303
2025-01-15 H
Public Hearing: 01/23/2025 10:40 am LOB 301-303
2025-01-06 H
Introduced 01/08/2025 and referred to Municipal and County Government HJ 2 P. 9

Official Summary Text

relative to maintaining the purpose of a petitioned warrant article.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB 173 - AS INTRODUCED

2025 SESSION
25-0153
07/08

HOUSE BILL
173

AN ACT
relative to maintaining the purpose of a petitioned warrant article.

SPONSORS: Rep. Sellers, Graf. 18; Rep. Seidel, Hills. 29; Rep. Ammon, Hills. 42; Rep. Post, Hills. 42; Rep. Pauer, Hills. 36; Rep. Terry, Belk. 7; Rep. Tierney, Coos 1; Rep. Mazur, Hills. 44; Rep. Creighton, Hills. 30; Rep. Guthrie, Rock. 15

COMMITTEE: Municipal and County Government

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ANALYSIS

This bill prevents warrant articles from being amended to change their purpose.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

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.
25-0153
07/08

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Five

AN ACT
relative to maintaining the purpose of a petitioned warrant article.

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

1 Optional Form of Meeting-Official Ballot Referenda; Use of Official Ballots; Amendments to Warrant Articles. Amend RSA 40:13, IV(c) to read as follows:
(c) No warrant article shall be amended to eliminate the subject matter of the article
or to change the purpose of a petitioned warrant article
. An amendment that changes the dollar amount of an appropriation in a warrant article shall not be deemed to violate this subparagraph.

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