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HB1771 • 2026

(New Title) removing the prospective repeal of child care staffing ratios and the associated waiver system and requiring the department of health and human services to provide certain notice regarding availability of the waiver.

(New Title) removing the prospective repeal of child care staffing ratios and the associated waiver system and requiring the department of health and human services to provide certain notice regarding availability of the waiver.

Children
Enacted

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

Sponsor
Katy Peternel (R), Margaret Drye (R)
Last action
2026-06-01
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.

(New Title) removing the prospective repeal of child care staffing ratios and the associated waiver system and requiring the department of health and human services to provide certain notice regarding availability of the waiver.

(New Title) removing the prospective repeal of child care staffing ratios and the associated waiver system and requiring the department of health and human services to provide certain notice regarding availability of the waiver.

What This Bill Does

  • (New Title) removing the prospective repeal of child care staffing ratios and the associated waiver system and requiring the department of health and human services to provide certain notice regarding availability of the waiver.

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. 2026-06-01 H

    Signed by Governor Ayotte 05/28/2026; Chapter 98; eff.07/27/2026

  2. 2026-05-18 S

    Enrolled Adopted, VV, (In recess 05/14/2026); SJ 13

  3. 2026-05-18 H

    Enrolled (in recess of) 05/14/2026 HJ 13

  4. 2026-05-13 S

    Enrolled Bill Amendment #2026-1795e Adopted, VV, (In recess of 05/07/2026); SJ 12

  5. 2026-05-13 H

    Enrolled Bill Amendment #2026-1795e : AA VV (in recess of) 05/07/2026 HJ 12

  6. 2026-04-03 S

    Ought to Pass : MA, VV; OT3rdg; 04/09/2026; SJ 8

  7. 2026-03-25 S

    Committee Report: Ought to Pass, 04/09/2026; Vote 3-0; CC; SC 13

  8. 2026-03-19 S

    Hearing: 03/25/2026, Room 100, SH, 09:45 am; SC 11

  9. 2026-03-17 S

    Introduced 03/12/2026 and Referred to Health and Human Services; SJ 7

  10. 2026-03-11 H

    Ought to Pass : MA DV 331-2 03/11/2026 HJ 7 P. 66

  11. 2026-03-04 H

    Committee Report: Ought to Pass 03/03/2026 (Vote 16-0; RC) HC 10 P. 30

  12. 2026-02-20 H

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

  13. 2026-02-10 H

    Public Hearing: 02/24/2026 02:30 pm GP 230

  14. 2025-12-17 H

    Introduced 01/07/2026 and referred to Children and Family Law HJ 1 P. 35

Official Summary Text

(New Title) removing the prospective repeal of child care staffing ratios and the associated waiver system and requiring the department of health and human services to provide certain notice regarding availability of the waiver.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
CHAPTER 98
HB 1771-FN - FINAL VERSION

7May2026... 1795EBA
2026 SESSION
26-3132
05/08

HOUSE BILL
1771-FN

AN ACT
removing the prospective repeal of child care staffing ratios and the associated waiver system and requiring the department of health and human services to provide certain notice regarding availability of the waiver.

SPONSORS: Rep. Peternel, Carr. 6; Rep. Drye, Sull. 7

COMMITTEE: Children and Family Law

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

ANALYSIS

This bill repeals the prospective repeal of child care staffing ratios and the associated waiver system. The bill also requires the department of health and human services to provide annual notice to child care providers of the option to request a waiver of the child care staffing requirements.

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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.
7May2026... 1795EBA 26-3132
05/08

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty-Six

AN ACT
removing the prospective repeal of child care staffing ratios and the associated waiver system and requiring the department of health and human services to provide certain notice regarding availability of the waiver.

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

98:1 Child Care Licensing; Child Care Staffing Ratios; Notice of Waiver. Amend RSA 170-E:11, I(c)(5) to read as follows:
(5)
The department shall provide an annual notice to licensed child care providers of the option to request a waiver of the child care staffing requirements established under this subparagraph.
(6)
The department shall make an interim report to the speaker of the house of representatives and the president of the senate on the number of waivers applied for, granted, and denied by November 1, 2025. The department shall make a [
final
] report on the number of waivers applied for, granted, denied, and renewed by November 1, 2026
and annually thereafter
.

98:2 Repeal. 2024, 197:3, I, relative to the prospective repeal on December 31, 2026, of RSA 170-E:11, I(c), relative to child care staffing ratios and the waiver system, is repealed.

98:3 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.

Approved: May 28, 2026
Effective Date: July 27, 2026