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HB 1818-FN - AS AMENDED BY THE HOUSE
5Mar2026... 0794h
2026 SESSION
26-2494
07/08
HOUSE BILL
1818-FN
AN ACT
requiring the department of education to use its 10-year school facilities plans to plan and project out building consolidation projects.
SPONSORS: Rep. Ladd, Graf. 5
COMMITTEE: Education Funding
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AMENDED ANALYSIS
This bill requires the department of education to use its 10-year school facilities plans to plan and project out building consolidation projects.
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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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
5Mar2026... 0794h 26-2494
07/08
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty-Six
AN ACT
requiring the department of education to use its 10-year school facilities plans to plan and project out building consolidation projects.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 Education; School Building Aid; Grant for School Construction. Amend RSA 198:15-a, V to read as follows:
V. The department of education shall develop and maintain a 10-year school facilities plan of potential school building grant projects. Potential projects shall include, but not be limited to, criteria pursuant to RSA 198:15-c, II(b). The 10-year plan is intended to create a method to identify and enhance school facilities in a safe, healthy, and efficient manner while providing adequate learning environments for New Hampshire's students. The 10-year plan shall be updated every biennium to provide the department a summary of projects and school facility capital expenditures that are anticipated for the next 10 years. The plan shall identify new construction, renovation, and emergency projects, and describe the overall condition of projects contained in the plan. In support of the 10-year plan, it is recommended that each district
shall
have in place and provide the department a long-range capital improvement program that identifies school facility goals, provides projected expenditures, and outlines procedures and guidelines to be followed to accomplish goals. Each district [
is encouraged to
]
shall
review and update the district's anticipated school facility capital improvement plan on a 2-year recurring basis or as needed. The department shall use this information to better plan, prioritize, and project new anticipated capital construction [
and
]
, building consolidation, and
renovation expenditures relative to the state building aid program. The state board of education shall adopt rules pursuant to RSA 541-A relative to this [
paragraph
]
section
.
2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.
LBA
26-2494
Revised 04/07/2026
HB 1818-FN-
FISCAL NOTE
AS AMENDED BY THE HOUSE (AMENDMENT #2026-0794h)
AN ACT
requiring the department of education to use its 10-year school facilities plans to plan and project out building consolidation projects.
FISCAL IMPACT:
This bill does not provide funding, nor does it authorize new positions.
Estimated State Impact
FY 2026
FY 2027
FY 2028
FY 2029
Revenue
$0
$0
$0
$0
Revenue Fund(s)
None
Expenditures*
$0
$88,000
$109,000
$113,000
Funding Source(s)
General Fund
Appropriations*
$0
$0
$0
$0
Funding Source(s)
None
*Expenditure = Cost of bill *Appropriation = Authorized funding to cover cost of bill
Estimated Political Subdivision Impact
FY 2026
FY 2027
FY 2028
FY 2029
Local Revenue
$0
$0
$0
$0
Local Expenditures
$0
Indeterminable
METHODOLOGY:
This bill
changes current law by requiring, rather than encouraging, school districts to regularly update capital improvement plans. This bill also requires the Department of Education to use this information to plan, prioritize, and project building consolidation projects under the state building aid program (in addition to construction and renovation, which are required under current law).
The Department states it does not currently have the staffing resources to complete the work required by this bill. The Department states it would need to add one position (SOC 11-04) with an estimated cost of $88,000 for FY 2027, $109,000 for FY 2028, and $113,000 for FY 2029 (assuming a start date of September 1, 2026). There is no direct authorization for funding a new position in this bill.
The Department expects there would be an increase in local school district expenditures as this bill changes the requirement from “may” to “shall” for school districts to have in place and provide to the Department a long-range facility capital improvement program. The Department does not know which districts currently maintain such a program, and if they do, does it meet the specific requirements of this bill. Impacts, if any, are indeterminable and would vary by district.
AGENCIES CONTACTED:
Department of Education