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CHAPTER 130
HB 656 - FINAL VERSION
7Jan2026... 2933h
2026 SESSION
25-0449
02/08
HOUSE BILL
656
AN ACT
relative to the authority of local school districts to accept federal grants.
SPONSORS: Rep. Peternel, Carr. 6; Rep. Colcombe, Hills. 30; Rep. Drago, Rock. 4; Rep. Drye, Sull. 7; Rep. Harvey-Bolia, Belk. 3; Rep. Litchfield, Rock. 32; Rep. Noble, Hills. 2; Rep. Pauer, Hills. 36; Rep. P. Brown, Rock. 14; Rep. DeRoy, Straf. 3; Sen. Rochefort, Dist 1; Sen. Sullivan, Dist 18
COMMITTEE: Education Funding
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AMENDED ANALYSIS
This bill requires that all funds disbursed from a state or federal government unit to a school district be disclosed either in the required annual report by the school board or in the notice of a hearing at a school board meeting to take action on unanticipated funds, as well as in the minutes of such meeting.
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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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
7Jan2026... 2933h 25-0449
02/08
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Six
AN ACT
relative to the authority of local school districts to accept federal grants.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
130:1 Estimates. Amend RSA 198:4 to read as follows:
198:4 Estimates. The school board of each district in its annual report shall state in detail the additional sums of money, if any, which will be required during the ensuing fiscal year for the support of the public schools, for the purchase of textbooks, scholars' supplies, flags and appurtenances, for the payment of the tuition of the pupils in the district in high schools, academies, and any private school approved as a school tuition program by the school board in accordance with law, and for the payment of all other statutory obligations of the district.
The annual report shall also contain a summary of estimated funds anticipated from state and federal governmental units during the ensuing fiscal year. For each fund, the annual report shall contain the title or other identifier of the fund as well as a summary of any obligations incurred by accepting the anticipated funds, or state that there are no obligations.
130:2 Appropriation for Unanticipated Funds Made Available During the Year. Amend RSA 198:20-b, II-III to read as follows:
II. Such money shall be used only for legal purposes for which a school district may appropriate money. No funds disbursed from the education trust fund pursuant to RSA 198:42 shall, under any circumstances, emergency or otherwise, be deemed to be unanticipated money under the provisions of this section.
All funds made available during the year and not disclosed in the annual report pursuant to RSA 198:4 shall be deemed to be unanticipated money under the provisions of this section.
III.(a) For unanticipated funds in the amount of $20,000 or more, the school board shall hold a prior public hearing on the action to be taken. Notice of the time, place, and subject of such hearing shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the relevant municipality at least 7 days before the meeting is held.
Such notice shall contain the title or other identifier of the fund, as well as a summary of any obligations incurred by accepting the unanticipated funds, or state that there are no obligations incurred.
(b) A school board may establish the amount of unanticipated funds required for notice under this subparagraph, provided such amount is less than $20,000. For unanticipated funds in an amount less than $20,000, the school board shall post notice of the funds in the agenda and shall include notice in the minutes of the school board meeting in which such funds are discussed.
The minutes of the school board meeting shall contain the title or other identifier of the fund, a summary of any obligations incurred by accepting the unanticipated funds, or state that there are no obligations incurred.
The acceptance of unanticipated funds under this subparagraph shall be made in public session of any regular school board meeting.
130:3 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.
Approved: June 12, 2026
Effective Date: August 11, 2026