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SB509 • 2026

preventing municipalities from limiting dead-end road length if compliant with the state fire code.

preventing municipalities from limiting dead-end road length if compliant with the state fire code.

Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor
Keith Murphy (R), David Watters (D), Regina Birdsell (R), Timothy Lang (R), Victoria Sullivan (R), Tim McGough (R), Daniel Innis (R), Rebecca Perkins Kwoka (D)
Last action
2026-03-06
Official status
SENATE
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.

preventing municipalities from limiting dead-end road length if compliant with the state fire code.

preventing municipalities from limiting dead-end road length if compliant with the state fire code.

What This Bill Does

  • preventing municipalities from limiting dead-end road length if compliant with 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.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-06 S

    Inexpedient to Legislate, MA, VV === BILL KILLED ===; 03/12/2026; SJ 6

  2. 2026-03-03 S

    Committee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate, 03/12/2026, Vote 6-0, CC; SC 9

  3. 2026-01-13 S

    Hearing: 01/27/2026, Room 100, SH, 10:30 am; SC 1

  4. 2025-11-21 S

    Introduced 01/07/2026 and Referred to Commerce; SJ 1

Official Summary Text

preventing municipalities from limiting dead-end road length if compliant with the state fire code.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
SB 509 - AS INTRODUCED

2026 SESSION
26-2105
06/05

SENATE BILL
509

AN ACT
preventing municipalities from limiting dead-end road length if compliant with the state fire code.

SPONSORS: Sen. Murphy, Dist 16; Sen. Lang, Dist 2; Sen. Innis, Dist 7; Sen. Watters, Dist 4; Sen. Sullivan, Dist 18; Sen. Perkins Kwoka, Dist 21; Sen. Birdsell, Dist 19; Sen. McGough, Dist 11

COMMITTEE: Commerce

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ANALYSIS

This bill prohibits municipalities from imposing length restrictions on dead-end roads or cul-de-sacs in subdivision approvals or building permits when the proposed road design complies with applicable state fire code 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.
26-2105
06/05

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty-Six

AN ACT
preventing municipalities from limiting dead-end road length if compliant with the state fire code.

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

1 New Subparagraph; Subdivision Regulations. Amend RSA 674:36, II by inserting after subparagraph (o) the following new subparagraph:
(p) Subdivision regulations adopted pursuant to this section shall not prohibit or restrict the length of a dead-end road, including cul-de-sacs, if the proposed road design and fire access are certified as compliant with the state fire code as defined in RSA 153:1, VI-a.

2 New Paragraph; Erection of Buildings on Streets; Appeals. Amend RSA 674:41 by inserting after paragraph IV the following new paragraph:
V. No municipality or local board shall deny a building permit or otherwise restrict development based solely on the length of a dead-end road, provided the road is constructed and maintained in accordance with the requirements of the state fire code as defined in RSA 153:1, VI-a.

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