(New Title) relative to legislative ethics.

SB 570 - AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE

03/26/2026 1228s
2026 SESSION
26-2191
09/05

SENATE BILL
570

AN ACT
relative to legislative ethics.

SPONSORS: Sen. Carson, Dist 14; Sen. Ward, Dist 8

COMMITTEE: Executive Departments and Administration

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AMENDED ANALYSIS

This bill adds definitions related to determining conflicts of interests for legislators and adds additional budget-related bills, subject to certain limitations, to the list of exceptions to the recusal 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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
03/26/2026 1228s 26-2191
09/05

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty-Six

AN ACT
relative to legislative ethics.

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

1 New Paragraph; Legislative Ethics; Recusal for Conflicts of Interest. Amend RSA 14-C:4-a by inserting after paragraph II the following new paragraph:
III. For purposes of this section:
(a) A “direct benefit” exists when a legislator or household member will receive a financial benefit as the result of the enactment of legislation, unless the decision whether the benefit will be received by the legislator or household member is subject to the discretion of an unrelated third party. A direct benefit exists only when a legislator advocates or votes in a manner to obtain the positive impact of the legislation.
(b) A “direct detriment” exists when a legislator or household member will experience a negative impact on their financial interests as the result of the enactment of the legislation, unless the decision whether the detriment will be applied to the legislator or household member is subject to the discretion of an unrelated third party. A direct detriment exists only when a legislator advocates or votes in a manner to avoid the negative impact of the legislation.
(c) “Official legislative activity” is any activity that relates to official responsibilities, including the introduction of legislation, testifying before any legislative committee or state agency, voting in committee or in house or senate session, or otherwise participating in any decision of the legislature, county delegation, or any state agency.
(d) A legislator who has recused from participation in any official legislative activity pursuant to paragraph I or paragraph II of this section may testify before a legislative committee on the legislation from which the legislator has recused, provided that the legislator makes a written disclosure by filing a declaration of intent and makes a verbal disclosure identifying the conflict of interest before testifying.

2 Legislative Ethics; Exceptions to Recusal for Conflicts of Interest. Amend RSA 14-C:4-b to read as follows:
14-C:4-b Exceptions to Recusal for Conflicts of Interest. A legislator shall not be required to recuse themselves from participation in any official legislative activity regarding preparation, review, or approval or disapproval of the state
operating
budget
, state capital budget, trailer bill,
or general revenue bills
that involve business taxes, meals and rooms tax, tobacco tax, interest and dividends tax, real estate transfer tax, communications services tax, current use tax, statewide property tax, road tolls, income tax, sales tax, capital gains tax, or inheritance tax
.
This exception from recusal shall not apply to participation in any official legislative activity regarding amendments to the trailer bill when the amendment concerns solely subject matters as to which the legislator has a conflict of interest
.

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