Legislative Updates by Rep. Maureen Mooney for May, 2026

The NH House and Senate are nearing deadlines for this legislative session. The year has gone by quickly. Some amended bills will go to Committees of Conference allowing a handful of State Representatives and Senators to determine their fates.

Recently, the House met and took up these bills of interest:

-SB 481-FN-A AN ACT relative to the sale of the Sununu Youth Services Center Property. Last year, the state budget mandated the sale of the Sununu Youth Development Center in Manchester. Now, the legislature is considering where to put the proceeds of that sale (the amount of which hasn’t been determined yet). Recently, the House decided the proceeds would go into general funds (not directly into the victims’ fund) with a vote of 186-157. Nothing will prevent settlement funds from getting to victims. There is a system in place now whereby the Administrator of the Funds requests specific amounts from the Joint Fiscal Committee. STATUS: Since the House amended a Senate bill, the Senate must either concur, non-concur, or non-concur and request a Committee of Conference. The Senate has “non-concurred and requested a Committee of Conference.”

-CACR 12 RELATING TO the adoption of tax laws. An amendment (#1134h) prohibiting an income tax was introduced to this proposed Constitutional amendment. This amendment failed to get the required 3/5 vote (per NH Const. Part II, Art. 100) having received a vote of 193-148.A competing amendment was introduced (#1903h) allowing income taxes to be considered in New Hampshire. It, too, failed to get the required 3/5 vote receiving a vote of 17-322. STATUS: This CACR is dead this session and will not proceed to the voters this fall.

-SB 408-FN AN ACT relative to health insurance coverage for prosthetics. This bill extends insurance coverage for prosthetics to adults who are residents of New Hampshire and covered by an insurer that provides benefits for medical or hospital expenses. Right now, insurance extension for prosthetics applies only to children under 19. STATUS: The bill passed through the House on a voice vote after coming out of the House Finance Committee 21-3.

-HB 481 AN ACT relative to the state primary date. This bill will move the state primary day in New Hampshire from September to the second Tuesday in June starting in 2028, and in even-numbered years thereafter. The filing period for candidates would then start in March. STATUS: The Governor signed this bill into law on May 8, 2026 and it becomes effective on January 1, 2028.

-Lafayette Day is coming soon on May 20^th in New Hampshire. See RSA 4:13-b: https://gc.nh.gov/rsa/html/I/4/4-13-b.htm . The Marquis de Lafayette was a French patriot who fought in both the American and French Revolutions. He became a close friend of General Washington (even naming his only son Georges Washington de Lafayette). Lafayette took a “Farewell Tour” of the US in 1825 including stops in New Hampshire. There are plaques outside of the New Hampshire State House commemorating his historic visit.

Around Town

A special “thank you” to those that “bailed me out” during the “Jail and Bail” fundraiser for the Merrimack 250^th Committee! See here:https://merrimackusa250.org/jail-%26-bail-fundraiser. I heard those “arrested” raised almost $14,000 for this year’s festivities! Be sure to follow the Merrimack USA 250^th on Facebook for all the July 4^th events and changes this year: https://www.facebook.com/MerrimackUSA250

The annual Merrimack Rotary Electronics Recycling Fundraiser will take place on Saturday, June 6, 2026 from 8am-12noon at the Merrimack Town Hall. Details and fee schedule are at this site: www.merrimackrotary.com.

See you around town!

Rep. Maureen Mooney is in her sixth term as a NH State Representative serving Merrimack. Her website is: www.votemooney.com and Facebook page is: https://www.facebook.com/maureenmooneynh.