HB 457 - VERSION ADOPTED BY BOTH BODIES
26Mar2025... 0917h
05/22/2025 2152s
2025 SESSION
25-0876
09/08
HOUSE BILL 457
AN ACT relative to zoning restrictions on dwelling units.
SPONSORS: Rep. Pauer, Hills. 36; Rep. Alexander Jr., Hills. 29; Rep. Bean, Belk. 6; Rep. Berry, Hills. 44; Rep. Damon, Sull. 8; Rep. Farrington, Straf. 8; Rep. A. Murray, Hills. 20; Rep. Presa, Hills. 12; Rep. Read, Rock. 10; Rep. Wheeler, Hills. 33; Sen. Innis, Dist 7; Sen. Murphy, Dist 16; Sen. Reardon, Dist 15; Sen. Watters, Dist 4
COMMITTEE: Housing
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AMENDED ANALYSIS
This bill prohibits the legislative body of a city, town, village district, or county in which there are located unincorporated towns or unorganized places from adopting or enforcing any ordinance that restricts the number of occupants of any dwelling unit to less than 2 occupants per bedroom or is based on the familial or non-familial relationships or marital status, occupation, employment status, or the educational status, including but not limited to scholastic enrollment or academic achievement at any level among the occupants of the dwelling unit, including but not limited to college students.
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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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
26Mar2025... 0917h
05/22/2025 2152s 25-0876
09/08
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Five
AN ACT relative to zoning restrictions on dwelling units.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 New Paragraph; Zoning; Grant of Power; Dwelling Unit Occupancy. Amend RSA 674:16 by inserting after paragraph VII the following new paragraph:
VIII. In its exercise of the powers granted under this subdivision, the legislative body of a city, town, village district, or county in which there are located unincorporated towns or unorganized places shall not adopt any ordinance that restricts the number of occupants of any dwelling unit to less than 2 occupants per bedroom, and the governing body thereof shall not enforce any such ordinance. Such legislative body shall not adopt any ordinance based on the familial or non-familial relationships or marital status, occupation, employment status, or the educational status, including but not limited to scholastic enrollment or academic achievement at any level among the occupants of the dwelling unit, including but not limited to college students, and the governing body thereof shall not enforce any such ordinance. Nothing in this section shall prohibit the enforcement of the state building code or state fire code.
2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.
| Date | Amendment |
|---|---|
| March 14, 2025 | 2025-0917h |
| May 13, 2025 | 2025-2152s |
| Date | Body | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Feb. 18, 2025 | House | Hearing |
| March 13, 2025 | House | Exec Session |
| March 13, 2025 | House | Floor Vote |
| May 6, 2025 | Senate | Hearing |
| May 22, 2025 | Senate | Floor Vote |
| May 22, 2025 | Senate | Floor Vote |
June 12, 2025: House Concurs with Senate Amendment 2025-2152s (Rep. Alexander Jr.): MA DV 179-170 06/12/2025 HJ 17
May 22, 2025: Ought to Pass with Amendment #2025-2152s, MA, VV; OT3rdg; 05/22/2025; SJ 14
May 22, 2025: Committee Amendment # 2025-2152s, AA, VV; 05/22/2025; SJ 14
May 16, 2025: Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2025-2152s, 05/22/2025; Vote 6-0; CC; SC 22
May 14, 2025: Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2025-2152s, 05/22/2025; Vote 6-0; CC; SC 22
April 29, 2025: Hearing: 05/06/2025, Room 100, SH, 10:30 am; SC 20
March 27, 2025: Introduced 03/27/2025 and Referred to Commerce; SJ 10
March 26, 2025: Ought to Pass with Amendment 2025-0917h: MA VV 03/26/2025 HJ 10 P. 36
March 26, 2025: Amendment # 2025-0917h (NT): AA VV 03/26/2025 HJ 10 P. 36
March 14, 2025: Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2025-0917h (NT) 03/13/2025 (Vote 16-1; CC) HC 17 P. 20
March 13, 2025: Executive Session: 03/13/2025 12:10 pm LOB 305
Feb. 3, 2025: Public Hearing: 02/18/2025 01:00 pm LOB 305
Jan. 10, 2025: Introduced (in recess of) 01/09/2025 and referred to Housing HJ 3 P. 11