HB 491 - AS INTRODUCED
2025 SESSION
25-0771
07/05
HOUSE BILL 491
SPONSORS: Rep. Spilsbury, Sull. 3
COMMITTEE: Education Funding
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ANALYSIS
This bill establishes a committee to study alternative funding methods for public education and how to reduce its reliance on local real estate property taxes.
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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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
25-0771
07/05
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Five
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 Committee Established. There is established a committee to study how New Hampshire funds public education and how to reduce its reliance on local real estate property taxes.
2 Membership and Compensation.
I. The members of the committee shall be as follows:
(a) Five members of the house of representatives, appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives, 2 from the ways and means committee, 2 from the education committee, and one from the finance committee.
(b) Four members of the senate, appointed by the president of the senate.
II. Legislative members of the committee shall receive mileage at the legislative rate when attending to the duties of the committee.
3 Duties. The committee shall make recommendations for rebalancing and changing available revenue sources and assess the manner in which the state now funds public general education, with a specific focus on the impacts of over-burdening the local real property tax.
4 Chairperson; Quorum. The members of the study committee shall elect a chairperson from among the members. The first meeting of the committee shall be called by the first-named house member. The first meeting of the committee shall be held within 45 days of the effective date of this section. A majority of the members of the committee shall constitute a quorum.
5 Report. The committee shall report its findings and any recommendations for proposed legislation to the speaker of the house of representatives, the president of the senate, the house clerk, the senate clerk, the governor, and the state library on or before November 1, 2025.
6 Effective Date. This act shall take effect upon its passage.
| Date | Body | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Feb. 7, 2025 | House | Hearing |
| March 11, 2025 | House | Exec Session |
| March 12, 2025 | House | Exec Session |
| Nov. 4, 2025 | House | Exec Session |
| Nov. 4, 2025 | House | Exec Session |
| Nov. 13, 2025 | House | Exec Session |
| Nov. 13, 2025 | House | Floor Vote |
Nov. 20, 2025: Minority Committee Report: Ought to Pass
Nov. 20, 2025: Majority Committee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate 11/13/2025 (Vote 10-8; RC)
Oct. 28, 2025: Executive Session: 11/13/2025 02:00 pm GP 232
Oct. 15, 2025: ==RESCHEDULED== Executive Session: 11/04/2025 02:00 pm GP 232
Oct. 13, 2025: Executive Session: 11/04/2025 11:00 am GP 232
Sept. 17, 2025: Subcommittee Work Session: 09/30/2025 10:00 am GP 232
Aug. 27, 2025: Subcommittee Work Session: 09/16/2025 10:00 am GP 232
March 12, 2025: Retained in Committee
March 5, 2025: Executive Session: 03/12/2025 10:30 am LOB 201
Feb. 27, 2025: ==CANCELLED== Executive Session: 03/11/2025 10:30 am LOB 205-207
Jan. 29, 2025: Public Hearing: 02/07/2025 02:30 pm LOB 205-207
Jan. 14, 2025: Introduced (in recess of) 01/09/2025 and referred to Education Funding HJ 3 P. 13