HB 1257 - AS INTRODUCED
2026 SESSION
26-2780
08/09
HOUSE BILL 1257
SPONSORS: Rep. Cahill, Rock. 10
COMMITTEE: Election Law
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ANALYSIS
This bill requires candidates for the offices of state representative and state senator live in the district for which they seek election for at least 2 years.
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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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
26-2780
08/09
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty-Six
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 State Representative; Residency Requirement. Amend RSA 655:8 to read as follows:
655:8 State Representative.
To hold the office of state representative, a person must be at least 18 years of age and must be qualified as provided in Part 2, Article 14 of the state constitution: for 2 years, at least, next preceding the election shall have been an inhabitant of this state and of the town, ward, place, or district he or she may be chosen to represent; and shall be, at the time of the election, an inhabitant of the town, ward, place, or district he or she may be chosen to represent, and shall cease to represent such town, ward, place, or district immediately on his or her ceasing to be qualified as aforesaid.
2 State Senator; Residency Requirement. Amend RSA 655:7 to read as follows:
655:7 State Senator.
To hold the office of state senator, a person must be qualified as provided in Part 2, Article 29 of the state constitution: the person must be of the age of 30 years, and shall have been an inhabitant of this state for 7 years immediately preceding the election, shall have been an inhabitant of the district for which he or she may be chosen for 2 years, and at the time thereof shall be an inhabitant of the district for which he or she shall be chosen. Should such person, after election, cease to be an inhabitant of the district for which he or she was chosen, he or she shall be disqualified to hold said position and a vacancy shall be declared therein.
3 Effective Date. This act shall take effect upon its passage.
| Date | Body | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Feb. 3, 2026 | House | Hearing |
Jan. 29, 2026: Public Hearing: 02/03/2026 10:00 am GP 158
Dec. 1, 2025: Introduced 01/07/2026 and referred to Election Law