HB 1359 - AS INTRODUCED
2026 SESSION
26-3069
09/08
HOUSE BILL 1359
AN ACT relative to municipal association lobbying dues.
SPONSORS: Rep. Osborne, Rock. 2
COMMITTEE: Legislative Administration
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ANALYSIS
This bill establishes requirements for a city, town, village district, or school district to appropriate or expend public funds for membership in any municipal association, including the New Hampshire Municipal Association.
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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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
26-3069
09/08
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty-Six
AN ACT relative to municipal association lobbying dues.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 Powers and Duties of Towns; Authorization to Pay Dues. Amend RSA 31:8-a to read as follows:
31:8-a Authorization to Pay Dues. The board of selectmen may vote to pay, from amounts appropriated by the town for town officers' expenses, such amounts as shall be payable for annual membership in the New Hampshire Municipal Association and expenses incurred in attending regular meetings of the said association, provided that the appropriation of such dues has not previously been rejected by a vote at the annual town meeting and provided further that the association shall not record association positions before the general court or committees thereof on matters which do not directly affect New Hampshire towns and cities, nor engage in partisan political activity by endorsing, or otherwise supporting, any political party or candidate. Any payment of dues under this section for membership in any municipal association shall be subject to the requirements of RSA 31:8-b.
2 New Section; Powers of City Councils. Amend RSA 47 by inserting after section 12-a the following new section:
47:12-b Funds Related to Membership in Any Municipal Association.
Any appropriation or expenditure of public funds for membership in any municipal association, including the New Hampshire Municipal Association, shall comply with RSA 31:8-b.
3 Village Districts. New Section; Village Districts. Amend RSA 52 by inserting after section 4-a the following new section:
52:4-b Funds Related to Membership in Any Municipal Association.
Any appropriation or expenditure of public funds for membership in any municipal association, including the New Hampshire Municipal Association, shall comply with RSA 31:8-b.
4 New Section; School Districts. Amend RSA 194 by inserting after section 3-e the following new section:
194:3-f Funds Related to Membership in Any Municipal Association.
Any appropriation or expenditure of public funds for membership in any municipal association, including the New Hampshire Municipal Association, shall comply with RSA 31:8-b.
5 New Section; Recorded Vote on Membership in Municipal Associations. Amend RSA 31 by inserting after section 8-a the following new section:
31:8-b Recorded Vote on Membership in Municipal Associations.
I. No city, town, village district, or school district shall appropriate or expend public funds for membership in any municipal association, including the New Hampshire Municipal Association, unless the appropriation has been approved by a recorded roll call or ballot vote of the legislative body of the city, town, village district, or school district.
II. Any municipal association that receives public funds from cities, towns, village districts, or school districts and engages in lobbying, as defined in RSA 15:1, IV, shall annually provide each member, at least 60 days prior to any dues payment, with:
(a) An itemized statement showing the portion of the association’s budget allocated to lobbying activities; and
(b) A proposed dues amount for lobbying activities, separate from dues for non-lobbying services.
III. No city, town, village district, or school district shall appropriate or expend any public funds for membership in a municipal association unless the association has provided the itemized statement and separate dues amounts required under paragraph II.
IV. The appropriation or expenditure of public funds for the lobbying portion of such dues shall require a separate recorded roll call or ballot vote of the legislative body of the city, town, village district, or school district, approved by at least two-thirds of those present and voting.
V. No municipal association receiving public funds shall deny access to non-lobbying services to any city, town, village district, or school district on the basis that it declined to fund lobbying activities under paragraph IV.
6 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.
| Date | Body | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Jan. 22, 2026 | House | Hearing |
Jan. 8, 2026: Public Hearing: 01/22/2026 09:00 am GP 234
Dec. 2, 2025: Introduced 01/07/2026 and referred to Legislative Administration