HB 1499-FN - AS INTRODUCED
2026 SESSION
26-2449
06/07
HOUSE BILL 1499-FN
AN ACT relative to additional grounds for eviction under the landlord and tenant statute.
SPONSORS: Rep. Alexander Jr., Hills. 29; Rep. Bean, Belk. 6; Rep. Beaulier, Graf. 1; Rep. Berry, Hills. 44; Rep. Kuttab, Rock. 17; Rep. Osborne, Rock. 2; Rep. Sweeney, Rock. 25; Sen. Innis, Dist 7; Sen. Lang, Dist 2
COMMITTEE: Housing
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ANALYSIS
This bill adds new grounds for termination of tenancy based on a tenant’s immigration status, certain criminal convictions, or status as a registered sexual offender.
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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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
26-2449
06/07
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty-Six
AN ACT relative to additional grounds for eviction under the landlord and tenant statute.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 New Subparagraph; Termination of Tenancy. Amend RSA 540:2, II by inserting after subparagraph (i) the following new subparagraph:
(j)(1) The tenant and/or any occupant of the rented premises is unlawfully present in the United States of America, or
(2) The tenant and/or any occupant of the rented premises, within 3 years prior to the service of the eviction notice on the tenant, has been convicted, in any state or in any federal court, of one or more of the following: murder, felonious assault, sexual assault, rape, kidnapping, stalking, possession or sale of controlled substances, robbery, domestic violence, criminal threatening, burglary or any violent crime which resulted in injury to any other person, or
(3) The tenant and/or any occupant of the rented premises is a “sexual offender” as defined by RSA 651-B:1, IV.
2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.
26-2449
12/4/25
HB 1499-FN- FISCAL NOTE
AS INTRODUCED
AN ACT relative to additional grounds for eviction under the landlord and tenant statute.
FISCAL IMPACT: This bill does not provide funding.
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Estimated State Impact | ||||||||
| FY 2026 | FY 2027 | FY 2028 | FY 2029 | ||||
Revenue | $0 | Indeterminable Increase $10,000 to $100,000 | Indeterminable Increase $10,000 to $100,000 | Indeterminable Increase $10,000 to $100,000 | ||||
Revenue Fund(s) | General Fund | |||||||
Expenditures* | $0 | Indeterminable Increase $500,000 to $1,000,000 | Indeterminable Increase $500,000 to $1,000,000 | Indeterminable Increase $500,000 to $1,000,000 | ||||
Funding Source(s) | General Fund | |||||||
Appropriations* | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | ||||
Funding Source(s) | None | |||||||
*Expenditure = Cost of bill *Appropriation = Authorized funding to cover cost of bill | ||||||||
METHODOLOGY:
This bill expands the grounds for eviction to include certain criminal convictions within three years of service of an eviction notice, tenants who meet the statutory definition of “sexual offenders,” and tenants or household members who are present in the country without legal authority.
The Judicial Branch states the bill would require modification of its case management system, updates to training materials and forms, and would increase the number of eviction cases filed statewide. The Branch notes that in 2024 there were 5,736 landlord-tenant cases filed, most of which were eviction actions, and that expanding eligibility for eviction will increase caseloads by an indeterminable amount. To the extent eviction filings increase, the Branch anticipates a need for at least one additional judge and several court operations specialists. Because the total increase in filings and their distribution across Circuit Court District Divisions cannot be precisely determined, the Branch estimates increased General Fund expenditures of an indeterminable amount of more than $500,000 and less than $1,000,000 per year.
The Judicial Branch also anticipates increased filing fee revenue from additional landlord-tenant filings. At the current filing fee of $150, the Branch estimates General Fund revenue will increase by an indeterminable amount of more than $10,000 and less than $100,000 annually.
AGENCIES CONTACTED:
Judicial Branch
| Date | Body | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Jan. 20, 2026 | House | Hearing |
Jan. 8, 2026: Public Hearing: 01/20/2026 10:00 am GP 231
Dec. 10, 2025: Introduced 01/07/2026 and referred to Housing