HB 1663 - AS INTRODUCED
2026 SESSION
26-2972
06/07
HOUSE BILL 1663
AN ACT relative to protection of employment for members of the general court.
SPONSORS: Rep. Lloyd, Hills. 8; Rep. Beauchemin, Hills. 3; Rep. Booras, Hills. 8; Rep. Elberger, Hills. 5; Rep. Schultz, Merr. 29; Rep. Selig, Straf. 10; Rep. Tellez, Hills. 40; Rep. Wade, Straf. 15
COMMITTEE: Legislative Administration
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ANALYSIS
This bill provides members of the general court with employment protection during voting sessions from employers with 25 or more employees.
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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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
26-2972
06/07
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty-Six
AN ACT relative to protection of employment for members of the general court.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 New Subdivision; Employment Protections for Members of the General Court. Amend RSA 275 by inserting after section 83 the following new subdivision:
Employment Protections for Members of the General Court
275:84 Right to Leave Work.
I. An employer shall permit an employee who is also a current member of the general court to leave work to attend general court voting each calendar year, regardless of whether the employee has accrued paid time off.
II. Before an employee may leave work under this provision, the employee shall provide the employer with a copy of the notice for each general court session day they will attend within a reasonable period of time.
III. An employer shall not discharge an employee who is a member of the general court for attending a noticed and disclosed session of the general court.
IV. An employer may require a member of the general court to use the employee's accrued vacation time, personal leave time, or paid time off to attend a noticed and disclosed voting session of the general court. If the employee does not have accrued paid time off, their absence to attend general court voting shall be granted as unpaid time off.
V. Any employer who violates this section shall be subject to a civil penalty, to be imposed by the labor commissioner in accordance with the procedures established in RSA 273:11-a. An employer aggrieved by the commissioner's assessment of such penalty may appeal in accordance with RSA 273:11-c.
VI. This section shall apply to employers with 25 or more employees.
275:85 Enforcement. The labor commissioner shall have the power and it shall be his or her duty to enforce the provisions of RSA 275:84 through appropriate actions in response to complaints.
2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.
Dec. 12, 2025: Introduced 01/07/2026 and referred to Legislative Administration HJ 1