HB 1818-FN - AS AMENDED BY THE HOUSE
5Mar2026... 0794h
2026 SESSION
26-2494
07/08
HOUSE BILL 1818-FN
SPONSORS: Rep. Ladd, Graf. 5
COMMITTEE: Education Funding
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AMENDED ANALYSIS
This bill requires the department of education to use its 10-year school facilities plans to plan and project out building consolidation projects.
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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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
5Mar2026... 0794h 26-2494
07/08
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 Education; School Building Aid; Grant for School Construction. Amend RSA 198:15-a, V to read as follows:
V. The department of education shall develop and maintain a 10-year school facilities plan of potential school building grant projects. Potential projects shall include, but not be limited to, criteria pursuant to RSA 198:15-c, II(b). The 10-year plan is intended to create a method to identify and enhance school facilities in a safe, healthy, and efficient manner while providing adequate learning environments for New Hampshire's students. The 10-year plan shall be updated every biennium to provide the department a summary of projects and school facility capital expenditures that are anticipated for the next 10 years. The plan shall identify new construction, renovation, and emergency projects, and describe the overall condition of projects contained in the plan. In support of the 10-year plan, it is recommended that each district shall have in place and provide the department a long-range capital improvement program that identifies school facility goals, provides projected expenditures, and outlines procedures and guidelines to be followed to accomplish goals. Each district [is encouraged to] shall review and update the district's anticipated school facility capital improvement plan on a 2-year recurring basis or as needed. The department shall use this information to better plan, prioritize, and project new anticipated capital construction [and], building consolidation, and renovation expenditures relative to the state building aid program. The state board of education shall adopt rules pursuant to RSA 541-A relative to this [paragraph] section.
2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.
26-2494
Revised 1/26/26
HB 1818-FN- FISCAL NOTE
AS INTRODUCED
AN ACT enabling grants for school construction to also be used to consolidate structures and facilities.
FISCAL IMPACT:
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| |||||
Estimated State Impact | ||||||
| FY 2026 | FY 2027 | FY 2028 | FY 2029 | ||
Revenue | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | ||
Revenue Fund(s) | None | |||||
Expenditures* | $0 | DOE Positions $176K in FY 27, $218K in FY 28, and $226K in FY 29
SFCIF Grants FY 27 and Beyond - Indeterminable (Up To $10M Appropriation) | ||||
Funding Source(s) | Education Trust Fund, General Fund, and School Facility Consolidation Incentive Fund | |||||
Appropriations* | $0 | $10,000,000 | $0 | $0 | ||
Funding Source(s) | Education Trust Fund | |||||
*Expenditure = Cost of bill *Appropriation = Authorized funding to cover cost of bill | ||||||
| ||||||
Estimated Political Subdivision Impact | ||||||
| FY 2026 | FY 2027 | FY 2028 | FY 2029 | ||
Local Revenue | $0 | Indeterminable Increase | ||||
Local Expenditures | $0 | Indeterminable | ||||
METHODOLOGY:
This bill allows creates a School Facility Consolidation Incentive Fund (SFCIF), administered by the Department of Education, to support projects that will result in a school facility closure, and requires school districts to have in place and provide to Department a long-range capital improvement program that identifies school facility goals, provides projected expenditures, and outlines procedures and guidelines to be followed to accomplish goals (current law only recommends that school districts have this information in place and provide it to the Department). The Department states these will have budget implications, and each will be discussed separately below.
School Facility Consolidation Incentive Fund (SFCIF)
This bill establishes a new grant program, to be administered by the Department, along with a new dedicated fund, and a $10 million appropriation from the education trust fund in FY 2027. The Department states it does not currently have the staffing resources to complete the extensive work required by this bill. The Department states it would need to add one position (SOC 11-04) with an estimated cost of $88,000 for FY 2027, $109,000 for FY 2028, and $113,000 for FY 2029 (assuming a start date of September 1, 2026). While there is no direct authorization for a new position in this bill, it allows for the Department to use SFCIF funds for the “administration” of the grants.
The Department states there would also be expenditures associated with awards given to school districts for both planning grants up to $150,000 and for consolidation project grants up to $1,500,000 per district per fiscal year. As the Department cannot predict how many school districts would participate in the grant program each year, the impact on state expenditures is considered indeterminable. The range of potential annual state expenditures and local revenue specific to grant awards would range from $0 (no participation in the program) to $10,000,000 (full participation in the program).
School Facilities Improvement Plan
The Department states it does not currently have the staffing resources to complete the extensive work required by this bill. The Department states it would need to add one position (SOC 11-04) with an estimated cost of $88,000 for FY 2027, $109,000 for FY 2028, and $113,000 for FY 2029 (assuming a start date of September 1, 2026). There is no direct authorization for funding a new position in this bill.
The Department expects there would be an increase in local school district expenditures as this bill changes the requirement that school districts to have in place and provide to NHED a long-range facility capital improvement program from “may” to “shall”. The Department does not know which districts currently maintain such a program, and if they do, does it meet the specific requirements of this bill. Impacts, if any, are indeterminable and would vary by district.
AGENCIES CONTACTED:
Department of Education
| Date | Amendment |
|---|---|
| Feb. 23, 2026 | 2026-0794h |
| Date | Body | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Jan. 30, 2026 | House | Hearing |
| Feb. 18, 2026 | House | Exec Session |
| Feb. 18, 2026 | House | Floor Vote |
March 6, 2026: Introduced 03/05/2026 and Referred to Education; SJ 6
March 5, 2026: Ought to Pass with Amendment 2026-0794h: MA VV 03/05/2026 HJ 6
March 5, 2026: Amendment # 2026-0794h: AA VV 03/05/2026 HJ 6
Feb. 24, 2026: Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2026-0794h (NT) 02/18/2026 (Vote 17-0; CC) HC 9 P. 10
Feb. 11, 2026: Executive Session: 02/18/2026 10:00 am GP 234
Jan. 21, 2026: Public Hearing: 01/29/2026 10:00 am GP 232
Dec. 18, 2025: Introduced 01/07/2026 and referred to Education Funding HJ 1