HB 1827-FN-A - AS AMENDED BY THE HOUSE
19Feb2026... 0573h
2026 SESSION
26-2633
07/09
HOUSE BILL 1827-FN-A
SPONSORS: Rep. Ladd, Graf. 5
COMMITTEE: Education Funding
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AMENDED ANALYSIS
This bill requires the department of education to conduct a confidential criminal history record check on all prospective educational personnel.
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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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
19Feb2026... 0573h 26-2633
07/09
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 New Section; Department of Education School Employee Criminal History Records Check. Amend RSA 189 by inserting after section 13-c the following new section:
189:13-d Department of Education School Employee Criminal History Records Check.
I. As used in this section:
(a) "Educational personnel" means an individual who is employed, either part time or full time, by a school administrative unit, school district, public school, public charter school, public academy, or non-public approved special education school in the state of New Hampshire who is not in a position requiring an educator credential.
(b) "Clearance" means a document issued to educational personnel that reflects that a criminal history record check was completed and that none of the violations listed in RSA 189:13-c, V were found.
II.(a) The department shall complete a confidential criminal history record check on all educational personnel. The criminal history record check clearance shall be valid for a period of 5 years.
(b) The department shall establish and implement a secure system for conducting a check of all educational personnel listed in this section in the National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification (NASDTEC) database by utilizing the applicant's social security number.
III.(a) Educational personnel shall submit to the department a criminal history records release form, as provided by the division of state police, which authorizes the division of state police to conduct a criminal history records check through its state records and through the Federal Bureau of Investigation and to release a report of the individual's criminal history record information, including confidential criminal history record information, to the background check coordinator of the department, as described in RSA 21-N:8-a, I-a.
(b) Educational personnel shall submit with the release form a complete set of fingerprints taken by a qualified law enforcement agency or an authorized employee of the department of education. In the event that the first set of fingerprints is invalid due to insufficient pattern, a second set of fingerprints shall be taken in order to complete the criminal history records check. If, after 2 attempts, a set of fingerprints is invalid due to insufficient pattern, the department may, in lieu of the criminal history records check, accept police clearance from every city, town, or county where an applicant or candidate has lived during the past 10 years.
IV.(a) The department shall maintain the confidentiality of all criminal history records information received pursuant to this paragraph. The department shall destroy all criminal history record information within 60 days of receiving said information.
(b) The department may require educational personnel to pay the actual costs of the criminal history records check.
V.(a) Any person who has been charged pending disposition for or convicted of any violation or attempted violation of RSA 318-B:2 for possession of a controlled drug with the intent to sell, felony level, within the last 10 years, RSA 630:1; 630:1-a; 630:1-b; 630:2; 630:3; 631:1; 631:2; 631:2-b; 632-A:2; 632-A:3; 632-A:4; 633:1; 633:7; 636:1; 638:1; 638:15-a; 639:2; 639:3; 645:1, II or III; 645:2; 649-A:3; 649-A:3-a; 649-A:3-b; 649-B:3; or 649-B:4; or any violation or any attempted violation of RSA 650:2 where the act involves a child in material deemed obscene in this state, or under any statute prohibiting the same conduct in another state, territory, or possession of the United States, shall not be granted a clearance, nor shall they be employable or contracted in a public school, public charter school, public academy, or non-public approved special education school within the state of New Hampshire.
(b) A school administrative unit, school district, public school, public charter school, public academy, or non-public approved special education school in the state of New Hampshire shall not employ any individual who has had their educator license credential revoked in New Hampshire or any other state.
VI. The department shall adopt rules, pursuant to RSA 541-A, governing the rights of educational personnel and their ability to appeal a denial of a clearance pursuant to a charge pending disposition for or a conviction of any of the offenses under paragraph V.
2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect July 1, 2027.
26-2633
Revised 1/20/26
HB 1827-FN-A- FISCAL NOTE
AS INTRODUCED
FISCAL IMPACT: This bill does not provide funding, nor does it authorize new positions.
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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 | $0 | Grants to Districts Indeterminable
DOE Position $120K in FY 28 and $123K in FY 29 | |||
Funding Source(s) | General Fund and Education Trust Fund | |||||
Appropriations* | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | ||
Funding Source(s) | None | |||||
*Expenditure = Cost of bill *Appropriation = Authorized funding to cover cost of bill | ||||||
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Estimated Political Subdivision Impact | ||||||
| FY 2026 | FY 2027 | FY 2028 | FY 2029 | ||
Local Revenue | $0 | $0 | Indeterminable | |||
Local Expenditures | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | ||
METHODOLOGY:
This bill, effective in FY 2028 (school year 2027-2028), requires districts to submit an accountability plan and monitor progress toward academic growth to receive targeted aid as identified in RSAs 198:40-f and 198:40-g. The monitoring must identify progress toward academic achievement growth and achievement attributable to the targeted aid grant. Districts failing to comply with this bill shall not receive the targeted aid grant until compliance is achieved.
The Department of Education states that connecting targeted aid to accountability plans was previously introduced in FY 2023 adequacy and required accountability plans for districts to receive this targeted aid. In FY 2023, seven out of the 115 municipalities eligible for targeted aid did not submit accountability plans, and therefore did not receive the targeted aid. This resulted in approximately $293K out of $14.6M, or 2%, of eligible aid not being issued. Targeted aid in FY 2027 is approximately $169M in funding. Assuming around 2 percent of eligible awards are not allocated due to a lack of compliant accountability plans, then approximately $3M in targeted aid would not be distributed. Ultimately, it is unknown whether districts may not comply and how much in aid may not be distributed.
The Department states it would need to hire an instruction coordinator (SOC 25-07, starting step 5) to review and track the accountability plans submitted. The estimated cost for this position, assuming a start date of July 1, 2027, is $120,000 in FY 2028 and $123,000 in FY 2029. This bill provides neither authorization nor appropriation for new personnel.
AGENCIES CONTACTED:
Department of Education
| Date | Amendment |
|---|---|
| Jan. 29, 2026 | 2026-0255h |
| Feb. 10, 2026 | 2026-0573h |
| Date | Body | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Jan. 20, 2026 | House | Hearing |
| Feb. 3, 2026 | House | Hearing |
| Feb. 6, 2026 | House | Exec Session |
| Feb. 3, 2026 | House | Hearing |
| Feb. 6, 2026 | House | Exec Session |
| Feb. 6, 2026 | House | Floor Vote |
Feb. 24, 2026: Division II Work Session: 03/09/2026 10:00 am GP 234
Feb. 19, 2026: Referred to Finance 02/19/2026 HJ 5
Feb. 19, 2026: Ought to Pass with Amendment 2026-0573h: MA VV 02/19/2026 HJ 5
Feb. 19, 2026: Amendment # 2026-0573h: AA VV 02/19/2026 HJ 5
Feb. 10, 2026: Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2026-0573h (NT) 02/06/2026 (Vote 18-0; CC) HC 7 P. 9
Jan. 29, 2026: Executive Session: 02/06/2026 10:00 am GP 232
Jan. 29, 2026: Public Hearing on non-germane Amendment # 2026-0255h: 02/03/2026 10:45 am GP 232
Jan. 29, 2026: Executive Session: 02/06/2026 10:00 am GP 232
Jan. 29, 2026: Public Hearing: 01/20/2026 01:00 pm GP 232
Jan. 13, 2026: Public Hearing: 01/20/2026 01:00 pm GP 232
Dec. 18, 2025: Introduced 01/07/2026 and referred to Education Funding HJ 1