HB 590 - AS AMENDED BY THE HOUSE
11Mar2026... 1066h
2025 SESSION
25-0786
11/08
HOUSE BILL 590
AN ACT relative to cooperative school district school board elections.
SPONSORS: Rep. Andrus, Merr. 5; Rep. Cambrils, Merr. 4; Rep. Colcombe, Hills. 30; Rep. Comtois, Belk. 7; Rep. Perez, Rock. 16; Rep. See, Merr. 26; Rep. Turcotte, Straf. 4; Rep. Wood, Merr. 13; Sen. Innis, Dist 7; Sen. Pearl, Dist 17
COMMITTEE: Election Law
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AMENDED ANALYSIS
This bill requires cooperative school boards to elect representatives from pre-existing districts only from voters within the district.
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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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
11Mar2026... 1066h 25-0786
11/08
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Five
AN ACT relative to cooperative school district school board elections.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 Composition of Cooperative School Boards. RSA 195:19-a is repealed and reenacted to read as follows:
195:19-a Composition of Cooperative School Boards.
The method of selection and terms of members of cooperative school boards shall be as provided in the bylaws or articles of agreement of the cooperative school district, as the case may be; provided, however, that such bylaws and articles of agreement shall be limited to the following requirements:
I. The members of the cooperative school board shall be elected by the voters of their pre-existing district and shall be residents of such pre-existing district. Each pre-existing district shall be entitled to elect at least one board member. Apportionment shall provide flexibility to the cooperative school district in meeting requirements of the one-man one-vote doctrine for a pre-existing district or pre-existing districts to support as nearly as possible the pre-existing board representation based upon population and pursuant to RSA 195.
II. The state board of education may approve other methods of selection of cooperative school board members, so long as such other method is compatible with proportional representation according to the one-man one-vote principle.
III. The terms of the members of the cooperative school board shall be as provided in the bylaws or articles of agreement provided that in no case shall such terms exceed 3 years.
IV. Whenever the bylaws or articles of agreement provide for the election of cooperative school board members pursuant to this chapter, said election shall be with the use of the non-partisan ballot system under RSA 669.
V. The number of members and composition of cooperative school boards shall be in accordance with this section by July 1, 2026. Members whose terms expire prior to this date shall be elected pursuant to this section.
2 Reapportionment; Cooperative School District. Amend RSA 195:19-b to read as follows:
195:19-b Reapportionment. Any cooperative school district organized under any of the provisions of RSA 195 or pursuant to any special act may at any regular or special meeting vote to change the number, composition, method of selection, and terms of office of members on the board of the district, provided that in no event shall the board exceed 15 members nor terms exceed 3 years[; and may change the apportionment of the board in relation to the pre-existing school districts]. Apportionment of members of the cooperative school board shall be reviewed and reapportioned, if necessary, based upon the latest federal decennial census and pursuant to RSA 195:19-a.
3 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after passage.
| Date | Amendment |
|---|---|
| Nov. 18, 2025 | 2025-2934h |
| March 5, 2026 | 2026-1066h |
| Date | Body | Type |
|---|---|---|
| March 5, 2025 | House | Hearing |
| March 4, 2025 | House | Exec Session |
| March 18, 2025 | House | Exec Session |
| Sept. 16, 2025 | House | Exec Session |
| Sept. 16, 2025 | House | Floor Vote |
| March 3, 2026 | House | Floor Vote |
March 11, 2026: Ought to Pass with Amendment 2026-1066h: MA DV 181-149 03/11/2026 HJ 7
March 11, 2026: Amendment # 2026-1066h: AA VV 03/11/2026 HJ 7
March 4, 2026: Minority Committee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate
March 4, 2026: Majority Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2026-1066h 03/03/2026 (Vote 9-8; RC)
Jan. 8, 2026: Recommit (Rep. Berry): MA VV 01/08/2026 HJ 2
Jan. 5, 2026: Removed from Consent (Reps. Lane, Telerski, Newsom, Bricchi, Simpson, Muirhead, Ebel, Snodgrass, Damon, Ames) 01/02/2026
Nov. 18, 2025: Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2025-2934h 09/16/2025 (Vote 15-2; CC) HC 51 P. 8
Sept. 11, 2025: Executive Session: 09/16/2025 10:15 am GP 158
March 18, 2025: Retained in Committee
March 12, 2025: ==CONTINUED== Executive Session: 03/18/2025 10:00 am LOB 306-308
Feb. 27, 2025: ==RECESSED== Executive Session: 03/04/2025 01:00 pm LOB 306-308
Feb. 20, 2025: Public Hearing: 02/25/2025 10:20 am LOB 306-308
Jan. 16, 2025: Introduced (in recess of) 01/09/2025 and referred to Election Law HJ 3 P. 17