Revision: Feb. 18, 2026, 3:01 p.m.
Senate Health and Human Services
February 18, 2026
2026-0841s
05/07
Amendment to SB 441-FN
Amend the title of the bill by replacing it with the following:
AN ACT relative to the financial responsibility for local assistance and enabling municipalities to request a hearing regarding the residency of an assisted person.
Amend the bill by replacing all after the enacting clause with the following:
1 Aid to Assisted Persons; Expense of General Assistance. Amend RSA 165:2-a to read as follows:
165:2-a Expense of General Assistance.
I. The financial responsibility for general assistance for assisted persons shall be the responsibility of the town or city in which the person making application resides, except as otherwise provided in RSA 165:1-c.
II. Whenever any town or city assists a person pursuant to this chapter who is believed to be a resident of another New Hampshire municipality, it may contact the overseer of the public welfare for the alleged municipality of residency to seek reimbursement for the costs of relieving and maintaining the applicant person, or request that the municipality of residency undertake ongoing relief and maintenance of the applicant pursuant to the municipality of residency’s welfare guidelines.
III. Whenever there is a dispute between the assisting municipality and the alleged municipality of origin regarding the residency of the assisted person, the assisting municipality may request a hearing to determine the residency of the assisted person.
IV. Hearings conducted pursuant to paragraph III shall be conducted by an agreed-upon current or former welfare administrator of a third municipality, with the consent of such welfare administrator, and shall be conducted according to the fair hearing provisions described by the welfare guidelines of the alleged municipality of residency, except that the hearing may be conducted by telephone or video conference by agreement of the participants.
V. If the hearing results in a determination that the alleged municipality of residency is where the assisted person resides, the municipality of residency shall reimburse the assisting municipality for the costs of assistance previously rendered, and:
(a) Continue to reimburse the assisting municipality so long as the person remains assisted; or
(b) Undertake relief and maintenance of the assisted person by the municipality of residency.
2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.
2026-0841s
AMENDED ANALYSIS
This bill provides that a municipality that assists an individual who is not a resident may request reimbursement from the municipality of residence. This bill also enables a municipality to request a hearing to determine residency of an assisted person.