SB 488 - AS INTRODUCED
2026 SESSION
26-2053
08/05
SENATE BILL 488
SPONSORS: Sen. Carson, Dist 14
COMMITTEE: Finance
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ANALYSIS
This bill enables the governor to declare a state of emergency due to the failure of the legislature to pass a budget or continuing resolution to fund the New Hampshire state government by July 1 of the first year of a biennium.
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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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
26-2053
08/05
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; State of Emergency Declaration; Failure to Pass a Budget. Amend RSA 4 by inserting after section 45 the following new section:
4:45-a State of Emergency Declaration; Failure to Pass a Budget.
I. Notwithstanding RSA 4:45, the governor may declare a state of emergency due to the failure of the legislature to pass a budget or a continuing resolution to fund the New Hampshire state government or due to a veto of such budget by July 1st of each new fiscal year. A state of emergency declared under this section shall expire 60 days after it is declared. A state of emergency declared under this section may be renewed for an additional 60 days up to 3 times by a majority vote in each house.
II. Upon any declaration of a state of emergency under paragraph I, the following shall be fully funded for the duration of the emergency at the level in which they were funded in the prior fiscal year:
(a) The legislative branch.
(b) The judicial branch.
(c) The judicial council.
(d) The office of the governor.
(e) Services and positions within the department of justice necessary to maintain public safety in the state, as determined by the attorney general.
(f) The department of corrections and any additional services or positions necessary to maintain and run New Hampshire's state prisons.
(g) The department of safety.
(h) The police standards and training council.
(i) The law enforcement division of the department of fish and game.
(j) Services and positions within the department of transportation necessary for road maintenance and the maintenance of infrastructure as determined by the commissioner of the department of transportation.
(k) The veterans home.
(l) The department of military affairs and veterans services.
(m) The treasury department.
(n) The retirement system.
(o) The department of revenue administration.
(p) All services and positions at the department of energy that are deemed necessary for power grid maintenance by the commissioner of the department of energy.
(q) All services and positions within the department of health and human services necessary to maintain existing services for New Hampshire residents, as determined by the commissioner of the department of health and human services.
(r) The office of the child advocate.
(s) All services and positions related to health care facilities, including but not limited to inpatient and emergency medical care and residential treatment facilities.
(t) The department of agriculture, markets, and food.
(u) The department of environmental services.
(v) All services and positions at the office of professional licensure and certification to ensure licensing and regulation remains uninterrupted for professionals in any health care field, as determined by the commissioner of the office.
(w) The division of vital records of the department of state.
(x) The division of elections of the department of state.
(y) All services and positions at the department of information technology necessary to support the other services and positions being funded in this section.
2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.
Nov. 21, 2025: Introduced 01/07/2026 and Referred to Finance; SJ 1