SB 491-FN - AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE
02/05/2026 0379s
2026 SESSION
26-2056
07/08
SENATE BILL 491-FN
SPONSORS: Sen. Watters, Dist 4; Sen. Lang, Dist 2; Sen. McGough, Dist 11; Sen. Sullivan, Dist 18; Sen. Avard, Dist 12; Sen. Long, Dist 20; Sen. McConkey, Dist 3; Sen. Pearl, Dist 17
COMMITTEE: Education Finance
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ANALYSIS
This bill enables students to utilize education freedom account funds to pay for certain career and technical education funding.
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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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
02/05/2026 0379s 26-2056
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; Regional Career and Technical Education (CTE); Costs for Students Attending Career and Technical Education Programs. Amend RSA 188-E:6, IV to read as follows:
IV. In consultation with the house and senate committees responsible for education policy and financial matters, the [state board] department of education shall, in rules adopted pursuant to RSA 541-A, develop a formula for determining separately the tuition and transportation costs for approved career technical education programs and procedures for disbursement of funds.
2 New Paragraph; Education; Regional Career and Technical Education (CTE); Payment of Tuition and Transportation Funds. Amend RSA 188-E:9 by inserting after paragraph IV the following new paragraph:
V. The department of education shall establish separate funds for tuition and transportation and determine the cost for each on an annual basis in accordance with the provisions of RSA 188:E-6, IV and 188-E:9, II-III.
3 New Paragraph; Education; Education Freedom Accounts; Authority and Responsibilities of the Scholarship Organization. Amend RSA 194-F:4 by inserting after paragraph XVII the following new paragraph:
XVIII. The scholarship organization, in cooperation with the department of education, shall make available to EFA students in grades 9-12 information about enrolling in career and technical education classes and programs.
4 Effective Date. This act shall take effect July 1, 2027.
26-2056
Revised 1/12/26
SB 491-FN- FISCAL NOTE
AS INTRODUCED
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 | Indeterminable | ||||
Funding Source(s) | Education Trust Fund | |||||
Appropriations* | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | ||
Funding Source(s) | None | |||||
*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 | $0 | Indeterminable | |||
Local Expenditures | $0 | Indeterminable | ||||
METHODOLOGY:
The Department of Education states this bill guarantees career and technical education (CTE) access to Education Freedom Account (EFA) students. Under current law, CTE districts may charge tuition to an EFA family, require the student to enroll into their resident district to receive CTE services, or may provide CTE services free of charge. For School Year 2024-2025, 26 EFA students received CTE services. The Department does not know if those families were charged tuition, the sending district provided tuition payments, or services were provided without tuition.
State Impact
The Department states this bill may result in an increase in participation in the EFA program. The following provides information about different scenarios under which a student may access the EFA program:
The Department states the CTE Tuition & Transportation grant is a fixed State appropriation not changed by the proposed bill. Therefore, this bill will have no impact on this aid program.
Local Impact
The Department states that sending districts without a CTE program may be required to pay for the services on behalf of EFA students not currently entitled to CTE services while enrolled in the EFA program, resulting in increased local expenditures. Increased costs, if any, are indeterminable and would vary by district. In addition, a district may incur an impact to revenue, to the extent is has a student leave its district for the EFA program, as illustrated above.
AGENCIES CONTACTED:
Department of Education
| Date | Amendment |
|---|---|
| Jan. 28, 2026 | 2026-0379s |
| Date | Body | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Jan. 22, 2026 | Senate | Hearing |
| Feb. 5, 2026 | Senate | Floor Vote |
| Senate | Floor Vote |
March 6, 2026: Ought to Pass: MA, VV; OT3rdg; 03/12/2026; SJ 6
March 5, 2026: Committee Report: Ought to Pass, 03/12/2026; Vote 6-0; CC; SC 9
Feb. 5, 2026: Ought to Pass with Amendment #2026-0379s, MA, VV; Refer to Finance Rule 4-5; 02/05/2026; SJ 3
Feb. 5, 2026: Committee Amendment # 2026-0379s, AA, VV; 02/05/2026; SJ 3
Jan. 28, 2026: Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2026-0379s, 02/05/2026, Vote 5-1; SC 4
Dec. 22, 2025: Hearing: 01/22/2026, Room 103, SH, 10:20 am; SC 47A
Nov. 21, 2025: Introduced 01/07/2026 and Referred to Education Finance; SJ 1