SB 560 - AS INTRODUCED
2026 SESSION
26-2124
06/09
SENATE BILL 560
AN ACT modernizing the New Hampshire coordinate system.
SPONSORS: Sen. Ricciardi, Dist 9; Sen. Fenton, Dist 10; Rep. B. Boyd, Hills. 12; Rep. Veilleux, Hills. 34
COMMITTEE: Transportation
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ANALYSIS
This bill modernizes and clarifies the framework governing New Hampshire’s coordinate systems used in land surveying and mapping by formally adopting the most recent coordinate system released by the National Geodetic Survey (NGS), updating terminology, and establishing usage restrictions.
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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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
26-2124
06/09
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty-Six
AN ACT modernizing the New Hampshire coordinate system.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 New Paragraph; New Hampshire Coordinate System. Amend RSA 1-A:1 by inserting after paragraph II the following new paragraph:
III. The “New Hampshire state plane coordinate system” (NHSPCS) is identical to the New Hampshire portion of the state plane coordinate system (SPCS) as defined by the National Geodetic Survey (NGS) or its successors meaning the most recent system of plane coordinates which has been officially released for public use by the National Geodetic Survey (NGS) or its successors, based on the National Spatial Reference System (NSRS) or its successors.
2 Application of Coordinate Systems. Amend RSA 1-A:2 to read as follows:
1-A:2 Application of Coordinate Systems. The use of the term "New Hampshire coordinate system of 1927" or "New Hampshire coordinate system of 1983" or the "New Hampshire state plane coordinate system" on any map, report of survey, or other document shall be limited to coordinates based on the New Hampshire coordinate system as defined in RSA 1-A:1. The New Hampshire coordinate system of 1927 shall not be used after December 31, 1989. The New Hampshire coordinate system of 1983 shall not be [the sole coordinate system used on or after January 1, 1990] used for projects commenced after the "New Hampshire state plane coordinate system," as defined in RSA 1-A:1, III has been released for public use by the National Geodetic Survey (NGS) or its successors.
3 Systems of Plane Coordinates. Amend RSA 1-A:3 to read as follows:
1-A:3 Systems of Plane Coordinates. The systems of plane coordinates which have been established by the National Ocean Service/National Geodetic Survey or its successors for defining and stating the geographic positions or locations of points on the surface of the earth within the state of New Hampshire are hereafter to be known and designated as the New Hampshire coordinate system of 1927 and the New Hampshire coordinate system of 1983, and the New Hampshire state plane coordinate system (NHSPCS).
4 Plane Coordinate Values. Amend RSA 1-A:4 to read as follows:
1-A:4 Plane Coordinate Values.
I. The plane coordinate values for a point on the earth's surface, used to express the geographic position or location of such point in this system, shall consist of 2 distances expressed in United States survey feet, which equals (1200)/(3937) meters, and decimals of a foot when using the New Hampshire coordinate system of 1927 and expressed in meters and decimals of a meter [and] or United States survey feet and decimals of a foot when using the New Hampshire coordinate system of 1983. One of these distances, to be known as the "x-coordinate," shall give the position in an east-and-west direction; the other, to be known as the "y-coordinate," shall give the position in a north-and-south direction. These coordinates shall be made to depend upon and conform to plane rectangular coordinate values for the monumented points of the North American Horizontal Geodetic Control Network as published by the National Ocean Service/National Geodetic Survey, or its successors, and whose plane coordinates have been computed on the systems defined in this chapter. Any such station may be used for establishing a survey connection to 1927 or 1983 [either] New Hampshire coordinate system.
II. The plane coordinates of a point to be used in expressing the geographic position or location of the point in the appropriate zone of the NHSPCS, shall consist of 2 distances, expressed in feet and decimals of a foot or meters and decimals of a meter. When the values are expressed in feet (also known as international feet), a definition of one foot = 0.3048 meter exactly shall be used. For conversion of meters to international feet, multiply the meters by 3.280839895. One of these distances, to be known as the "north or y-coordinate," shall give the distance north of the x-axis; the other, to be known as the "east or x-coordinate," shall give the distance east of the y-axis. The y-axis of any zone shall be parallel with the central meridian of that zone. The x-axis of any zone shall be at right angles to the central meridian of that zone.
5 Recording Coordinates RSA 1-A:5 is repealed and reenacted to read as follows:
1-A:5 Recording Coordinates. Coordinates based on any New Hampshire coordinate system, purporting to define the position of a point on a land boundary, presented to be recorded in any public land records or deed records shall be accompanied by a specific statement by the licensed land surveyor as to their basis and a description of the survey method used to determine them on the record plat or description of the survey.
6 New Section; Restrictions. Amend RSA 1-A by inserting after section 5 the following new section:
1-A:6 Restrictions. The use of the terms “New Hampshire state plane coordinate system,” “New Hampshire coordinate system 1927,” or “New Hampshire coordinate system 1983” on any map, report of survey, or other document shall be limited to coordinates based on the respective New Hampshire coordinate system as defined in this chapter.
7 Effective Date. This act shall take effect upon its passage.
Nov. 24, 2025: Introduced 01/07/2026 and Referred to Transportation; SJ 1