New Hampshire 2026 Session Status: Passed House Bipartisan · 2 R · 1 D cosponsors

HB 629 — raising the cost of a boat decal fee and allocating the funds collected by such fees to the dam maintenance fund.

Last action — Inexpedient to Legislate, MA, VV === BILL KILLED ===; 04/23/2026; SJ 10

  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. ✓
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed House
  4. 4
    Passed Senate
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill has passed the House. Introduced January 16, 2025. It now moves to the second chamber.

Next likely step: consideration and a floor vote in the Senate.

Odds of enactment

High chance

Based on the sponsor, cosponsors, and committee posture, this bill has a high chance of becoming law.

Upgrade to see the exact probability and what's driving it.

A statistical estimate from our own model of past outcomes — an insight, not a guarantee. Policymaking is volatile.

Prognosis

Advancing 48% · moderate confidence

  • Passed House

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 3 sponsors

    1 primary, 2 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Bipartisan support

    Sponsored across 2 parties (2 R · 1 D) — cross-party backing.

Based on stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes, and cross-state momentum — a description of the observable signals, not a prediction.

Summary

(New Title) raising the cost of a boat decal fee and allocating the funds collected by such fees to the dam maintenance fund.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

57 added · 87 removed

Plain-language change summary

The amended version of HB 629 increases the cost of the boat decal fee to $5 and specifies that the funds collected from these fees will be allocated to the dam maintenance fund. This change replaces the original proposal, which was focused on funding the operation and maintenance of state dams through assessments on properties and boater registration fees. As a result, the new approach consolidates funding for dam maintenance solely through the increased boat decal fees.

→
Previous
Latest
HB 629-FN - AS INTRODUCED SESSION 25-0635 08/09 HOUSE BILL 629-FN AN ACT funding the operation maintenance and repair of state dams.
HB 629-FN - AS AMENDED BY THE HOUSE 7Jan2026...
2953h SESSION 25-0635 08/09 HOUSE BILL 629-FN AN ACT raising the cost of a boat decal fee and allocating the funds collected by such fees to the dam maintenance fund.
Resources, Recreation and Development ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── ANALYSIS This bill funds the operation, maintenance, and repair of state dams by an annual assessment on properties maintained by state dams and a boater registration fee.
Resources, Recreation and Development ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── AMENDED ANALYSIS This bill raises the cost of a boat decal fee and allocates the funds collected by such fees to the dam maintenance fund.
HB 629-FN - AS INTRODUCED 25-0635 08/09 STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Five AN ACT funding the operation maintenance and repair of state dams.
HB 629-FN - AS AMENDED BY THE HOUSE 7Jan2026...
2953h 25-0635 08/09 STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Five AN ACT raising the cost of a boat decal fee and allocating the funds collected by such fees to the dam maintenance fund.
1 Vessel Registration and Numbering;
1 New Subparagraph;
Registration Fees.
Navigation;
Amend RSA 270-E:5, II to read as follows:
Harbors;
II.
Coast Survey;
In addition to the fees required by paragraph I there shall be the following registration fees:
Vessel Registration and Numbering;
(a) $5 [collected] for each registration processed by an authorized agent of the department who is not an employee of the department.
Boat Fee Decal Required.
The fees collected under this [paragraph] subparagraph shall be collected and retained by the authorized agent as compensation for processing the registration.
Amend RSA 270-E:5-a, II by inserting after subparagraph (e) the following new subparagraph:
(b) $5 for each registration specified in paragraph I.
(f) $5 for each decal specified in paragraph I.
2 Annual Registration Fee;
2 Effective Date.
Shoreline.
This act shall take effect January 1, 2027.
Amend RSA 482:8-a to read as follows:
LBA 25-0635 Revised 2/19/26 HB 629-FN- FISCAL NOTE AS AMENDED BY THE HOUSE (AMENDMENT # 2025-2953h) AN ACT raising the cost of a boat decal fee and allocating the funds collected by such fees to the dam maintenance fund.
482:8-a Annual Registration Fee.
I.
Annual registration fees for dams shall be payable to the department on January 1 of each calendar year.
Yearly dam registration fees shall be based on classification as follows:
Low hazard potential = $400;
Significant hazard potential = $750;
High hazard potential = $1,500.
If the hazard classification designated by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for a dam differs from the classification designated by the department, the annual dam registration fees shall be based on the classification designated by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission except that a dam which is classified as a non-menace dam by the department shall be exempt from the annual dam registration fee for as long as the dam is classified by the department as a non-menace dam.
Revenues from this annual registration are to be collected by the department and deposited in the dam maintenance fund established in RSA 482:55 to be used for the inspection of dams.
II.
On April 1, the department shall annually assess a fee of $1.58 per foot of linear shoreline upon all taxable waterfronts maintained by a state-owned dam.
The moneys collected from such fee shall be deposited in the dam maintenance fund established in RSA 482:55 to be used for the operation, maintenance, and repair of state-owned dams.
3 Effective Date.
This act shall take effect July 1, 2025.
LBA 25-0635 1/2/25 HB 629-FN- FISCAL NOTE AS INTRODUCED AN ACT funding the operation maintenance and repair of state dams.
This bill does not provide funding, nor does it authorize new positions.
Estimated State Impact FY 2026 FY 2027 FY 2028 FY 2029 Revenue $0 $267,500 $535,000 $535,000 Revenue Fund(s) Dam Maintenance Fund Indeterminable Indeterminable Indeterminable Increase Increase Increase Expenditures* $0 $100,000 to $500,000 to $500,000 to $267,500 $702,500 $737,500 Funding Source(s) Dam Maintenance Fund Appropriations* $0 $0 $0 $0 Funding Source(s) None *Expenditure = Cost of bill *Appropriation = Authorized funding to cover cost of bill METHODOLOGY:
Estimated State Impact FY 2025 FY 2026 FY 2027 FY 2028 Revenue $0 $8,030,000 $8,030,000 $8,030,000 Revenue Fund(s) RSA 482:55 Dam Maintenance Fund Expenditures* $0 $303,000 $304,000 $314,000 Funding Source(s) RSA 482:55 Dam Maintenance 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 2025 FY 2026 FY 2027 FY 2028 County Revenue $0 $0 $0 $0 County Expenditures $0 $0 $0 $0 Local Revenue $0 $0 $0 $0 Indeterminable Indeterminable Indeterminable Local Expenditures $0 Less than Less than Less than $10,000 $10,000 $10,000 METHODOLOGY:
This bill increases the boat decal fee by $5 and directs the additional revenue to the Dam Maintenance Fund, effective January 1, 2027.
This bill amends RSA 270-E:5, II to introduce a $5.00 fee for each boat registration and amends RSA 482:8-a to establish a fee of $1.58 per foot of linear shoreline on all taxable waterfronts maintained by state-owned dams.
The Department of Safety, Division of Motor Vehicles states this bill will result in an increase in state revenues beginning in FY 2027 due to the $5 increase in the boat decal fee.
Revenue generated from these fees would be deposited into the Dam Maintenance Fund, established under RSA 482:55, and dedicated to the operation, maintenance, and repair of state-owned dams.
The Department indicates that approximately 107,000 boat decals are issued annually.
The Department of Environmental Services estimates this bill will generate approximately $8,030,000 annually for the state’s Dam Maintenance Fund through two primary revenue sources.
On a full- year basis, the additional $5 per decal is expected to generate approximately $535,000 in new revenue.
First, a fee of $1.58 per foot of shoreline on bodies of water impounded by state-owned dams would affect an estimated 4,790,000 feet of shoreline, resulting in approximately $7,500,000 in annual revenue.
Because the bill takes effect on January 1, 2027, it is assumed approximately one-half of the annual revenue, or $267,500, will be realized in FY 2027, with a full-year impact of approximately $535,000 in FY 2028 and each fiscal year thereafter.
Second, applying a $5.00 fee to an average of 105,923 annual boat registrations, based on a three-year average from the NH Department of Motor Vehicles, would generate an additional $530,000 annually.
All additional revenue will be deposited into the Dam Maintenance Fund pursuant to RSA 482:55.
These combined revenues are projected to total approximately $8,030,000 per year and are expected to continue beyond fiscal year 2028.
The Department further states there will be no increase in state expenditures, as the fee increase can be implemented through existing registration systems and administrative processes, and any associated workload can be absorbed within existing resources.
To administer the shoreline fee program, the Department anticipates the need for three additional full-time staff positions:
The Department of Environmental Services (DES) states that any revenue deposited into the Dam Maintenance Fund will be allocated to dam safety needs identified by DES at any of the state owned dams.
Show all 48 changed rows (8 more)
Previous
Latest
one Business Administrator II and two Accountant II roles, an estimated increase of $303,000 in FY 2026, $304,000 in FY 2027 and $314,000 in FY 2028.
This includes routine maintenance and operational activities, such as gate inspections, mechanical repairs, and vegetation control, as well as larger rehabilitation efforts, including dam evaluation and design, reconstruction, removal, and emergency repairs.
These positions are necessary to manage an estimated 24,000 invoices generated annually under the program.
Of the 275 state owned dams, 64 are classified as high hazard, meaning failure would likely result in loss of life.
The associated expenditures for these positions are outlined in the following table and are expected to persist beyond fiscal year 2028 but would assume to be included in the Department’s FY 2028 – FY 2029 budget request.
Thirty four of those 64 high hazard dams are currently classified in poor condition due to inadequate discharge capacity, excessive leakage, or structural instability.
Estimated Start Date July 1, FY 2026 FY 2027 FY 2028 New Business Administrator II SOC13 - Band 06 STEP 1 $111,000 $112,000 $116,000 x New Accountant II SOC13 - Band 04 STEP 1 $192,000 $192,000 $198,000 Total $303,000 $304,000 $314,000 The Department does not anticipate any impact on revenues or expenditures for Counties or Local Municipalities through fiscal year 2028 and beyond.
DES intends to prioritize funding for these high hazard structures, which are defined as dams where failure would likely result in the loss of human life.
However, there may be an indeterminable local expenditure impact, estimated at less than $10,000 per a year.
The Department further states this bill would not impact revenues or expenditures to counties or local municipalities, as the Dam Maintenance Fund supports the State of New Hampshire in meeting its statutory responsibilities to maintain state owned dams, impoundments, and associated property pursuant to RSA 482:55.
This potential cost arises from the need for municipal parcel data to administer the shoreline fee program.
Coordination between the Department and municipal staff for data collection and verification may result in minor expenditures, which could extend beyond fiscal year 2028.
Department of Environmental Services and Department of Revenue Administration
Department of Safety and Department of Environmental Services
⬇ Download PDF
View plain text versions (2)

Amendments

1 amendment

Click Show changes on an amendment above to see how it modifies the bill.

Action History

  1. Inexpedient to Legislate, MA, VV === BILL KILLED ===; 04/23/2026; SJ 10

  2. Committee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate, 04/23/2026, Vote 3-1; SC 15

  3. Hearing: 04/15/2026, Room 122-123, SH, 09:15 am; SC 13

  4. Introduced 03/26/2026 and Referred to Ways and Means; SJ 7

  5. Ought to Pass: MA VV 03/26/2026 HJ 9 P. 7

  6. Lay HB629 on Table (Rep. D. McGuire): MF DV 155-192 03/26/2026 HJ 9 P. 7

  7. Committee Report: Ought to Pass 03/17/2026 (Vote 25-0; RC)

  8. Executive Session: 03/17/2026 10:00 am GP 230

  9. Division I Work Session: 02/20/2026 11:00 am GP 230

  10. Division I Work Session: 02/09/2026 10:00 am GP 234

  11. Referred to Finance 01/07/2026 HJ 1 P. 78

  12. Ought to Pass with Amendment 2025-2953h: MA VV 01/07/2026 HJ 1 P. 78

  13. Amendment # 2025-2953h: AA VV 01/07/2026 HJ 1 P. 78

  14. Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2025-2953h (NT) 10/22/2025 (Vote 15-0; CC) HC 51 P. 17

  15. Executive Session: 09/24/2025 10:00 am GP 228

  16. Full Committee Work Session: 09/24/2025 10:00 am GP 228

  17. Retained in Committee

  18. Executive Session: 02/12/2025 10:15 am LOB 305

  19. Public Hearing: 02/05/2025 01:30 pm LOB 305

  20. Introduced (in recess of) 01/09/2025 and referred to Resources, Recreation and Development HJ 3 P. 19

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

Export CSV (upgrade) →

1 sponsors · 2 co-sponsors · 412 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (2)

Not signed on (412)

412 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 412 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Subjects

environment
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

What does HB 629 do?
(New Title) raising the cost of a boat decal fee and allocating the funds collected by such fees to the dam maintenance fund.
Who sponsors HB 629?
HB 629 is sponsored by Mike Ouellet (Republican), Peter Leishman (Democrat), and Michael Harrington (Republican).
What is the current status of HB 629?
This bill has passed the House. Introduced January 16, 2025. It now moves to the second chamber.
Where can I track HB 629?
Track HB 629 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.

Make your voice heard on HB 629

Find the representatives who decide this bill and tell them where you stand — for yourself, or mobilize your whole list in one click with One Click Politics advocacy software.

Find my representatives → Run a campaign

Stay ahead of HB 629

Last checked for changes about 1 month ago · updated continuously

One Click Politics tracks every bill in Congress and all 50 states.

Track this bill →