Amendment vs bill Amendment: #2026-0050s vs Introduced

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HB 292 - AS INTRODUCED SESSION 25-0652 02/06 HOUSE BILL 292 AN ACT establishing a commission to study school administrative unit consolidation.
Sen.
SPONSORS:
Altschiller, Dist 24 January 7, 2026 2026-0050s 07/08 Floor Amendment to HB 292 Amend the title of the bill by replacing it with the following:
Rep.
3 AN ACT relative to revolving loan funds for school districts.
Ladd, Graf.
5 Amend RSA 194:67 through 194:68 as inserted by section 2 of the bill by replacing it with the following:
5 Committee:
8 194:67 Loan Conditions.
Education Policy and Administration ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── ANALYSIS This bill creates a commission to study the issue of school administrative unit consolidation.
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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 Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
HB 292 - AS INTRODUCED 25-0652 02/06 STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Five AN ACT establishing a commission to study school administrative unit consolidation.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 Commission on School Administrative Unit (SAU) Consolidation Established.
There is established a commission to study and make recommendations related to school administrative unit consolidation in New Hampshire.
2 Findings.
There are 107 school administrative districts (SAUs) in the State of New Hampshire;
Funding under the school district adequacy revolving loan fund shall be available to any school district that makes a request and receives approval from the commissioner of the department of education, the state treasurer, and the joint fiscal committee of the general court.
The number of SAUs in New Hampshire has doubled since the 1980s, increasing from 53 to 107 school administrative units;
Interest rates for funding received under the school district adequacy revolving loan fund shall be determined by the state treasurer, but shall be no lower than the effective federal funds rate (EFFR) published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
New Hampshire’s spending per pupil for SAU general administration, excluding school building principals, is ranked the second most costly in the United States;
Funds received under the school district adequacy revolving loan fund may be used to fulfill the obligations under a revenue anticipation note or tax anticipation note, but no school district shall receive funds if they would still have an outstanding obligation under a revenue anticipation note or a tax anticipation note.
New Hampshire’s financial costs related to education continue to rise while K-12 student population declines;
No school district shall apply for loans under the school district adequacy revolving loan fund for more than 3 consecutive academic years.
SAU consolidation may produce cost advantages through the provision of shared services (e.g., transportation, information technology, security, special education services, accounting and food preparation) and greater economies-of-scale in the purchase of material.
No school may submit a new application for funds under the school district adequacy revolving loan fund after June 30, 2030.
3 Membership and Compensation.
194:68 Condition for Acceptance.
Notwithstanding the provisions of RSA 14:49, the members of the commission shall be as follows:
School districts shall report monthly deficit, status, cash flows, outside audits, and the state of any outstanding audits to the legislative budget assistant of the general court, the state treasurer, the commissioner of the department of education, the commissioner of the department of revenue administration, the governor, the president of the senate, and the speaker of the house of representatives.
(a) Two members of the house of representatives, appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives, one from each caucus;
(b) Two members of the senate, appointed by the president of the senate, one from each caucus;
(c) Two members from the department of education, appointed by the commissioner of education;
(d) Two superintendents, appointed by the New Hampshire School Administrators Association;
(e) One teacher appointed by NEA-NH;
(f) Two members appointed by the NH School Boards Association;
(g) The director of the New Hampshire Association of Special Education Administrators or designee;
(h) One public school principal appointed by the NH School Principals Association;
(i) One parent or guardian of a public school student, appointed by the governor;
HB 292 - AS INTRODUCED - Page 2 - (j) One director of a career technical education center, appointed by the commissioner of education;
(k) The chair of the state board of education, or designee;
(l) Two members appointed by the New Hampshire Association of School Business Officers;
and (m) One member appointed by the NH Charter School Association.
Legislative members of the commission shall receive mileage at the legislative rate when attending to the duties of the commission.
Any school district participating in this program shall place a question of whether to adopt the provision of RSA 32:5-b on the ballot at its next annual school district meeting, unless the school district has already adopted the provisions of RSA 32:5-b.
III.
Floor Amendment to HB 292 - Page 2 - III.
The commission shall be administratively attached to the department of education.
Any school district within a school administrative unit that is comprised on 2 or more school districts and participates in the school district adequacy revolving loan fund shall place a question of whether to adopt the provisions of RSA 194-C:9-a on its local ballot at its next annual school district meeting, unless the school district has already adopted the provisions of RSA 194 C:9- a.
Staff support and technical assistance when requested by the chairperson shall be made available from the department.
194:69 Default.
4 Duties.
A school district's failure to fulfill all of the obligations and conditions of this subdivision shall constitute default.
The commission shall study the issue of school administrative unit consolidation and submit a proposed consolidation plan and report of findings.
Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, the state treasurer shall orchestrate the return of all outstanding loan proceeds until the default is cured and the school district has repaid the loan in full.
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Such duties shall include the following:
Amend the bill by replacing all after section 3 with the following:
4 Department of Education;
ETF Recipient Directive.
All recipients of ETF funds shall annually submit to the department of education the following:
Examine existing research and findings related to consolidation of school districts;
Amount in revenues by source.
Study and identify findings related to financial feasibility and efficiencies of scale that consolidation may or may not achieve;
Amount in expenditures by category.
Identify implementation challenges in NH associated with SAU consolidation;
Curricular purchases and vendor agreements.
Examine and identify incentives that may be used to encourage SAU consolidation or reorganization;
Nutritional related expenses.
Solicit input from stakeholders to identify community perspectives regarding strengths and weaknesses associated with SAU consolidation;
Attendance and participation records.
and VI.
5 Repeals.
Propose a SAU consolidation plan that promotes administrative and operational efficiencies and provides benefits to member school districts while ensuring that a reorganized SAU offers member school districts efficient and sustainable administration and support services while strengthening student learning opportunities.
The following shall be repealed:
5 Chairperson;
I.
Quorum.
RSA 6:12, I(b)(411), relative to moneys received by the school district adequacy revolving loan fund.
The members of the study commission shall elect a chairperson from among the members.
II.
The first meeting of the commission shall be called by the commissioner of education.
RSA 194:62 through RSA 194:69, relative to the school district adequacy revolving loan fund.
The first meeting of the commission shall be held within 30 days of the effective date of this section.
III.
Ten members of the commission shall constitute a quorum.
RSA 198:39, V, relative to the use of education trust funds for the school district adequacy revolving loan fund.
6 Report.
6 Effective Dates.
The commission shall submit a proposed consolidation plan and report of findings and any recommendations for proposed legislation to the speaker of the house of representatives, the president of the senate, the house clerk, the senate clerk, the governor, and the state library on or before November 1, 2026.
I.
7 Effective Date.
Section 5 of this act shall take effect July 1, 2030.
This act shall take effect upon its passage.
II.
The remainder of this act shall take effect upon its passage.
Floor Amendment to HB 292 - Page 3 - 2026-0050s AMENDED ANALYSIS This bill establishes a revolving loan fund for school districts and creates reporting requirements for recipients of ETF funds.