New Hampshire 2026 Session Status: Passed Senate Bipartisan · 10 R · 2 D cosponsors

SB535 — (New Title) defining residential breeder and imported animal for the purposes of animal transfers and removing references to commercial kennels.

Last action — PASSED/ADOPTED WITH AMENDMENT

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

This bill has passed the Senate. Introduced November 24, 2025. It now moves to the second chamber.

Vetoed by Governor Kelly Ayotte (Republican) on August 19, 2026.

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

Odds of enactment

Moderate chance

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

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

Prognosis

Advancing 42% · high confidence

  • Passed Senate

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 13 sponsors

    1 primary, 12 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Bipartisan support

    Sponsored across 2 parties (10 R · 2 D) — cross-party backing.

  • Failed a recorded vote

    Failed 2 recorded votes so far — a real headwind.

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) defining residential breeder and imported animal for the purposes of animal transfers and removing references to commercial kennels.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

17 added · 15 removed

Plain-language change summary

The latest version of SB 535 clarifies that the term "pet vendor" is now being applied in place of "commercial kennel." This change helps define who is subject to licensing and fees for selling dogs, including those that sell a certain number of dogs or litters per year. Additionally, it ensures that people who own dogs licensed under this classification won't have to pay a specific control fee. This amendment matters because it aims to streamline regulations and potentially lower costs for individuals operating as pet vendors.

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Latest
SB 535 - AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE 03/26/2026 1124s SESSION 26-2150 08/06 SENATE BILL 535 AN ACT defining residential breeder and imported animal for the purposes of animal transfers and removing references to commercial kennels.
SB 535 - VERSION ADOPTED BY BOTH BODIES 03/26/2026 1124s 7May2026...
1740h SESSION 26-2150 08/06 SENATE BILL 535 AN ACT defining residential breeder and imported animal for the purposes of animal transfers and removing references to commercial kennels.
SB 535 - AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE 03/26/2026 1124s 26-2150 08/06 STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty-Six AN ACT defining residential breeder and imported animal for the purposes of animal transfers and removing references to commercial kennels.
SB 535 - VERSION ADOPTED BY BOTH BODIES 03/26/2026 1124s 7May2026...
1740h 26-2150 08/06 STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty-Six AN ACT defining residential breeder and imported animal for the purposes of animal transfers and removing references to commercial kennels.
Such owner or keeper shall not be required to obtain a ["commercial kennel"] "pet vendor" license under RSA 466:4, III unless such person [has a commercial kennel] is a pet vendor as defined under RSA 466:4, III.
Such owner or keeper shall not be required to obtain a ["commercial kennel"] "pet vendor" license under RSA 466:4, III unless such person [has a commercial kennel] is a pet vendor as defined under [RSA 466:4, III] RSA 437:1, IV.
For purposes of this paragraph, ["commercial kennel"] "pet vendor" shall have the same meaning as RSA 473:1, IV [means the establishment or domicile of any person who sells dogs at wholesale or retail;
For purposes of this paragraph, ["commercial kennel"] "pet vendor" shall have the same meaning as RSA 437:1, IV [means the establishment or domicile of any person who sells dogs at wholesale or retail;
or who derives 40 percent or more of gross annual income from the sale or transfer of dogs].
or who SB 535 - VERSION ADOPTED BY BOTH BODIES - Page 2 - derives 40 percent or more of gross annual income from the sale or transfer of dogs].
The owner or SB 535 - AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE - Page 2 - keeper of any dog licensed under this paragraph shall not be assessed a companion animal population control fee.
The owner or keeper of any dog licensed under this paragraph shall not be assessed a companion animal population control fee.
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Action History

  1. Notwithstanding the Governor's Veto, Shall SB 535 Become Law: RC 5Y-19N, Veto Sustained, lacking the necessary two-thirds vote; 08/19/2026; SJ 15

  2. Vetoed by Governor 07/02/2026

  3. Enrolled (in recess of) 06/04/2026 HJ 15 P. 45

  4. Enrolled Adopted, VV, (In recess 06/04/2026); SJ 14

  5. Sen. Avard Moved to Concur with the House Amendment, MA, VV; 05/14/2026; SJ 12

  6. Ought to Pass with Amendment 2026-1740h: MA VV 05/07/2026 HJ 12 P. 7

  7. Amendment # 2026-1740h: AA VV 05/07/2026 HJ 12 P. 7

  8. Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2026-1740h 04/28/2026 (Vote 13-0; CC) HC 18 P. 6

  9. Full Committee Work Session: 04/28/2026 10:00 am GP 153

  10. Full Committee Work Session: 04/14/2026 01:30 pm GP 153

  11. Public Hearing: 04/14/2026 11:00 am GP 153

  12. Introduced (in recess of) 03/26/2026 and referred to Environment and Agriculture HJ 9 P. 54

  13. Committee Amendment # 2026-1124s, AA, VV; 03/26/2026; SJ 7

  14. Ought to Pass with Amendment #2026-1124s, MA, VV; OT3rdg; 03/26/2026; SJ 7

  15. Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2026-1124s, 03/26/2026; Vote 4-1; CC; SC 11

  16. Hearing: 02/17/2026, Room 103, SH, 09:40 am; SC 5

  17. Introduced 01/07/2026 and Referred to Energy and Natural Resources; SJ 1

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 12 co-sponsors · 402 not signed on · 13 voted No

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (12)

Not signed on (402)

402 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 402 →

"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

Votes

VETO MESSAGE - Roll Call Required

Failed 5 Yea · 19 Nay
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Republican 51000
Democrat 0800
Total 51800
% of votes cast 22%78%0%0%
How each member voted (23)
Member Party Vote
Cindy Rosenwald Democrat Nay
David Watters Democrat Nay
Debra Altschiller Democrat Nay
Donovan Fenton Democrat Nay
Pat Long Democrat Nay
Rebecca Perkins Kwoka Democrat Nay
Suzanne Prentiss Democrat Nay
Tara Reardon Democrat Nay
Bill Gannon Republican Nay
Daniel Innis Republican Nay
Daryl Abbas Republican Nay
David Rochefort Republican Nay
Denise Ricciardi Republican Nay
Howard Pearl Republican Yea
James Gray Republican Nay
Keith Murphy Republican Yea
Kevin Avard Republican Yea
Mark McConkey Republican Nay
Ruth Ward Republican Yea
Sharon Carson Republican Nay
Tim McGough Republican Nay
Timothy Lang Republican Nay
Victoria Sullivan Republican Yea

Official roll call →

VETO MESSAGE - Roll Call Required

Failed 5 Yea · 19 Nay
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Republican 51100
Democrat 0800
Total 51900
% of votes cast 21%79%0%0%
How each member voted (24)
Member Party Vote
Cindy Rosenwald Democrat Nay
David Watters Democrat Nay
Debra Altschiller Democrat Nay
Donovan Fenton Democrat Nay
Pat Long Democrat Nay
Rebecca Perkins Kwoka Democrat Nay
Suzanne Prentiss Democrat Nay
Tara Reardon Democrat Nay
Bill Gannon Republican Nay
Daniel Innis Republican Nay
Daryl Abbas Republican Nay
David Rochefort Republican Nay
Denise Ricciardi Republican Nay
Howard Pearl Republican Yea
James Gray Republican Nay
Keith Murphy Republican Yea
Kevin Avard Republican Yea
Mark McConkey Republican Nay
Regina Birdsell Republican Nay
Ruth Ward Republican Yea
Sharon Carson Republican Nay
Tim McGough Republican Nay
Timothy Lang Republican Nay
Victoria Sullivan Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Subjects

public-safety housing agriculture
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 SB535 do?
(New Title) defining residential breeder and imported animal for the purposes of animal transfers and removing references to commercial kennels.
Who sponsors SB535?
SB535 is sponsored by David Rochefort (Republican), Clayton Wood (Republican), Cyril Aures (Republican), Daryl Abbas (Republican), Howard Pearl (Republican), Timothy Lang (Republican), Judy Aron (Republican), Cindy Rosenwald (Democrat), Daniel Innis (Republican), Michael Moffett (Republican), Kevin Avard (Republican), Peter W Bixby, and David Watters (Democrat).
What is the current status of SB535?
This bill has passed the Senate. Introduced November 24, 2025. It now moves to the second chamber.
Where can I track SB535?
Track SB535 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.

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