HB 1066 — relative to warrant articles authorizing lease agreements.

HB 1066-FN - AS INTRODUCEDAMENDED SESSIONBY 26-2314THE 07/05 HOUSE BILL12Mar2026... 1066-FN AN ACT relative to warrant articles authorizing lease agreements.

0923h SESSION 26-2314 07/05 HOUSE BILL 1066-FN AN ACT relative to warrant articles authorizing lease agreements.

HB 1066-FN - AS INTRODUCEDAMENDED 26-2314BY 07/05THE STATEHOUSE OF12Mar2026... NEW HAMPSHIRE In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty-Six AN ACT relative to warrant articles authorizing lease agreements.

0923h 26-2314 07/05 STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty-Six AN ACT relative to warrant articles authorizing lease agreements.

Public hearings on bonds and notes in excess of $100,000 shall be held in accordance with RSA 33:8-a, I, and public hearings on leases in excess of $100,000$500,000 shall be held in accordance to the procedure in RSA 33:7-f, II.

The amount to be raised, in whole or in part, through a lease pursuant to RSA 33:7-f, shall not lapse until the fulfillment of the purpose or completion of the project being financed by the lease;HB 1066-FN - AS AMENDED BY THE HOUSE - Page 2 - lease, except that energy performance contracts under RSA 21-I:19-d shall lapse if the funding authority for municipality fails to appropriate sufficient funds pursuant to RSA 21-I:19-d, II(e);

or HB 1066-FN - AS INTRODUCED - Page 2 - 5 New Paragraph;

For purposes of this section and RSA 382-A, building or facility improvements related to the installation, purpose, or operation of such equipment shall be deemed to constitute equipment and the costs of such improvements may be financed through lease agreements under this section.] For purposes of this section and RSA 382-A, equipment as well as any building or facility improvements that become fixtures, shall not be financed through lease agreements under HB 1066-FN - AS AMENDED BY THE HOUSE - Page 3 - this section.

Any lease agreement under this section exceeding $100,000$500,000 shall require a public hearing pursuant to RSA 33:7-f, II.

HB 1066-FN - AS INTRODUCED - Page 3 - 8 New Section;

Leases up to $100,000$500,000 may be approved by a simple majority vote of the legislative body.

Leases in excess of $100,000$500,000 shall require at least one public hearing concerning the proposed lease before the governing body of the municipality.

All articles appearing in the warrant which propose a lease in excess of $100,000$500,000 shall appear in consecutive numerical order and shall be acted upon prior to other business, except warrant articles proposing bonds or notes, the election of officers, action on the adoption, revision, or amendment of a municipal charter, zoning matters, or other matters as determined by the voters at the meeting.

If such charter does not specify which majority vote is required, then the required majority vote shall be 3/5.3/5.Only votes in the affirmative or negative shall be included in the calculation of any majority.  A separate ballot box shall be provided for each lease article to be voted upon pursuant to this section.

Only votes in the affirmative or negative shall be included in the calculation of any majority.  A separate ballot box shall be provided for each lease article to be voted upon pursuant to this section.

LBA 26-2314 10/27/253/17/26 HB 1066-FN- FISCAL NOTE AS INTRODUCEDAMENDED BY THE HOUSE (AMENDMENT #2026-0923h) AN ACT relative to warrant articles authorizing lease agreements.

It sets stricter rules for leases over $100,000,$500,000, requiring a public hearing and a supermajority vote to pass.Some leases will now count as debt, which means they’ll be included in the town’s borrowing limits.

The New Hampshire Municipal Association states the supermajority vote for lease agreements exceeding $100,000$500,000 could raise the approval threshold and classify certain leases as debt.