HB 1695 — preventing any guide or explanation regarding the effect of a proposed constitutional amendment from appearing on the ballot.

HB 1695 - AS INTRODUCEDAMENDED SESSIONBY 26-2526THE 08/09 HOUSE BILL11Mar2026... 1695 AN ACT requiring the secretary of state to include a voter's guide to the proposed constitutional amendment to voters on the ballot.

0476h SESSION 26-2526 08/09 HOUSE BILL 1695 AN ACT preventing any guide or explanation regarding the effect of a proposed constitutional amendment from appearing on the ballot.

Election Law ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── AMENDED ANALYSIS This bill requiresprevents theany secretaryguide ofor stateexplanation toregarding includethe aeffect voter'sof guidea to the proposed constitutional amendment tofrom votersappearing on the ballot.

HB 1695 - AS INTRODUCEDAMENDED 26-2526BY 08/09THE STATEHOUSE OF11Mar2026... NEW HAMPSHIRE In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty-Six AN ACT requiring the secretary of state to include a voter's guide to the proposed constitutional amendment to voters on the ballot.

0476h 26-2526 08/09 STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty-Six AN ACT preventing any guide or explanation regarding the effect of a proposed constitutional amendment from appearing on the ballot.

1 Voter'sQuestions Guides;to Voters;

Constitutional Amendments.Amendments;

AmendForm RSAof 663:3-aBallot. to read as follows:

663:3-aAmend Voter'sRSA Guides.663:3 to read as follows:

663:3 Form of Ballot.

IfThe thefollowing generalwords courtshall proposesbe [the]printed aabove constitutional amendment, the textconstitutional ofamendment thequestions statementon forall theballots voter'scontaining guide[,such ifquestions: any,] shall be included in the resolution proposing the constitutional amendment.

[The"Questions jointRelating committeeto onConstitutional legislativeAmendments facilitiesProposed mayby authorize the printingConvention orto distributionRevise of the voter'sConstitution" guide.]or The"Questions textRelating ofto theConstitutional statementAmendments forProposed theby voter's guide shall state what will happen if the amendmentLegislature passesto andRevise what will happen if the amendmentConstitution," whichever is defeated.appropriate.

A constitutional question shall include, in the text of the question, the text of the article of the constitution as it is proposed to be amended, and the results of the vote taken on ordering the proposed amendment to third reading in both the senate and the house of representatives or at the constitutional convention, whichever is appropriate.

IfIn instances where the general court or constitutional convention proposes thea constitutional amendment,amendment in which the textconstitution ofwould be amended, the statementproposed foramendment shall be displayed on the voter'sballot guide[,by ifway any,]of shallbracketing and striking text that would be includedremoved inand thebolding resolutionand proposingitalicizing thetext constitutionalthat amendment.would be added.

The2 textVoter's ofGuides; the statement for the voter's guide shall state what will happen if the amendment passes and what will happen if the amendment is defeated.

2Constitutional NewAmendments. Section;

BallotRSA Guidance;663:3-a is repealed and reenacted to read as follows:

Constitutional663:3-a Amendment.Voter's Guides.

AmendIf RSAthe 663general bycourt insertingor afterconstitutional sectionconvention 3-aproposes a constitutional amendment, no explanation or voter's guide to the followingtext newof section:the amendment shall be included on any ballot in which a vote on the adoption of the constitutional amendment takes place.

663:3-b Ballot Guidance.

I.

Except as provided in paragraph II, the text of the statement for the voter’s guide as included in the resolution proposing the constitutional amendment as described in RSA 663:3-a shall be printed on the ballot immediately below the constitutional question to which it applies.

II.

If the inclusion of the text of the statement for the voter’s guide prepared pursuant to RSA 663:3-a necessitates an extra page of the ballot, then the text of the statement for the voter’s guide shall be distributed with the ballot rather than printed on the ballot.

The page containing the voter's guide shall not be processed through the ballot counting devices.

III.

In addition, the joint committee on legislative facilities may separately authorize the printing or distribution of the voter's guide prior to the election.