HB 1444 — relative to the purchase or acquisition of certain unmanned aircraft systems.

CHAPTER 95 HB 1444-FN - VERSIONFINAL ADOPTEDVERSION BY BOTH BODIES 19Feb2026...

CHAPTER 95 HB 1444-FN - VERSIONFINAL ADOPTEDVERSION BY BOTH BODIES 19Feb2026...

195:1 New Chapter;

Effective January 1, 2028, no county, city, towntown, or other political subdivision shall purchase or acquire a drone or unmanned aircraft system that does not meet the requirements of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2024, Public Law 118-31, or that has been included on the "covered list" of devices deemed by the Federal Communications Commission to pose an unacceptable risk to the national security toof the United States or to the security and safety of United States residents.

295:2 Effective Date.

LBAApproved: 26-2749 03/23/2026 HB 1444-FN- FISCAL NOTE AS AMENDED BY THE HOUSE (AMENDMENT #2026-0558h) AN ACT relative to the purchase or acquisition of certain unmanned aircraft systems.

FISCALMay IMPACT:28, 2026 Effective Date:

EstimatedJuly State27, Impact FY 2026 FY 2027 FY 2028 FY 2029 Revenue $0 $0 $0 $0 Revenue Fund(s) None Expenditures* $0 $0 Indeterminable Funding Source(s) General Fund, Fish and Game Fund, and Highway 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 2026 FY 2027 FY 2028 FY 2029 County Revenue $0 $0 $0 $0 County Expenditures $0 $0 Indeterminable Local Revenue $0 $0 $0 $0 Local Expenditures $0 $0 Indeterminable METHODOLOGY:

This bill defines an unmanned aircraft system (UAS) consistent with the statutory definition of “aircraft” and restricts the purchase or acquisition of certain drones by state and local government entities.

Beginning January 1, 2028, state agencies may only acquire drones that meet specified clearance requirements, and state funds may not be used to obtain prohibited systems.

Similarly, counties, municipalities, and other political subdivisions are prohibited from acquiring drones that do not comply with federal security standards under the National Defense Authorization Act of 2024 or that appear on the Federal Communications Commission’s covered list, with any noncompliant purchase agreements deemed unenforceable.

Department of Safety The Department states this bill will not create an immediate fiscal impact relative to its UAS operations.

The fiscal impact after January 1, 2028, is indeterminable, due to factors that include:

 The prevalence of foreign systems that have historically dominated the UAS market.

 The speed of domestic UAS technology advancement and availability.

 The scope of equipment encompassed by future covered/approved lists for purchase.

Fish and Game Department The Department assumes that any drones or UAS purchased on or after January 1, 2028, would be required to comply with the requirements of RSA 162-V.

The Department is unable to estimate how many such systems it may need to acquire in the future.

Based on current market conditions, compliant drones are estimated to cost between approximately $5,000 and $40,000 per unit, depending on factors such as payload capacity, flight duration, and sensor capabilities.

In addition, staff training would be required to operate any newly acquired systems, with annual training costs estimated to range from $2,500 to $5,000.

Accordingly, the Department assumes that the combined annual cost for purchasing compliant drones and providing necessary training could range from more than $10,000 to up to $100,000, depending on future operational needs.

County and Local Governments This bill’s potential impact on county and local governments, if any, is indeterminable and would vary by agency.

AGENCIES CONTACTED:

Department of Safety, Fish and Game Department, and New Hampshire Municipal Association