HB 1020
proclaiming Lake Winnipesaukee the official state lake of New Hampshire.
Official record at gencourt.state.nh.us ↗Open this bill in the searchable view → · Follow this bill by RSS
On the record
Quoted from the General Court bill status page, not worked out from the docket.
| Status | HOUSE |
|---|---|
| In the House | INEXPEDIENT TO LEGISLATE |
| Introduced | 1/7/2026 |
| Floor date | 3/5/2026 |
| LSR number | 2341 |
| Local government impact | no |
| Committee code | H22 |
Where it stands
House: INEXPEDIENT TO LEGISLATE
Every floor vote on this bill was a voice or division vote, so there is no record of how individual legislators voted.
In practice this often ends a bill's progress for the term.
Sponsors
Maggiore, Jim(D) Rock 23, Altschiller, Debra(D) Rock 24, Balboni, Peggy(D) Rock 38, Brown, Richard(R) Carr 8, Lang, Timothy(R) Belk 2, MacDonald, John(R) Carr 6
Prime sponsor in bold. From the General Court sponsor file.
What happened
Every action recorded in the official docket, in order. Each line ends with the journal or calendar that recorded it; where we have the document, that citation links to it.
- January 7, 2026Introduced 01/07/2026 and referred to Resources, Recreation and Development
- February 4, 2026Public Hearing: 02/04/2026 10:30 am GP 228
- February 11, 2026Executive Session: 02/11/2026 01:30 pm GP 228
- February 18, 2026Majority Committee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate 02/11/2026 (Vote 10-6; RC)
- February 18, 2026Minority Committee Report: Refer for Interim Study
- March 5, 2026Inexpedient to Legislate: MA VV 03/05/2026
Votes
Roll call tallies and individual votes from the General Court roll call files. Presiding, excused and absent are shown separately: one member presides over each House roll call and does not vote except to break a tie.
Inexpedient to Legislate
Decided on a voice vote. Only the outcome was recorded — there is no count of how any member voted.
Committee reports
Reproduced from the House Calendar in the committee’s own words.
Majority — INEXPEDIENT TO LEGISLATE
The fifth graders of North Hampton School proposed a wonderful idea to proclaim Lake Winnipesaukee as the official state lake of New Hampshire. However, the majority of the committee identified a broader opportunity to promote education and engagement by encouraging fourth graders across the state to participate in a friendly competition. This initiative would allow students to showcase why their local lake should be named the official state lake. The NH LAKES Association has expressed interest in hosting this competition, providing a valuable opportunity for children statewide to learn about New Hampshire’s lakes and how to protect them. The committee ultimately voted Inexpedient to Legislate on this bill, with no recommendation for Interim Study. They determined that this is not a complex issue requiring legislative involvement and is better suited as an educational endeavor for fourth graders across the state, and to bring back a new bill once the competition is completed. Vote 10-6.
Minority — REFER FOR INTERIM STUDY
The committee heard an excellent presentation from North Hampton School fifth grade students on the important recreational, environmental, and economic benefits of Lake Winnipesaukee. The NH Lakes Association also testified in support of the bill stressing the opportunity that recognizing a state lake could have on promoting all lakes in New Hampshire, as well as emphasizing the need to protect these cherished natural resources for future generations. However, with about 1,000 public lakes and great ponds across the state, the committee found it prudent to consider alternatives for choosing which lake should be celebrated as the official state lake of New Hampshire. The minority of the committee believes Interim Study is the most appropriate next step to evaluate options for future legislation towards this goal.
Hearings and recordings
Recordings are the General Court’s own, on YouTube. Start times are estimates unless stated otherwise, and the player opens early.
- February 4, 2026 at 10:30Resources, Recreation and Development public hearing recording 1:03:19–1:28:31, about 25 min (estimated)
- February 11, 2026 at 13:30Resources, Recreation and Development executive session recording 3:57:00–3:57:30, about 0 min (estimated)
- March 5, 2026House floor debate recording (start time not identified)
Page generated 2026-09-03 from data published by the New Hampshire General Court. Granite Record is an independent project, not affiliated with the General Court. The official record always takes precedence. Corrections: [email protected]