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HB 1256

removing the authority of the state librarian to award scholarships to students attending graduate library schools.

Filed 2026 · Passed one chamber · Education Policy and Administration · Education - General

Official record at gencourt.state.nh.us ↗

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On the record

Quoted from the General Court bill status page, not worked out from the docket.

StatusLAW WITHOUT SIGNATURE
In the HousePASSED/ADOPTED
In the SenatePASSED/ADOPTED
Introduced1/7/2026
Floor date3/5/2026
LSR number2778
Chapter0128
Local government impactno
Committee codeH62

Bill text (PDF) ↗

Where it stands

House: PASSED/ADOPTED · Senate: PASSED/ADOPTED

Every floor vote on this bill was a voice or division vote, so there is no record of how individual legislators voted.

A bill goes on the consent calendar when the committee vote was unanimous or nearly so, and any members who dissented did not object to placing it there. It then passes without floor debate. Ten members may file a petition to pull a bill off the consent calendar and have it debated and voted on separately.

Sponsors

Drago, Mike(R) Rock 4, Mazur, Lisa(R) Hills 44, Noble, Kristin(R) Hills 2, Perez, Kristine(R) Rock 16
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.

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.

Ought to Pass

March 5, 2026 · House · 189–162, adopted

Decided on a division vote. Only the outcome was recorded — there is no count of how any member voted.

Ought to Pass

April 23, 2026 · Senate · None–None, adopted

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 — OUGHT TO PASS

Rep. Katy Peternel

This bill repeals RSA 201-A:10, VII, the ability of the State Librarian to award scholarships to qualified persons to attend a graduate library school accredited by the American Library Association. The committee did not receive any testimony from the State Librarian regarding the necessity for this statute. Scholarships historically associated with the office, are now administered through the New Hampshire Library Trustees Association. Vote 9-8.

Minority — INEXPEDIENT TO LEGISLATE

Rep. Patricia Cornell

The minority of the committee does not support the repeal of RSA 201-A:10, VII. The prime sponsor noted that the intent of this bill is two-fold: 1) to take away the authority of the State Librarian to award scholarships for qualified persons to attend graduate schools accredited by the American Library Association (ALA), and more importantly, 2) to target the ALA, asserting that the organization is a political action committee, which it is not. The ALA is a non-profit standards-setting body whose mission is “empowering and advocating for librarians and library workers to ensure equitable access to information for all.” The minority understands that graduates from accredited masters degree programs in library science equip their librarians with expertise in information technology, data management, community literacy, and collections management that the public counts on. In current statute, a number of other entities are authorized to award scholarships; the State Librarian should not be singled out because of an unfounded characterization of the ALA.

Hearings and recordings

Recordings are the General Court’s own, on YouTube. Start times are estimates unless stated otherwise, and the player opens early.

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]