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HB 1409-FN

modifying the deposit of revenues collected from video lottery terminals.

Filed 2026 · Died on the table · Ways and Means · 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.

StatusHOUSE
In the HouseDIED ON THE TABLE
Introduced1/7/2026
Floor date2/12/2026
LSR number3080
Local government impactno
Committee codeH28

Bill text (PDF) ↗

Where it stands

House: DIED ON THE TABLE

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

The bill was set aside during the session and never taken back up, so it died when the session ended.

Sponsors

Ames, Dick(D) Ches 13, Almy, Susan(D) Graf 17, Cornell, Patricia(D) Hills 22, Damon, Hope(D) Sull 8, Fenton, Donovan(D) Ches 10, Hakken-Phillips, Mary(D) Graf 12, Luneau, David(D) Merr 9, Preece, David(D) Hills 17, Spahr, Terry(D) Graf 12
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.

Lay HB1409 on Table (Rep. Cole)

February 12, 2026 · House · None–None, adopted

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

Special Order to first order of business after lunch (Rep. Janigian)

February 12, 2026 · House · 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 — INEXPEDIENT TO LEGISLATE

Rep. Brian Cole

This bill strips the general fund of up to $93.9 million per year and provides no alternative revenue to backfill the loss. The fiscal note openly admits this is a netzero shell game, not new funding for education. Every dollar shifted to the Education Trust Fund is a dollar removed from essential core state services like public safety, mental health, infrastructure, and municipal aid. At a time when New Hampshire is facing budget pressure, workforce shortages, and rising costs, deliberately eliminating tens of millions in flexible general fund revenue is fiscally reckless. By hardwiring 100% of video lottery terminal revenue into the Education Trust Fund, it removes the ability to respond to changing economic conditions. Earmarking by statute reduces transparency and shifts decisions away from a biannual budget process where priorities should be debated openly. It also sets a dangerous precedent by reassigning general fund revenues to politically favored silos, which would affect every other revenue stream. This weakens long-term fiscal stability. Vote 11-8.

Minority — OUGHT TO PASS WITH AMENDMENT

Rep. Thomas Oppel

When New Hampshire became the first state to adopt a statewide lottery in 1964, citizens were assured proceeds 21 6 FEBRUARY 2026 HOUSE RECORD beyond administration and prizes would go to support public education. That commitment was solidified in 1990 when citizens voted to add to the state’s constitution that lottery “moneys shall . . . be appropriated and used exclusively . . . for the purpose of state aid to education and shall not be transferred or diverted to any other purpose” (N.H. Const. pt. 2, Art. 6-b). But proceeds from video lottery terminals (VLTs) are being diverted, contravening our constitution and the explicit wish of the voters. VLTs have the word “lottery” in their name, are overseen by the state’s Lottery Commission, which was established when the first statewide lottery was established. There is no reasonable argument that they do not fall under the same constitutional requirement. This bill restores our commitment to the voters and our constitutional obligations by requiring all proceeds beyond administrative costs, including prizes and charitable contributions, to be paid into the Education Trust Fund. The minority amendment only changes the effective date to July 1, 2027 to ease administration of this change.

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]