HB 1557-FN

modifying the state average expenditure per pupil relative to students in special education.

Filed 2026 · Killed · Education Funding · 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.

Status	HOUSE
Introduced	1/7/2026
Floor date	2/19/2026
LSR number	2845
Local government impact	no
Committee code	H63

Bill text (PDF) ↗

Where it stands

Pending action in the other chamber

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 Education Funding
January 15, 2026Public Hearing: 01/15/2026 11:00 am GP 232
January 28, 2026Full Committee Work Session: 01/28/2026 10:00 am GP 234
February 6, 2026Executive Session: 02/06/2026 10:00 am GP 232
February 11, 2026Majority Committee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate 02/06/2026 (Vote 10-8; RC)
February 11, 2026Minority Committee Report: Ought to Pass
February 19, 2026Inexpedient to Legislate: MA RC 184-157 02/19/2026

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

February 19, 2026 · House · 184–157, adopted

Votes by party
Party	Yes	No	Presiding	Excused	Absent
Republican	184	1	1	19	11
Democrat	0	156	0	14	6
Independent	0	0	0	0	1
Total	184	157	1	33	18

Yes — 184

Aldrich, Glen(R) Belk 6
Alexander, Joe(R) Hills 29
Ammon, Keith(R) Hills 42
Andrus, Louise(R) Merr 5
Aron, Judy(R) Sull 4
Aron, Michael(R) Sull 8
Aures, Cyril(R) Merr 13
Avellani, Lino(R) Carr 4
Aylward, Deborah(R) Merr 5
Bailey, Glenn(R) Straf 2
Ball, Lorie(R) Rock 25
Barbour, Liz(R) Hills 35
Barton, Joseph(R) Graf 1
Beaulier, Calvin(R) Graf 1
Bennett, Cindy(R) Rock 4
Berezhny, Lex(R) Graf 11
Bernardy, JD(R) Rock 36
Berry, Ross(R) Hills 44
Bjelobrk, Marie Louise(R) Graf 5
Boehm, Ralph(R) Hills 38
Bogert, Steven(R) Belk 5
Boyd, Bill(R) Hills 12
Boyd, Stephen(R) Merr 10
Bridle, Nicholas(R) Rock 29
Bryer, Scott(R) Rock 1
Cambrils, Jose(R) Merr 4
Coker, Matthew(R) Belk 2
Colcombe, Riché(R) Hills 30
Corcoran, Travis(R) Hills 28
Creighton, James(R) Hills 30
Daniels, Gary(R) Hills 43
Davis, Arnold(R) Coos 2
DeDe-Poulin, Denise(R) Straf 6
DeLemus, Susan(R) Straf 1
DeRoy, Susan(R) Straf 3
DeSimone, Debra(R) Rock 18
DeVito, Sayra(R) Rock 8
Devoid, Ricky(R) Merr 1
Dolan, Tom(R) Rock 16
Donnelly, Tanya(R) Rock 25
Drago, Mike(R) Rock 4
Drew, Matt(R) Hills 19
Drye, Margaret(R) Sull 7
Dumais, Russell(R) Belk 6
Dumont, Dillon(R) Hills 13
Dunn, Ron(R) Rock 16
Dupont, Pierre(R) Hills 20
Edwards, Jess(R) Rock 31
Erf, Keith(R) Hills 28
Farrington, Samuel(R) Straf 8
Fedolfi, Jim(R) Hills 30
Foote, Charles(R) Rock 13
Ford, Mary(R) Rock 3
Franz, Linda(R) Graf 6
Freeman, Lisa(R) Belk 8
Gagne, Larry(R) Hills 16
Giasson, Henry(R) Hills 29
Gonzalez, Ernesto(R) Merr 3
Gorski, Ted(R) Hills 2
Gould, Linda(R) Hills 2
Granger, Michael(R) Straf 2
Grant, George(R) Sull 5
Griffin, Gerald(R) Hills 42
Guthrie, Joseph(R) Rock 15
Guzofski, James(R) Rock 1
Hall, Robley(R) Straf 1
Hamblen, Joseph(R) Carr 3
Harb, Robert(R) Rock 20
Harvey-Bolia, Juliet(R) Belk 3
Hemingway, Wayne(R) Sull 6
Hunt, John(R) Ches 14
Janigian, John(R) Rock 25
Kaczynski, Thomas(R) Straf 5
Karasinski, Sly(R) Ches 10
Kelley, Diane(R) Hills 32
Kenny, Catherine(R) Hills 13
Kesselring, Steven(R) Hills 18
Khan, Aboul(R) Rock 30
King, Seth(R) Coos 4
Kofalt, Jim(R) Hills 32
Korzen, Lori(R) Coos 7
Kuttab, Katelyn(R) Rock 17
Labrie, Brian(R) Hills 2
Ladd, Rick(R) Graf 5
Lascelles, Richard(R) Hills 14
Layon, Erica(R) Rock 13
Litchfield, Melissa(R) Rock 32
Louis, Darrell(R) Graf 1
Love, David(R) Rock 13
Lundgren, David(R) Rock 16
Lynn, Bob(R) Rock 17
MacDonald, John(R) Carr 6
MacDonald, Wayne(R) Rock 16
Mannion, Dennis(R) Rock 25
Mannion, Tom(R) Hills 1
Mattson, Rita(R) Ches 18
Mazur, Lisa(R) Hills 44
McDonnell, Valerie(R) Rock 25
McFarlane, Donald(R) Graf 18
McGrath, Linda(R) Rock 40
McGuire, Carol(R) Merr 27
McGuire, Dan(R) Merr 14
McLean, Mark(R) Hills 15
Mehegan, Peter(R) Merr 12
Melvin, Charles(R) Rock 20
Miles, Julie(R) Hills 12
Milz, David(R) Rock 13
Miner, Laurence(R) Rock 7
Minor, Sheri(R) Belk 5
Moffett, Michael(R) Merr 4
Mooney, Maureen(R) Hills 12
Morency, Pete(R) Coos 5
Morton, Jonathan(R) Hillsborough 39
Murphy, Denis(R) Ches 11
Murphy, Mary(R) Hills 27
Nadeau, Brian(R) Rock 4
Nalevanko, Rich(R) Ches 9
Nelson, Jodi(R) Rock 13
Noble, Kristin(R) Hills 2
Notter, Jeanine(R) Hills 12
Ohm, Bill(R) Hills 10
Osborne, Jason(R) Rock 2
Ouellet, Mike(R) Coos 3
Panek, Sandra(R) Hillsborough 1
Paquette, Kathleen(R) Hills 25
Pauer, Diane(R) Hills 36
Pearson, Mark(R) Rock 34
Pearson, Stephen(R) Rock 13
Peeples, Raymond(R) Hills 14
Perez, Kristine(R) Rock 16
Peternel, Katy(R) Carr 6
Pitaro, Matthew(R) Merr 11
Plante, Raymond(R) Merr 27
Ploszaj, Tom(R) Belk 1
Polozov, Yury(R) Merr 10
Porcelli, Susan(R) Rock 19
Post, Lisa(R) Hills 42
Potenza, Kelley(R) Straf 19
Potucek, John(R) Rock 13
Presa, Adam(R) Hills 12
Proulx, Mark(R) Hills 15
Prudhomme-O'Brien, Katherine(R) Rock 13
Qualey, James(R) Ches 18
Reinfurt, Sherri(R) Hills 29
Rhodes, Jennifer(R) Ches 17
Rollins, Skip(R) Sull 3
Sabourin dit Choinière, Matt(R) Rock 30
Schneller, John(R) Hills 2
Scully, Kevin(R) Hills 8
Seaworth, Brian(R) Merr 12
See, Alvin(R) Merr 26
Selby, Donald(R) Rock 9
Sellers, John(R) Graf 10
Sheehan, Vanessa(R) Hills 43
Sirois, Shane(R) Hills 32
Slottje, Jeremy(R) Hills 13
Smith, Jonathan(R) Carr 5
Smith, Steven(R) Sull 3
Soti, Julius(R) Rock 35
Spilsbury, Walter(R) Sull 3
Summers, James(R) Rock 20
Sweeney, Joe(R) Rock 25
Sytek, John(R) Rock 25
Taylor, Brian(R) Carr 8
Tenczar, Jeffrey(R) Hills 1
Terry, Paul(R) Belk 7
Thackston, Dick(R) Ches 12
Thibault, James(R) Merr 25
Thomas, Douglas(R) Rock 16
Toner, Travis(R) Belk 4
Tremblay, Marc(R) Coos 5
Tudor, Paul(R) Rock 1
Turcotte, Len(R) Straf 4
Ulery, Jordan(R) Hills 13
Verville, Kevin(R) Rock 2
Vose, Michael(R) Rockingham 5
Walker, David(R) Straf 19
Walsh, Lilli(R) Rock 15
Walsh, Thomas(R) Merr 10
Warden, Mark(R) Hills 39
Weyler, Kenneth(R) Rock 14
Wherry, Robert(R) Hills 13
Wilson, Vicki(R) Rock 9
Wood, Clayton(R) Merr 13

No — 157

Almy, Susan(D) Graf 17
Ames, Dick(D) Ches 13
Balboni, Peggy(D) Rock 38
Baldwin, Heather(D) Graf 4
Bay, Luz(D) Straf 21
Berch, Paul(D) Ches 6
Bergeron, Dan(D) Hills 16
Bixby, Peter(D) Straf 13
Bolton, Bill(D) Graf 8
Booras, Efstathia(D) Hills 8
Bricchi, Tracy(D) Merr 15
Budathoki, Suraj(D) Hillsborough 40
Burton, Wayne(D) Straf 10
Butler, Billie(D) Straf 12
Cahill, Michael(D) Rock 10
Caplan, Tony(D) Merr 8
Chourasia, Manoj(D) Hills 11
Chretien, Suzanne(D) Hills 19
Cloutier, John(D) Sull 6
Cormen, Thomas(D) Graf 15
Cornell, Patricia(D) Hills 22
Damon, Hope(D) Sull 8
Darby, Will(D) Hills 11
Dargie, Paul(D) Hills 43
Davis, Fred(D) Hills 3
DiSilvestro, Linda(D) Hills 17
Dolan, William(D) Hills 9
Ebel, Karen(D) Merr 7
Edgar, Michael(D) Rock 29
Elberger, Susan(D) Hills 5
England, Myles(D) Straf 12
Faulkner, Barry(D) Ches 10
Fellows, Sallie(D) Graf 8
Foss, Lily(D) Hills 41
Fox, Dru(D) Ches 2
Foxx, Loren(D) Hills 2
Fracht, David(D) Graf 16
Gallager, Eric(D) Merr 20
Georges, Mary(D) Hills 23
Germana, Nicholas(D) Ches 15
Gibbs, Merryl(D) Merr 23
Gilman, Julie(D) Rock 11
Gilmore, Gary(D) Straf 16
Girard, Dale(R) Sull 6
Grill, Jessica(D) Hills 18
Grote, Jaci(D) Rockingham 24
Gruber, James(D) Ches 16
Grund, Stephanie(D) Hills 34
Hakken-Phillips, Mary(D) Graf 12
Hall, Muriel(D) Merr 9
Harriott-Gathright, Linda(D) Hills 10
Hartnett, Tim(D) Hillsborough 41
Haskins, Linda(D) Rockingham 11
Herbert, Christopher(D) Hills 24
Hicks, Matthew(D) Merr 24
Horrigan, Timothy(D) Straf 10
Howard, Heath(D) Straf 4
Howard, Molly(D) Hills 31
Howland, Allan(D) Straf 20
Jack, Martin(D) Hills 10
Jeudy, Jean(D) Hills 23
Johnson, Erik(D) Straf 11
Jones, Philip(D) Ches 3
Juris, Louis(D) Hills 7
Kelly, Eileen(D) Merr 8
Kerwin, Erin(D) Hills 40
Kluger, Lee Ann(D) Hills 6
Knab, Allison(D) Rock 12
LaMontagne, Jessica(D) Straf 17
Lane, Connie(D) Merr 16
Larochelle, John(D) Straf 19
LeClerc, Daniel(D) Hills 34
Leishman, Peter(D) Hills 33
Levesque, Cassandra(D) Straf 4
Lloyd, Christal(D) Hills 8
Long, Patrick(D) Hills 26
Lovett, Peter(D) Graf 8
Lucas, Janet(D) Graf 7
Luneau, David(D) Merr 9
MacKenzie, Mark(D) Hills 40
Maggiore, Jim(D) Rock 23
Malloy, Dennis(D) Rock 24
Mandelbaum, Jennifer(D) Rock 21
Manohar, Sanjeev(D) Hills 9
Manos, Zoe(D) Rock 12
McAleer, Chris(D) Carr 2
McGhee, Kat(D) Hills 35
Meuse, David(D) Rock 37
Miller, Seth(D) Straf 21
Muirhead, Russell(D) Graf 12
Muns, Chris(D) Rock 29
Murphy, Nancy(D) Hills 12
Murray, Alissandra(D) Hills 20
Murray, Kate(D) Rockingham 22
Murray, Megan(D) Hills 37
Nagel, David(D) Belk 6
Newell, Jodi(D) Ches 4
Newman, Ray(D) Hills 4
Newman, Sue(D) Hills 4
Newsom, James(D) Merr 9
O'Rorke, Terri(D) Ches 7
Oppel, Thomas(D) Grafton 9
Paige, David(D) Carr 1
Paige, Mark(D) Rock 11
Palmer, William(D) Sull 2
Parshall, Lucius(D) Ches 8
Payeur, Stephanie(D) Merr 8
Petrigno, Peter(D) Hills 43
Plamondon, Marc(D) Hills 3
Preece, David(D) Hills 17
Raymond, Heather(D) Hills 5
Raynolds, Ned(D) Rock 39
Rockmore, Ellen(D) Graf 12
Rombeau, Catherine(D) Hills 2
Rung, Rosemarie(D) Hills 12
Ryan, Linda(D) Hills 4
Salvi, Santosh(D) Hills 9
Sargent, Gregory(D) Merr 7
Schamberg, Thomas(D) Merr 6
Scherr, Buzz(D) Rock 26
Schmidt, Peter(D) Straf 14
Seibert, Christine(D) Hills 21
Selig, Loren(D) Straf 10
Simpson, Alexis(D) Rock 33
Smith, Geoffrey(D) Straf 21
Smith, Marjorie(D) Straf 10
Snodgrass, Jim(D) Merr 28
Sorensen, Carrie(D) Rock 28
Southworth, Thomas(D) Straf 11
Spahr, Terry(D) Graf 12
Spier, Carry(D) Hills 6
St. Clair, Charlie(D) Belknap 5
Staub, Kathy(D) Hills 25
Stone, John(D) Straf 12
Stringham, Jerry(D) Graf 3
Sullivan, Brian(D) Sull 1
Sullivan, Jared(D) Graf 2
Swanson, Dale(D) Hills 5
Sykes, George(D) Graf 14
Telerski, Laura(D) Hills 11
Tellez, Trinidad(D) Hills 40
Thomas, Wendy(D) Hills 12
Turer, Eric(D) Rock 6
Vail, Suzanne(D) Hillsborough 6
Vallone, Mark(D) Rock 5
Veilleux, Daniel(D) Hills 34
Wade, Alice(D) Straf 15
Wall, Janet(D) Straf 11
Wallner, Mary Jane(D) Merr 19
Ward, Gerald(D) Rock 27
Weber, Lucy(D) Ches 5
Weinstein, Toni(D) Rock 10
Wheeler, Jonah(D) Hills 33
Wilhelm, Matthew(D) Hills 21
Woodcock, Stephen(D) Carr 1
Woods, Gary(D) Merr 30
de Vries, Erica(D) Rock 29

Presiding — 1

Packard, Sherman(R) Rock 16

Excused — 33

Belcher, Mike(R) Carr 4
Brown, Pam(R) Rock 14
Brown, Richard(R) Carr 8
Burnham, Claudine(R) Straf 2
Burroughs, Anita(D) Carr 2
Colby, Eleana(D) Merr 9
Cole, Brian(R) Hills 26
Comtois, Barbara(R) Belk 7
Flanagan, Jack(R) Hills 45
Gregg, Alicia(D) Hills 7
Grossman, Gaby(D) Rock 11
Harrington, Michael(R) Straf 18
Harvey, Cathryn(D) Ches 6
Hegner, Karen(D) Hills 41
Jacobs, Samantha(D) Ches 15
Leavitt, John(R) Merr 10
Mannion, Tim(R) Hills 1
Markell, Jay(R) Rock 18
McMahon, Charles(R) Rock 17
Murphy, Michael(R) Coos 6
Pearson, Wayne(D) Straf 12
Popovici-Muller, Daniel(R) Rock 17
Prout, Andrew(R) Hills 13
Read, Ellen(D) Rock 10
Rice, Kimberly(R) Hills 38
Richards, Beth(D) Merr 17
Roy, Terry(R) Rock 31
Schultz, Kris(D) Merr 29
Sofikitis, Catherine(D) Hills 7
Soucy, Timothy(D) Merr 21
Stavis, Laurel(D) Graf 13
Suiter, John(R) Hills 36
Tierney, James(R) Coos 1

Absent — 18

Ankarberg, Aidan(I) Straf 7
Beauchemin, Paige(D) Hills 3
Bordes, Mike(R) Belk 5
Buco, Thomas(D) Carr 1
Crawford, Karel(R) Carr 3
Durkin, Sean(R) Coos 1
Hill, Gregory(R) Merr 2
Katsakiores, Phyllis(R) Rock 13
Leapley, Nicole(D) Hills 22
MacKay, James(D) Merr 18
Malone, Amy(D) Straf 9
Morse, Bryan(R) Merr 3
Roesener, James(D) Merr 22
Spillane, James(R) Rock 2
Tripp, Richard(R) Rock 13
Trottier, Douglas(R) Belk 8
Vandecasteele, Susan(R) Rock 25
Varney, Peter(R) Belk 7

Committee reports

Reproduced from the House Calendar in the committee’s own words.

Majority — INEXPEDIENT TO LEGISLATE

Rep. Dan McGuire

Currently, the state contributes to very high cost special education students by paying for 80% of costs over 3.5 times the statewide average student cost (roughly $70,000) and 100% of costs over ten times that average (about $200,000). Further, if appropriated funds are insufficient, grants will be reduced proportionally. Of the 32,000 students with IEPs, this policy funds the highest cost 900. This bill lowers the cut off so that the state would pay 80% over 1.5 times rather than 3.5 times, and it also removes the possible proportional reductions. It is not known how many thousands of additional students would be covered. The committee received multiple bills on this subject. The majority chose not to advance this particular one, partly due to its unknown main cost and very high administrative cost. Vote 10-8.

Minority — OUGHT TO PASS

Rep. Hope Damon

Special Education is legally required and critically important. It is well known that the costs per student and per district can vary dramatically and unpredictably. Current statute only provides state Special Education Aid when the student’s services exceed 3.5 times the state average cost per pupil. That high threshold means districts must absorb extraordinary costs for services required by law and beneficial for the student. This bill would lower the threshold to 1.5 times the state average or about $30,000. Further, districts pay the full cost of special education up front and then submit documentation for reimbursement if costs are over the 3.5 times average cost per pupil. Most 26 13 FEBRUARY 2026 HOUSE RECORD years, the state does not appropriate enough funds, so the reimbursement amounts are prorated. When the state doesn’t provide anticipated special education aid funds, it affects all students as budget trade-offs are required. This bill removes the proration clause from law, increasing predictability for districts and helping stabilize district budgets. To really appreciate how necessary it is to improve state funding of special education, consider this data: 1. More than 31,000 students, about 20%, need special education services; 2. The average cost to educate a student with a disability is nearly $50,000 per year; 3. In 2024, state and federal funding covered less than 17% of special education costs, leaving districts forced to shift the burden to local property taxpayers to cover 83%; and 4. In 2024, 70 NH school districts spent over 25% of their entire budgets on special education. We have a constitutional obligation to provide an adequate education for all students. This bill is a targeted, practical step to make the existing program work predictably, reliably, and effectively. The minority believes we cannot wait for other proposals that have unknown outcomes in the legislative process. Voters are begging us for property tax relief – it is urgent to provide this special education aid.

Hearings and recordings

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

January 15, 2026 at 11:00Education Funding public hearing recording 2:39:27–2:47:02, about 8 min (estimated)
January 28, 2026 at 10:00Education Funding full committee work session recording 0:11:20–0:14:20, about 3 min (estimated)
February 6, 2026 at 10:00Education Funding executive session recording 0:02:45–0:06:36, about 4 min (estimated)
February 19, 2026House floor debate floor recording

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