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HB 1596-FN

relative to the collection of certain health care program premiums; funding for the university system of New Hampshire; and raising the tobacco tax.

Filed 2026 · Killed · Ways and Means · Taxes - State

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	2/12/2026
LSR number	2942
Local government impact	no
Committee code	H28

Bill text (PDF) ↗

Where it stands

Pending action in the other chamber

1 of the floor votes on this bill were voice or division votes, which do not record how individual legislators voted.

Sponsors

Stringham, Jerry(D) Graf 3, Burton, Wayne(D) Straf 10, 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.

• January 7, 2026Introduced 01/07/2026 and referred to Ways and Means
• January 12, 2026Public Hearing: 01/12/2026 10:00 am GP 159
• January 28, 2026Full Committee Work Session: 01/28/2026 01:00 pm GP 159
• January 28, 2026Executive Session: 01/28/2026 02:00 pm GP 154
• February 4, 2026Majority Committee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate 01/28/2026 (Vote 11-8; RC)
• February 4, 2026Minority Committee Report: Ought to Pass
• February 12, 2026Special Order to second order of business after lunch (Rep. Janigian): MA VV 02/12/2026
• February 12, 2026Inexpedient to Legislate: MA RC 200-157 02/12/2026

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 12, 2026 · House · 200–157, adopted

Votes by party

Party	Yes	No	Presiding	Excused	Absent
Republican	196	2	1	12	6
Democrat	4	155	0	9	8
Independent	0	0	0	0	1
Total	200	157	1	21	15

Yes — 200

• 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
• Belcher, Mike(R) Carr 4
• 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
• Bordes, Mike(R) Belk 5
• Boyd, Bill(R) Hills 12
• Boyd, Stephen(R) Merr 10
• Bridle, Nicholas(R) Rock 29
• Brown, Pam(R) Rock 14
• Bryer, Scott(R) Rock 1
• Burnham, Claudine(R) Straf 2
• Cambrils, Jose(R) Merr 4
• Coker, Matthew(R) Belk 2
• Colcombe, Riché(R) Hills 30
• Cole, Brian(R) Hills 26
• Comtois, Barbara(R) Belk 7
• Corcoran, Travis(R) Hills 28
• Crawford, Karel(R) Carr 3
• 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
• 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
• Flanagan, Jack(R) Hills 45
• Franz, Linda(R) Graf 6
• Freeman, Lisa(R) Belk 8
• Gagne, Larry(R) Hills 16
• Giasson, Henry(R) Hills 29
• Girard, Dale(R) Sull 6
• 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
• Harb, Robert(R) Rock 20
• Harrington, Michael(R) Straf 18
• Hemingway, Wayne(R) Sull 6
• Hill, Gregory(R) Merr 2
• Hunt, John(R) Ches 14
• Janigian, John(R) Rock 25
• Kaczynski, Thomas(R) Straf 5
• Karasinski, Sly(R) Ches 10
• Katsakiores, Phyllis(R) Rock 13
• 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
• Leavitt, John(R) Merr 10
• 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, Wayne(R) Rock 16
• Mannion, Dennis(R) Rock 25
• Mannion, Tom(R) Hills 1
• Markell, Jay(R) Rock 18
• 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
• McMahon, Charles(R) Rock 17
• 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
• Nadeau, Brian(R) Rock 4
• Nalevanko, Rich(R) Ches 9
• Nelson, Jodi(R) Rock 13
• Newell, Jodi(D) Ches 4
• 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
• Popovici-Muller, Daniel(R) Rock 17
• 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
• Prout, Andrew(R) Hills 13
• Prudhomme-O'Brien, Katherine(R) Rock 13
• Qualey, James(R) Ches 18
• Reinfurt, Sherri(R) Hills 29
• Rhodes, Jennifer(R) Ches 17
• Rice, Kimberly(R) Hills 38
• 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
• Soucy, Timothy(D) Merr 21
• Spillane, James(R) Rock 2
• Spilsbury, Walter(R) Sull 3
• Stone, John(D) Straf 12
• Suiter, John(R) Hills 36
• Summers, James(R) Rock 20
• Sweeney, Joe(R) Rock 25
• Sytek, John(R) Rock 25
• Taylor, Brian(R) Carr 8
• Terry, Paul(R) Belk 7
• Thackston, Dick(R) Ches 12
• Thibault, James(R) Merr 25
• Thomas, Douglas(R) Rock 16
• Tierney, James(R) Coos 1
• Tremblay, Marc(R) Coos 5
• Tripp, Richard(R) Rock 13
• Tudor, Paul(R) Rock 1
• Turcotte, Len(R) Straf 4
• Turer, Eric(D) Rock 6
• Ulery, Jordan(R) Hills 13
• Vandecasteele, Susan(R) Rock 25
• 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
• Burroughs, Anita(D) Carr 2
• 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
• Colby, Eleana(D) Merr 9
• 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
• Ebel, Karen(D) Merr 7
• Edgar, Michael(D) Rock 29
• Elberger, Susan(D) Hills 5
• 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
• Gilmore, Gary(D) Straf 16
• Gregg, Alicia(D) Hills 7
• 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
• Hamblen, Joseph(R) Carr 3
• Hartnett, Tim(D) Hillsborough 41
• Harvey, Cathryn(D) Ches 6
• Haskins, Linda(D) Rockingham 11
• Hegner, Karen(D) Hills 41
• Herbert, Christopher(D) Hills 24
• Hicks, Matthew(D) Merr 24
• Horrigan, Timothy(D) Straf 10
• Howard, Heath(D) Straf 4
• Howland, Allan(D) Straf 20
• Jack, Martin(D) Hills 10
• Jacobs, Samantha(D) Ches 15
• 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
• Leapley, Nicole(D) Hills 22
• 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
• 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
• 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
• 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
• Pearson, Wayne(D) Straf 12
• Petrigno, Peter(D) Hills 43
• Plamondon, Marc(D) Hills 3
• Preece, David(D) Hills 17
• Proulx, Mark(R) Hills 15
• Raymond, Heather(D) Hills 5
• Raynolds, Ned(D) Rock 39
• Read, Ellen(D) Rock 10
• 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
• Schultz, Kris(D) Merr 29
• 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
• Stavis, Laurel(D) Graf 13
• 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
• 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 — 21

• Bean, Harry(R) Belknap 6
• Brown, Richard(R) Carr 8
• Buco, Thomas(D) Carr 1
• Dolan, William(D) Hills 9
• Dumont, Dillon(R) Hills 13
• Durkin, Sean(R) Coos 1
• England, Myles(D) Straf 12
• Foote, Charles(R) Rock 13
• Gilman, Julie(D) Rock 11
• Grossman, Gaby(D) Rock 11
• MacDonald, John(R) Carr 6
• MacKenzie, Mark(D) Hills 40
• Mannion, Tim(R) Hills 1
• Meuse, David(D) Rock 37
• Murphy, Mary(R) Hills 27
• Murphy, Michael(R) Coos 6
• Richards, Beth(D) Merr 17
• Roy, Terry(R) Rock 31
• Sofikitis, Catherine(D) Hills 7
• Tenczar, Jeffrey(R) Hills 1
• Varney, Peter(R) Belk 7

Absent — 15

• Ankarberg, Aidan(I) Straf 7
• Beauchemin, Paige(D) Hills 3
• DiSilvestro, Linda(D) Hills 17
• Dumais, Russell(R) Belk 6
• Ford, Mary(R) Rock 3
• Gibbs, Merryl(D) Merr 23
• Harriott-Gathright, Linda(D) Hills 10
• Harvey-Bolia, Juliet(R) Belk 3
• Howard, Molly(D) Hills 31
• MacKay, James(D) Merr 18
• Malone, Amy(D) Straf 9
• Morse, Bryan(R) Merr 3
• Roesener, James(D) Merr 22
• Toner, Travis(R) Belk 4
• Trottier, Douglas(R) Belk 8

Special Order to second 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

Raising the tobacco tax from $1.78 to $2.80 per pack significantly erodes New Hampshire’s long-standing competitive advantage of low taxes. Border communities rely on price differentials to attract commerce from neighboring states. A sharp increase of this magnitude risks driving consumers to purchase tobacco products elsewhere, thus reducing in-state retail activity and ultimately weakening the revenue stream the bill depends on. The bill also creates a permanent $18 million annual appropriation to the University System of New Hampshire while simultaneously repealing healthcare programs that were designed to offset general fund costs. According to the fiscal note, this results in approximately $34 million per year in new general fund expenses beginning in fiscal year 2027. By repealing premiums for Children’s Health Insurance Program and the Granite Advantage Program, the bill shifts costs away from program participants and onto all taxpayers. These premiums were intentionally implemented to help control costs and reduce pressure on the general fund. Eliminating them increases state expenditures by an estimated $16 million annually with no corresponding cost containment measures, weakening fiscal discipline and expanding government obligations without reform. This legislation raises taxes, expands recurring spending, and relies on uncertain revenue while dismantling existing cost sharing mechanisms. It threatens New Hampshire low-tax identity and creates long term budgetary pressure that will be difficult to unwind. Vote 11-8.

Minority — OUGHT TO PASS

Rep. Terry Spahr

Like the 90 other flat fees that were raised last year in the budget, the minority recommends raising the flat cigarette tax for the first time in 13 years to adjust for inflation. This adjustment would bring enormous relief to the $67 million of losses suffered in 2025 in the state budget and halt the possible loss of tens of millions of dollars in 2026. Besides a smart financial decision for the state, this adjustment should likely encourage some remaining smokers to quit, lowering future health costs to themselves and to our state. It would also enormously benefit businesses in New Hampshire which lose a whopping $1.5 billion dollars every year in productivity from workers who smoke and are unable to perform their work. Politically, financially, and medically, passing this bill is a nobrainer in making New Hampshire stronger.

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 12, 2026 at 10:00Ways and Means public hearing
• January 28, 2026 at 13:00Ways and Means full committee work session recording 3:27:44–3:37:04, about 9 min (estimated)
• January 28, 2026 at 14:00Ways and Means executive session recording 5:24:00–5:24:30, about 0 min (estimated)
• February 12, 2026House floor debate floor recording

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