HB 1659
relative to local property tax exemptions for veterans with a 100 percent disability rating.
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 | 2/5/2026 |
| LSR number | 2912 |
| Local government impact | no |
| Committee code | H18 |
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.
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
Dunn, Ron(R) Rock 16, Perez, Kristine(R) Rock 16, Suiter, John(R) Hills 36
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 Municipal and County Government
- January 16, 2026Public Hearing: 01/16/2026 09:00 am GP 154
- January 16, 2026Executive Session: 01/16/2026 09:00 am GP 154
- January 27, 2026Committee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate 01/16/2026 (Vote 16-0; CC)
- February 5, 2026Inexpedient to Legislate: MA VV 02/05/2026
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.
Committee — INEXPEDIENT TO LEGISLATE
This bill seeks to amend RSA 72 by adding a new section of law that enables the legislative body of a city or town to adopt an exemption or credit for qualifying veterans who have a permanent service-connected disability rating of 100% or is rated permanently and totally disabled due to individual unemployability, as determined by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. This legislation would exempt qualifying veterans from property tax assessed on the owner’s “homestead” meaning principal dwelling including the land surrounding it, not to exceed one acre if within a city or densely settled area or 10 acres in any other municipality. This credit would continue to the estate of a qualified deceased owner for the benefit of a surviving spouse who remains unmarried or any dependent child receiving benefits under 38 U.S.C. section 301 et seq. Under current New Hampshire law, there are at least six distinct veterans’ tax credits and exemptions that support NH veterans. An owner or beneficiary who elects to claim this credit would not be eligible for any other real property tax exemption for veterans under RSA 72. The bill also states that if a qualifying owner acquires a different homestead within the state, the credit may be claimed for the new homestead. Concerns of the committee include the use of the terms “credit” and “exemption” that have been used interchangeably throughout this bill although they are interpreted differently by the NH Department of Revenue Administration, resulting in some unclear language; the lack of an explanation on how the transfer of the credit when claimed for a different homestead would work with other municipalities; and would be problematic to administer requiring state and municipal software updates thus necessitating a fiscal note. Additionally, if a municipality chooses to adopt the property tax exemption for veterans with a 100% disability rating, this bill could shift a significant portion of local tax burden from one group of taxpayers to another. For these reasons, the committee recommended the bill Inexpedient to Legislate. Vote 16-0.
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 16, 2026 at 09:00Municipal and County Government public hearing recording 0:07:42–0:46:47, about 39 min (estimated)
- January 16, 2026 at 09:00Municipal and County Government executive session recording (start time not identified)
- February 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]