Committee Summary for House Education Policy and Administration (03/25/2026)

Bill/Time	Type	Title	Sponsor
SB577 00:05:41.327 - 9:01:12 AM	Public Hearing	prohibiting the use of specific color additives in meals offered or made available by public schools.	Perkins Kwoka, Rebecca(D)[F]2025
SB429 00:37:32.372 - 9:33:03 AM	Public Hearing	relative to the placement of trauma kits in public schools and making an appropriation therefor.	Prentiss, Suzanne(D)[F]2025
SB575 01:07:09.908 - 10:02:40 AM	Public Hearing	establishing a study committee to study the issue of school bullying.	Fenton, Donovan(D)[F]2025
SB101 2024-1271s 03:06:43.891 - 12:02:14 PM	Public Hearing	(New Title) authorizing parents to enroll their children in any public school in the state and creating a limited exemption from parental consent required for certain recordings under the parental bill of rights.	Lang, Timothy(R)[B-]2025

SB577: Senator Perkins-Cuoka Information Only00:05:41.327 - 9:01:12 AM; Introduces the bill and explains the amendment to allow exceptions for fundraisers like bake sales or selling Gatorade outside regular school hours. Addresses questions on impacts to student-shared treats, birthdays, and federal guidelines.
SB577: Representative Selig Information Only00:10:00.000 - 9:05:31 AM; Asks about impacts on secular holidays, student-shared candy, Valentine's Day fundraisers, and birthday treats, seeking ways to balance protection with celebrations.
SB577: Representative Belcher Information Only00:12:00.000 - 9:07:31 AM; Expresses support for healthier school meals but questions fiscal note's indeterminable cost and relation to federal reimbursement guidelines.
SB577: Representative Terry Information Only00:14:00.000 - 9:09:31 AM; Seeks clarification on the amendment's exception for fundraisers, definition of school campus, and implementation questions directed to DOE.
SB577: Kelly Rambo, Department of Education Information Only00:20:41.327 - 9:16:12 AM; Discusses prevalence of color additives, implementation feasibility by 2028, federal guidelines allowing stricter state rules without losing reimbursement, industry changes, a la carte items, fundraisers, local wellness policies, and farm-to-school programs. Addresses challenges with food costs and geographic factors.
SB577: Representative Sally Information Only00:30:00.000 - 9:25:31 AM; Inquires about partnerships with local fisheries and farms to increase healthy, local food options in schools.
SB577: Representative Terry (follow-up) Information Only00:32:00.000 - 9:27:31 AM; Questions implementation date of 2028 given bans in other states like Connecticut and Massachusetts.
SB577: Representative Murray Information Only00:35:00.000 - 9:30:31 AM; Asks about reimbursable vs. a la carte meals, sourcing of items like gel fruit snacks, and challenges in securing compliant foods.
SB429: Senator Sue Prentice Support00:37:32.372 - 9:33:03 AM; Introduces the bill as a former EMT, paramedic, and state EMS chief. Explains need for tourniquets in schools as frontline bleeding control, similar to AEDs and state buildings. Cites trauma as leading cause of death for ages 1-44, references Boston Marathon and Newtown. Requests appropriation for kits costing $15-22 each, allowing up to 1000 kits. Allows for donations and collaboration with DOE.
SB429: Representative Terry Information Only00:42:00.000 - 9:37:31 AM; Questions if one trauma kit per school suffices, especially for athletic fields, comparing to AED expansions.
SB429: Representative Belter Information Only00:45:00.000 - 9:40:31 AM; As a paramedic, asks who is qualified to use tourniquets, noting training typically at EMT level.
SB429: Representative McDonald Information Only00:48:00.000 - 9:43:31 AM; Notes funding gap and asks about potential donors, referencing past AED donations.
SB429: Representative Dry Information Only00:50:00.000 - 9:45:31 AM; Asks if 911 operators can guide untrained individuals in emergencies.
SB429: Representative Murray Information Only00:51:00.000 - 9:46:31 AM; Questions visibility and labeling of trauma kits compared to AED boxes.
SB429: Representative NATO Information Only00:53:00.000 - 9:48:31 AM; Seeks elaboration on state-occupied buildings needing kits and percentage of schools without them, questioning if nurses already have supplies.
SB575: Senator Sue Prentice (for Senator Donovan Fenton), District 5 Support01:07:09.908 - 10:02:40 AM; Senator Prentice introduces SB 575, which establishes a study committee on school bullying. She highlights the serious impacts of bullying on students' well-being, academic success, and safety, referencing recent events in Keene. The bill aims to examine best practices for prevention and determine if further legislation is needed, without assigning blame. She emphasizes the need for resources, policies, and training to protect students and urges support for safer school environments.
SB575: Becky Wilson, Director of Governmental Relations, New Hampshire School Boards Association Support01:22:09.908 - 10:17:40 AM; Wilson supports the study committee to address ongoing confusion in bullying and harassment reporting, such as differences between founded incidents versus all reports, and ambiguities in negligence language and definitions. She notes repeated bullying bills indicate need for clarity on reporting standards, consequences, and addressing bullying effectively. She believes the committee can vet issues and reduce confusion, benefiting schools. She addresses frustrations from parents, attributing some to misunderstandings of current laws, and stresses schools follow laws but face challenges with adolescent behavior and reporting.
SB575: Jerry Frew, Associate Executive Director, New Hampshire School Administrators Association Information Only01:22:09.908 - 10:17:40 AM; Frew provides information in response to a question about superintendent discussions. He explains that superintendents meet regionally monthly to discuss hot topics, including bullying, and hold statewide meetings and trainings on restorative practices and other issues.
SB101 2024-1271s: Senator Lane (prime sponsor), with Mark Maynard, Bureau of School Finance, Department of Education Support03:06:43.891 - 12:02:14 PM; Senator Lane presents an opening statement advocating for open enrollment to allow students to attend public schools outside their district based on capacity and local board decisions, not zip code. It empowers families, especially for bullied students or those needing advanced courses, and incentivizes school improvement through competition while keeping funding in public schools. He explains the amendment page by page: Page 1 defines terms like capacity (set by local governing body, considering mid-year enrollments and not exceeding 306 standards). Page 2 details capacity determination per grade/program, admissions policy with limited denial reasons (e.g., lack of capacity, discipline history), and biannual publication of capacities online. Page 3 covers application process with priorities (e.g., matriculating students), bus transportation (parent responsibility if no capacity on routes), transfer limits (once per year, back to resident district only), and funding using a charter school model: 80% of per-pupil grant to receiving district, 100% to resident for special ed, with state covering the difference (~$2,000 per student, estimated $6-7M annually for 2% uptake). Existing tuition agreements are preserved. He addresses concerns on special education (resident district responsible), transportation (parental unless district chooses otherwise), and socioeconomic impacts, defending local control and opportunity.
SB101 2024-1271s: Representative Timothy Horgan, Durham Oppose04:21:43.891 - 1:17:14 PM; Representative Horgan criticizes the bill as overly complicated and unworkable, describing it as a 'dog's breakfast' patched together from stakeholder feedback without addressing core issues. He expresses concerns about using the charter school model for all districts, noting differences in rules and governance, including culture war issues like flags and curriculum restrictions that apply unevenly. He worries about potential segregation, inconsistency in school rules, and the need for major restructuring of the education system. Horgan suggests sending the bill to interim study or ITL rather than rushing it, predicting further amendments will make it even more complex and ineffective.
SB101 2024-1271s: Representative Dan LeClaire, Amherst Oppose04:30:00.000 - 1:25:31 PM; Representative LeClaire highlights funding concerns, referencing a recent bill for first responders' mental health support costing under $200,000 that faced opposition due to lack of funds, questioning how open enrollment would be financed. He notes over 1,300 online testimonies opposing the bill compared to fewer than 60 in support, suggesting it does not align with public or parental will. LeClaire indicates he will not support the bill on the floor, emphasizing fiscal constraints and constituent opposition.
SB101 2024-1271s: Kelly Gibson, Wilton Support04:36:43.891 - 1:32:14 PM; Kelly Gibson, a single mother of children with special needs, supports SB 101 despite imperfections, sharing personal struggles with her district's failure to provide services, including denials of manifest hardship and IEPs for her children and grandson. She urges clearer inclusion of pupils qualifying under FAPE in the amendment's definition and revisions to protect special education students from past behavioral issues hindering transfers. Gibson opposes the one-year delay, arguing it harms young children during critical developmental periods, and downplays transportation costs as a lesser evil compared to inadequate local education. She emphasizes the bill's potential to provide safe, appropriate education for low-income families like hers, criticizing school districts' loopholes and the ineffectiveness of due process without resources.
SB101 2024-1271s: Representative Pam Brown, Kingston and East Kingston Support04:55:00.000 - 1:50:31 PM; Representative Brown, an economist and educator, supports SB 101 for promoting competition and parental choice to reduce school costs and property taxes. She cites a 2020 NBER study showing improved outcomes in public schools facing competition, especially for low-socioeconomic students, including better academic and behavioral results. Brown argues against monopolistic public school systems with rigid pay structures leading to high costs and slow innovation, rejecting budget or tax caps as lazy solutions. She views open enrollment as incentivizing efficiency and improvement across education providers.
SB101 2024-1271s: Representative Burton Oppose05:00:00.000 - 1:55:31 PM; Representative Burton objects to the bill's requirement for schools to determine capacity without knowing the number of special education students, particularly in districts like Oyster River that attract special ed families. She questions whether schools would turn away or adjust for IEP students, seeing it as a significant unresolved issue. Burton opposes the 'pass it and then fix it' approach, agreeing with prior opposition and urging caution.
SB101 2024-1271s: Representative Heather Raymond, Nashua Oppose05:05:00.000 - 2:00:31 PM; Representative Raymond, experienced in education policy and budgeting, raises concerns about special education impacts under open enrollment. She highlights Nashua's unique program for deaf and hard-of-hearing students, costing districts $50,000 per student, which could become unaffordable, threatening services like interpreters, therapists, and specialized equipment essential for IEPs. The amendment leaves financial impacts unclear, potentially disrupting integrated programs beneficial for elementary students.
SB101 2024-1271s: Representative Heather Raymond, Nashua Information Only05:05:00.000 - 2:00:31 PM; During questioning, Representative Raymond discusses Nashua schools not being at capacity per fire code but limited by teacher contracts and state law, such as 24 students max in AP chemistry. She highlights special education programs like for the hard of hearing, funded through tuition agreements costing over $50,000 per student, while open enrollment might only provide $16,000, leading to financial strain. She expresses concerns about impacts on CTE programs, needing more study for equity in special ed and CTE, and notes budgeting challenges with staff layoffs and rising costs.
SB101 2024-1271s: Member of Merrimack School District Budget Committee Oppose05:21:43.891 - 2:17:14 PM; The speaker opposes SB 101, arguing that public schools are not businesses and teachers work hard despite decreasing state aid and budget cuts, including 21 staff members and the gifted program. The bill increases disparities between affluent and low-socioeconomic districts without addressing funding issues. Concerns include transportation barriers for families, funding from the education trust fund conflicting with special education needs, low reimbursement rates (68% for Merrimack), administrative burdens, and unfunded mandates. Online testimony shows overwhelming opposition (1,383 opposed vs. 59 support). Urges the committee to oppose the bill.
SB101 2024-1271s: Christine Downing, Goshen School District Moderator/Clerk, NHSAA Legislative Committee Chair, Grantham School District Superintendent Oppose05:36:43.891 - 2:32:14 PM; Downing provides written testimony and documents on equity and open enrollment concerns, especially for special education. She critiques the amendment's definition of capacity, noting conflicts with 306 rules on educator-to-student ratios and the term 'program.' Questions denial processes for students with special needs if programs are unavailable. Discusses impacts on existing tuition, area, and cooperative agreements, using Goshen's multiple agreements as an example. Suggests tightening state board duties with specific rules and timelines from HB 1280. Recommends studying or ITL the amendment as more work is needed. In Grantham, the district is at capacity and set 0% open enrollment.
SB101 2024-1271s: Anne Marie Banfield, Parent Advocate Support06:06:43.891 - 3:02:14 PM; Banfield supports SB 101 to address bullying and safety issues in public schools, citing a Seabrook parent's struggle to transfer her bullied son to Hampton Falls despite State Board approval, leading to homeschooling. Emphasizes prioritizing student needs over institutions, noting resistance even for public-to-public transfers. Schools should plan for growth and conduct exit interviews to fix problems. Opponents' concerns about planning and finances are secondary to protecting children; some schools resolve issues effectively when pushed.
SB101 2024-1271s: Kelly McConnell, Chair of Hanover School Board Oppose06:21:43.891 - 3:17:14 PM; McConnell opposes SB 101 and the amendment, citing risks to smaller districts and Hanover-Dresden specifics like the interstate compact with Norwich, VT, which prioritizes enrollment but is undefined in the bill, potentially opening to all Vermont students. Anticipates administrative costs for processing, legal fees, and special education challenges without adequate funding ($9,000 per student vs. $21,545 average cost). Concerns include support for students from aided communities, IEP responsibilities split between districts, and unintended consequences for athletics and co-curriculars like recruiting and talent consolidation. Urges a no vote for more planning time.
SB101 2024-1271s: Reason Foundation Representative Information Only06:21:43.891 - 3:17:14 PM; The speaker praises SB 101 as a strong bill that would improve New Hampshire's open enrollment policies, boosting the state's ranking on Reason's best practices to 82 out of 100, a B-, making it the 12th best in the nation and the best in the Northeast, surpassing other New England states. The bill leaves room for future improvements, including requiring school districts to post open enrollment policies on their websites, providing written reasons for denials with appeal rights to the Department of Education, and including actual transfer numbers in annual reports rather than just applications.
SB101 2024-1271s: Dr. Timothy Broderick, Superintendent of Prospect Mountain Joint Maintenance Agreement and SAU 301 Support06:25:00.000 - 3:20:31 PM; Dr. Broderick, as superintendent of the state's only open enrollment high school at Prospect Mountain High School, provides a unique perspective based on three years of operating under RSA 194D. He argues that concerns about eroding local control and unpredictable enrollment are exaggerated, especially with the proposed amendment addressing budgeting concerns. He notes that in 19 states with universal open enrollment, only about 6% of students participate, operating on the margins and often solving problems for sending districts by allowing conflicted families to transfer. He details their implementation process, including blind admissions, no reapplication needed, careful capacity setting, and collaboration with the Department of Education. He emphasizes that open enrollment adds to existing schools without building new ones, supports socioeconomic diversity, and has strong community backing in Alton and Barnstead. During Q&A, he discusses high retention rates (90% stay, all full-year students return), positive family feedback, low marginal costs per additional student (around $2,000 vs. full per-pupil), varying tuition rates based on sending districts (average $17,000, 80% of their costs), and handling special needs without specific numbers but affirming they meet needs. He advocates for full-time enrollment and careful local control in capacity decisions.
SB101 2024-1271s: Laura Vincent, Loudon Resident and Former School Board Member Oppose06:55:00.000 - 3:50:31 PM; Laura Vincent opposes SB 101, arguing it would help few students while disadvantaging most, even with the amendment. She highlights that families must pay remaining tuition after 80-100% from sending districts and provide transportation, excluding lower and middle-income families. Handling special needs is unclear, potentially allowing rejections by receiving schools lacking resources, burdening sending schools as one student's departure doesn't reduce classroom costs. She suggests more funding for public schools to meet needs and supports district collaborations for rare cases rather than statewide mandates, which add bureaucracy. She urges voting against the bill.
SB101 2024-1271s: Jessica Bickford, Superintendent of SAU 53 (Pembroke and Deerfield) Support06:58:00.000 - 3:53:31 PM; Jessica Bickford, as superintendent, mother, and special educator, does not support the original SB 101 but supports the amendment for creating a better framework. Drawing from experience with open enrollment, including litigation and as both sending and receiving district, she notes Pembroke's vote for open enrollment was to receive students up to 200 capacity to address declining enrollment, but exit criteria were set to zero to retain local taxes; the amendment resolves this. She believes most students won't leave due to quality education offered and suggests allowing schools that voted for open enrollment this spring to proceed for the coming year, avoiding disappointment for 20 waiting families, while rulemaking occurs. She offers to work with families for better fits and respects time constraints.

Noble, Kristin(Chairman)(R)[A+]2025	Drye, Margaret(Clerk)(R)[B+]2025	Peternel, Katy(V Chairman)(R)[A]2025
Cornell, Patricia(D)[F]2025	Freeman, Lisa(R)[B+]2025	Belcher, Mike(R)[B+]2025
Hall, Muriel(D)[CT]2025	Terry, Paul(R)[B+]2025	McDonnell, Valerie(R)[B+]2025
Selig, Loren(D)[D-]2025	Balboni, Peggy(D)[CT]2025	Murray, Megan(D)[CT]2025
Tenczar, Jeffrey(R)[B+]2025	Litchfield, Melissa(R)[B+]2025	Woodcock, Stephen(D)[F]2025
Kluger, Lee Ann(D)[F]2025	Snodgrass, Jim(D)[F]2025	Nadeau, Brian(R)[B+]2025