HB 1802-FN-A would have mandated annual training, testing, and certification for all elected and appointed planning board and zoning board of adjustment members. The bill also required creation of a statewide system — run through the Office of Planning and Development (OPD) — to track and publicly post board member qualifications. Under current New Hampshire law, training for land-use board members is optional.
View HB 1802-FN-A here.
NHAR supported the bill. There was broad agreement that land-use law is complex and that training for planning and zoning board members is beneficial. However, members of the House Municipal and County Government Committee, along with the NH Municipal Association, argued that towns already struggle to recruit and retain volunteers, and that mandatory certification — particularly one made public — could further discourage participation.
Proponents countered that discouraging uninformed board members was precisely the point. They argued that too often board members substitute personal opinions for town ordinances and state law, leading to costly and unnecessary litigation for both municipalities and private property owners. Both Rhode Island and Connecticut mandate such education and there has been no decrease in land use board participation.
The House Municipal & County Committee — almost entirely composed of local board officials — rejected that argument and voted unanimously to recommend the bill be killed.
Studying Deed and Land Fraud
House Bill 1040 establishes a committee to study potential legislative protections against property fraud and title theft, particularly those involving quitclaim deeds. Land and deed fraud has been an ongoing issue across the state, and Realtors are encouraged to learn more about ways to protect both themselves and their clients.
A legislative fix is challenging, as many perpetrators operate across state lines, making enforcement largely a federal issue. The Commerce Committee is recommending passage of the bill.
Price-Setting Bill Needs a Lot of Fixing
House Bill 1612 would prohibit the use of any type of “price-fixing software" by landlords and allow prospective tenants to file complaints with the NH Department of Justice’s Consumer Protection and Antitrust Bureau for deceptive practices.
The bill, however, fails to define what constitutes “price-fixing software,” or even what behavior would qualify as anti-competitive activity. The lack of clarity raised significant concerns and confusion over what software or online vendors a landlord would be permitted to utilize.
The House Housing Committee voted 10-8 to recommend killing the bill. The full House will take it up later this week.
Champions Chopped
House Bill 1196 would repeal the state’s Housing Champion designation and grant program. In 2025 alone, the program helped create 373 workforce housing units and funded infrastructure improvements that may have unlocked hundreds more.
NHAR, along with a broad bipartisan coalition, supported the Gov. Sununu-era program and the state funding that made it possible. While acknowledging the state’s current fiscal challenges, NHAR testified in opposition to the bill, particularly because it could claw back millions in already-obligated funds. NHAR argued that those funds should be released to municipalities as promised.
The House Housing Committee voted 10-8 to recommend ending the program. The full House will take final action this week.
We All We Got. We All We Weed.
House Bill 1015 would require sellers, at the time of closing, to complete and sign a disclosure stating whether Japanese knotweed is present on the property as of the date of sale.
That means sellers would be required to disclose the presence of knotweed even if they’re not exactly Vrabel to identify invasive plants. NHAR generally loves when statutes say sellers “Maye” disclose rather than “must.” The NH Department of Agriculture already classifies more than 20 invasive plant species statewide, so it was unclear why Japanese knotweed alone deserved Super Bowl-level coverage.
The committee wasn’t ready to Kraft more workable language and ultimately chose to punt the bill for now.
Quote of the Week
“The number of single-family units permitted statewide has declined every year since 2020.”
—NH Dept. of Business & Economic Affairs 2025 Current Estimates and Trends in New Hampshire’s Housing Supply reported that permits for single-family homes have declined 20 percent, while median sales price has risen 60 percent, since 2020. Multi-family units have increased significantly during the same period, largely due to state funding programs which are now largely depleted.
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For more information, contact New Hampshire Realtors CEO Bob Quinn: bob@nhar.com.