New Hampshire HB 1374: modifying the procedures for withdrawal from a cooperative school district and the discontinuance of elementary and high schools and requiring the review of school district operating documents by school boards.

Bill Text

HB 1374 - AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE

05/07/2026 1731s

2026 SESSION

 26-3033

 12/09

HOUSE BILL 1374

AN ACT modifying the procedures for withdrawal from a cooperative school district and the discontinuance of elementary and high schools and requiring the review of school district operating documents by school boards.

SPONSORS: Rep. Mary Murphy, Hills. 27; Rep. Colcombe, Hills. 30; Rep. Ford, Rock. 3; Rep. Peeples, Hills. 14; Rep. D. McGuire, Merr. 14; Rep. Porcelli, Rock. 19; Rep. P. Brown, Rock. 14; Sen. Ward, Dist 8

COMMITTEE: Education Policy and Administration

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AMENDED ANALYSIS

 This bill:

 I. Modifies the procedure for withdrawal from a cooperative school district to allow a majority of voters in a single withdrawing district to elect to withdraw.

 II. Clarifies that a supermajority of voters in a withdrawing district voting in favor of withdrawal shall constitute conclusive evidence of the withdrawal of the district.

 III. Requires that voters residing in all municipalities that are served by a school district vote on the closure of schools. 

 IV. Establishes an option for the governing bodies of municipalities to preserve the operation of a school located within the municipality where the majority of voters residing in all municipalities served by the district elected to close such school. 

 V. Requires the governing bodies of municipalities to enter into an operating agreement with the district where such option to preserve the operation of a school has been exercised.

 VI. Authorizes the state board of education to conduct hearings and issue final decisions relative to whether a school shall be closed or its operation shall be continued in circumstances where an operating agreement has not been entered into.

 VII. Requires school administrative units and cooperative school districts comply with the provisions of the act.

 VIII. Requires every 3 years school boards of single district school districts, cooperative school districts, and school administrative units review operating documents for each district and provide findings and recommendations resulting from such review.

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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

 Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

 Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

05/07/2026 1731s 26-3033

 12/09

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty-Six

AN ACT modifying the procedures for withdrawal from a cooperative school district and the discontinuance of elementary and high schools and requiring the review of school district operating documents by school boards.

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

 1 Vote on Withdrawal; Withdrawing District Only; Supermajority Requirement Modified. Amend RSA 195:29 to read as follows:

 195:29 Vote on Withdrawal. If the state board approves the plan for withdrawal, the board shall cause the withdrawal plan to be published once in some newspaper generally circulated within the cooperative school district. Upon receipt of a written notice of the board's approval of the withdrawal agreement, the school board of the cooperative district shall cause the withdrawal plan to be filed with the clerk of the cooperative school district and submitted to the voters of the withdrawing district as soon as may reasonably be possible at an annual or special meeting called for the purpose, the voting to be by ballot with the use of the checklist, after reasonable opportunity for debate in open meeting. The article in the warrant for the withdrawing district meeting and the question on the ballot to be used at the meeting shall be in substantially the following form:

"Shall the school district accept the provisions of RSA 195 (as amended) providing for the withdrawal of the preexisting district of __________ from the __________ cooperative school district in accordance with the provisions of the proposed withdrawal plan filed with the school district clerk?"

Yes _________ No _________

 I. If a majority of voters present and voting in the withdrawing preexisting district vote in the negative, against withdrawal, then the withdrawal process is terminated.

 II. If a 3/5 supermajority [majority] of the voters present and voting in the withdrawing preexisting district shall vote in the affirmative, in favor of withdrawal [and a majority of the voters present and voting in the entire cooperative district shall vote in the affirmative, in favor of withdrawal], the clerk of the cooperative school district shall forthwith send to the state board of education a certified copy of the warrant, certificate of posting, evidence of publication, and minutes o