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NH HB1603

Bill

Status

Engrossed

2/25/2026

Primary Sponsor

Sayra Devito

Click for details

Origin

House of Representatives

2026 Regular Session

AI Summary

  • State agencies and municipal officials must provide verifiable evidence of endangered or threatened species presence before imposing land use restrictions, including written landowner permission or administrative warrant, observer credentials, GPS coordinates, and date/time-stamped photographs

  • Previously collected species data is only valid if the landowner gave permission or an administrative search warrant was issued at the time of collection

  • Land use applications cannot require new biodiversity searches as a precondition for application submission or subsequent approval

  • Estimated state expenditure impact exceeds $1,000,000 per year for database creation, record review, and continuous statewide wildlife surveys to meet the new evidentiary requirements

  • Takes effect 60 days after passage

Legislative Description

Requiring the executive director of the department of fish and game to adopt rules relative to procedures for verifying accuracy of records collected relative to threatened and endangered wildlife and ensuring landowner permission is granted for the gathering of such record.

Last Action

==RECONVENE== Hearing: 03/17/2026, Room 103, State House, 09:00 am; Senate Calendar 10

3/12/2026

Committee Referrals

Energy and Natural Resources2/25/2026
Finance2/19/2026
Resources, Recreation and Development12/10/2025

Full Bill Text

No bill text available