NH HB1818

Establishes a School Facility Consolidation Incentive Fund to provide grants of up to $1,500,000 per district annually for closing underutilized schools and consolidating facilities, with planning grants of up to $150,000 for feasibility studies

Facilities closed using fund grants must remain closed for at least 20 years or districts must repay all grant moneys received, though the commissioner may waive penalties for good cause

Priority for grants goes to districts with facility utilization below 70%, enrollment decline of 10% or more over 5 years, operating costs per pupil 15% above state average, or equalized valuation per pupil 35% above state median

Expands school building aid to include consolidation projects at 50% of approved project costs, capped at $1,500,000 per fiscal year, and requires districts to submit long-range capital improvement plans to the Department of Education

Appropriates $10,000,000 from the Education Trust Fund for fiscal year 2027 to administer and distribute consolidation incentive grants