HB 457 - AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE

 

26Mar2025... 0917h

05/22/2025   2152s

 

2025 SESSION

25-0876

09/08

 

HOUSE BILL 457

 

AN ACT relative to zoning restrictions on dwelling units.

 

SPONSORS: Rep. Pauer, Hills. 36; Rep. Alexander Jr., Hills. 29; Rep. Bean, Belk. 6; Rep. Berry, Hills. 44; Rep. Damon, Sull. 8; Rep. Farrington, Straf. 8; Rep. A. Murray, Hills. 20; Rep. Presa, Hills. 12; Rep. Read, Rock. 10; Rep. Wheeler, Hills. 33; Sen. Innis, Dist 7; Sen. Murphy, Dist 16; Sen. Reardon, Dist 15; Sen. Watters, Dist 4

 

COMMITTEE: Housing

 

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AMENDED ANALYSIS

 

This bill prohibits the legislative body of a city, town, village district, or county in which there are located unincorporated towns or unorganized places from adopting or enforcing any ordinance that restricts the number of occupants of any dwelling unit to less than 2 occupants per bedroom or is based on the familial or non-familial relationships or marital status, occupation, employment status, or the educational status, including but not limited to scholastic enrollment or academic achievement at any level among the occupants of the dwelling unit, including but not limited to college students.

 

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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

26Mar2025... 0917h

05/22/2025   2152s 25-0876

09/08

 

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

 

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Five

 

AN ACT relative to zoning restrictions on dwelling units.

 

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

 

1  New Paragraph; Zoning; Grant of Power; Dwelling Unit Occupancy.  Amend RSA 674:16 by inserting after paragraph VII the following new paragraph:

VIII.  In its exercise of the powers granted under this subdivision, the legislative body of a city, town, village district, or county in which there are located unincorporated towns or unorganized places shall not adopt any ordinance that restricts the number of occupants of any dwelling unit to less than 2 occupants per bedroom, and the governing body thereof shall not enforce any such ordinance.  Such legislative body shall not adopt any ordinance  based on the familial or non-familial relationships or marital status, occupation, employment status, or the educational status, including but not limited to scholastic enrollment or academic achievement at any level among the occupants of the dwelling unit, including but not limited to college students, and the governing body thereof shall not enforce any such ordinance.  Nothing in this section shall prohibit the enforcement of the state building code or state fire code.

2  Effective Date.  This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.