New Laws Guidance

UPDATED Governor Ayotte signed House Bill 577 on July 15, 2025, relative to accessory dwelling units, substantially amending RSA 674:71 to :73. This document provides local officials with guidance on how to interpret and implement the new law. We also provide a suggested zoning amendment that would ensure compliance with HB 577.

UPDATED

HB 124 added a provision to RSA 31:113 which allows towns to take a surplus out of the forest maintenance fund and place it into the unreserved fund balance.

UPDATED This is an updated version of the Changes to Planning & Zoning Laws in 2025 Guide, published in July 2025.

This guidance has been prepared jointly by the New Hampshire Building Officials Association (NHBOA) and NHMA.

HB 230, which goes into effect on August 1, 2025, modifies the language of RSA 147:1 by removing the language “and such other regulations relating to the public health.” The statute will now read, “The health officers of towns may make regulations for the prevention and removal of nuisances…” This raises a question of whether this change to the language of the statute alters the ability of local health officers to make regulations. Unfortunately, the statute does not include a definition of the term “nuisance” despite the fact that this term is used throughout Chapter 147. Without a statutory definition, it is unclear what the legal difference is between the term “nuisance” and “other regulations relating to the public health.”