The information contained in this article is not intended as legal advice and may no longer be accurate due to changes in the law. Consult NHMA's legal services or your municipal attorney.
NHMA’s biennial Legislative Policy Process wrapped up its first phase in May, setting the stage for member municipalities to shape advocacy priorities for the 2027-2028 legislative sessions. The process, which is driven by municipal input and collaboration, will culminate in September with the Legislative Policy Conference.
At the center of the effort is the draft 2027-28 proposed Legislative Policies and Principles, developed through a structured, member-driven system that ensures representation from communities of all sizes and regions. The process begins each cycle with outreach to municipalities, inviting local officials to participate in the committee process and/or submit policy proposals to address issues that affect their communities.
These proposals — along with all of the 2025-2026 Legislative Policies and Principles—are then reviewed by three legislative policy committees: Finance and Revenue, General Administration and Governance, and Infrastructure, Development, and Land Use. Composed of elected and appointed officials, the committees meet throughout the spring to evaluate submissions, draw on their own experience, and consider developments from recent legislative sessions. Their work ultimately results in a set of recommended policy positions to guide NHMA’s advocacy. More than 40 local officials, representing communities in all 10 New Hampshire counties, took part in this year’s policy committee process.
The next major step in the process is the Legislative Policy Conference, scheduled for Friday, September 11, at NHMA’s offices in Concord. At this in-person meeting, each member municipality may send a voting delegate, and each municipality—regardless of population—receives one vote on all policy matters.
NHMA shared the draft policies and principles on our website in June and provided instructions on how member municipalities can participate.
Leading up to the conference, municipalities are encouraged to review the proposed policies and principles and formally discuss them within their governing bodies. While towns and cities may take internal votes to guide their delegates, those positions are not submitted to NHMA directly.
The conference also provides an opportunity for municipalities to introduce additional ideas through the “floor proposal” process. Any new policy submitted in this way must be approved by a majority vote of the municipality’s governing body and submitted in writing by August 4. These proposals are then distributed statewide before the conference to allow for review and discussion.
Once adopted, the legislative policies become the foundation for NHMA’s advocacy work during the legislative biennium. They guide staff in representing municipal interests before the state legislature and state agencies, ensuring that local perspectives remain central to policymaking discussions.
In addition to specific policy positions, NHMA relies on a set of broader legislative principles to address issues that arise unexpectedly. These principles—such as opposing unfunded mandates, protecting municipal revenue streams, and preserving local authority—provide flexibility and continuity when new legislation emerges that has not been explicitly addressed by adopted policies.
Throughout the legislative session, NHMA’s advocacy staff report regularly to the Board of Directors, which retains the authority to establish interim policy positions as needed between biennial conferences. This structure helps ensure that NHMA can respond in real time to evolving legislative challenges while remaining grounded in member direction.
Ultimately, the legislative policy process underscores NHMA’s role as a unified voice for municipal governments across New Hampshire. By participating in the process—from submitting proposals to casting votes at the September conference—local officials help shape the organization’s priorities and influence the direction of state policy affecting cities and towns statewide.