# New Hampshire HB244: updating and recodifying the municipal enforcement of the building and fire code. New Hampshire HB244, updating and recodifying the municipal enforcement of the building and fire code., is a 2025-2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Carol M McGuire (Republican); status signed, last action 2026-07-20 (Signed by Governor Ayotte 07/15/2026; Chapter 318; eff.7/1/2026 12:01 a.m.); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-17). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/NH-HB244-2025-2026 - As of: 2026-10-17 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: New Hampshire HB244 - State: New Hampshire - Session: 2025-2026 Regular Session - Title: updating and recodifying the municipal enforcement of the building and fire code. - Status: signed - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2025-01-07 - Last action: 2026-07-20, Signed by Governor Ayotte 07/15/2026; Chapter 318; eff.7/1/2026 12:01 a.m. - Sponsor: Carol M McGuire (Republican) - Cosponsors: 3 - Touches household money: yes - Economic provisions PRIA read: 5 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Building applicants avoid unpublished local fees: benefit, low. Beginning July 1, 2026, cities and towns must publish their building-code fees for public access during normal business hours. They can post the list at city or town hall or on their website. A fee unpublished when an application is submitted is waived for that application. Local enforcement agenci… - Code appeals offer review but allow fees: mixed, low. Beginning July 1, 2026, local boards hear building- and fire-code appeals alleging misinterpretation, incomplete applicability, or equally good or better construction. Local boards cannot waive state code requirements; their decisions can be appealed to the state review board within 30 days. Boards… - Code appeals pause permits and enforcement: mixed, low. Beginning July 1, 2026, an appeal against a permit or certificate suspends it while the appeal is pending. Related construction, alterations, or changes of use cannot begin during that time. Appeals against orders or enforcement actions also pause related proceedings. An exception applies when the… - Limits on local home sprinkler requirements: mixed, low. Beginning July 1, 2026, municipalities face limits on enforcing local sprinkler requirements for covered homes. Coverage includes detached one- and two-family homes used only as residences, and existing buildings containing or intended for up to four homes. It also includes manufactured homes in ma… - Unsafe-building orders with limits for homeowners: mixed, low. Beginning July 1, 2026, at 12:01 a.m., building officials can order occupants to leave unsafe premises when needed for safety. Officials must reasonably believe collapse is imminent or there is a clear, immediate danger to life or safety. State procedures govern these orders and override conflictin… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Carol M McGuire (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Keith Erf (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Keith R. Murphy (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Howard Pearl (r), Senate ## Actions (28) - 2026-07-20: Signed by Governor Ayotte 07/15/2026; Chapter 318; eff.7/1/2026 12:01 a.m. (House) - 2026-07-06: Enrolled Adopted, VV, (In recess 06/04/2026); SJ 15 (Senate) - 2026-07-06: Enrolled (in recess of) 06/04/2026 HJ 15 P. 56 (House) - 2026-06-23: Enrolled Bill Amendment # 2026-2188e: AA VV (in recess of) 06/04/2026 HJ 15 P. 52 (House) - 2026-06-23: Enrolled Bill Amendment # 2026-2188e Adopted, VV, (In recess of 06/04/2026); SJ 14 (Senate) - 2026-06-04: Conference Committee Report 2026-2006c: Adopted, VV 06/04/2026 HJ 15 P. 12 (House) - 2026-05-29: Conference Committee Report # 2026-2006c, Adopted, VV; 06/04/2026; SJ 14 (Senate) - 2026-05-22: Conference Committee Report Filed, # 2026-2006c; 06/04/2026 (Senate) - 2026-05-20: Conference Committee Meeting: 05/20/2026 11:30 am GP 231 (House) - 2026-05-19: Conferee Change: Rep. Dargie Replaces Rep. Grote 05/19/2026 HJ 13 P. 151 (House) - 2026-05-13: President Appoints: Senators Gray, Lang, Reardon; (In Recess 05/07/2026); SJ 12 (Senate) - 2026-05-13: Sen. Gray Accedes to House Request for Committee of Conference, MA, VV; (In recess 05/07/2026); SJ 12 (Senate) - 2026-05-05: Speaker Appoints: Reps. Layon, Slottje, Grote, DeRoy 04/23/2026 HJ 11 P. 83 (House) - 2026-05-05: House Non-Concurs with Senate Amendment 2026-1025s and Requests CofC (Rep. Layon): MA VV 04/23/2026 HJ 11 P. 83 (House) - 2026-03-06: Ought to Pass with Amendment #2026-1025s, MA, VV; OT3rdg; 03/12/2026; SJ 6 (Senate) - 2026-03-06: Committee Amendment # 2026-1025s, AA, VV; 03/12/2026; SJ 6 (Senate) - 2026-03-04: Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2026-1025s, 03/12/2026; Vote 4-0; CC; SC 9 (Senate) - 2026-02-18: Hearing: 03/03/2026, Room 122-123, SH, 09:45 am; SC 7 (Senate) - 2026-01-30: Introduced 01/29/2026 and Referred to Election Law and Municipal Affairs; SJ 3 (Senate) - 2026-01-07: Ought to Pass with Amendment 2025-2952h: MA VV 01/07/2026 HJ 1 P. 51 (House) - 2026-01-07: Amendment # 2025-2952h: AA VV 01/07/2026 HJ 1 P. 51 (House) - 2025-11-05: Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2025-2952h 11/05/2025 (Vote 16-0; CC) HC 51 P. 9 (House) - 2025-10-27: Executive Session: 11/05/2025 10:00 am GP 231 (House) - 2025-09-22: Full Committee Work Session: 10/01/2025 10:00 am GP 231 (House) - 2025-02-11: Retained in Committee (House) - 2025-01-23: Subcommittee Work Session: 01/28/2025 10:15 am LOB 104 (House) - 2025-01-15: Public Hearing: 01/22/2025 01:15 pm LOB 306-308 (House) - 2025-01-07: Introduced 01/08/2025 and referred to Executive Departments and Administration HJ 2 P. 12 (House) ## Bill text - As Amended, 2026-06-23: [PDF](https://gc.nh.gov/bill_status/pdf.aspx?q=billVersion&id=28727) - Enrolled, 2026-06-23: [HTML](https://gc.nh.gov/bill_status/billinfo.aspx?id=118&inflession=2025) - Introduced, 2025-01-07: [PDF](https://gc.nh.gov/bill_status/pdf.aspx?q=billVersion&id=5135) - CHAPTERED FINAL VERSION: [PDF](https://gc.nh.gov/bill_status/pdf.aspx?q=billVersion&id=34165) - Version adopted by both bodies: [PDF](https://gc.nh.gov/bill_status/pdf.aspx?q=billVersion&id=33520) ## Related bills - HB2026: (New Title) relative to the state 10-year transportation improvement plan; relative to toll rate adjustments and periodic toll reviews for the New Hampshire tu… (became law) - HB1002: repealing the solar energy systems tax exemption. (failed) - HB1834: relative to the education freedom account enrollment cap. (failed) - SB101: (Second New Title) authorizing parents to enroll their children in any public school in the state. (failed) - CACR22: relating to the compensation of the legislature. Providing that the present compensation per elected term for legislators is hereby abolished. (failed) - HB1786: relative to creating a state assessment on non-homestead luxury second homes to fund statewide housing development programs and address housing shortages and m… (failed) ## Sources - [As Amended (PDF)](https://gc.nh.gov/bill_status/pdf.aspx?q=billVersion&id=28727) - [Enrolled (HTML)](https://gc.nh.gov/bill_status/billinfo.aspx?id=118&inflession=2025) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://gc.nh.gov/bill_status/pdf.aspx?q=billVersion&id=5135) - [CHAPTERED FINAL VERSION (PDF)](https://gc.nh.gov/bill_status/pdf.aspx?q=billVersion&id=34165) - [Version adopted by both bodies (PDF)](https://gc.nh.gov/bill_status/pdf.aspx?q=billVersion&id=33520) ## Related - [HB2026: (New Title) relative to the state 10-year transportation improvement plan; rela…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/NH-HB2026-2025-2026) - [HB1002: repealing the solar energy systems tax exemption.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/NH-HB1002-2025-2026) - [HB1834: relative to the education freedom account enrollment cap.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/NH-HB1834-2025-2026) - [SB101: (Second New Title) authorizing parents to enroll their children in any public s…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/NH-SB101-2025-2026) - [CACR22: relating to the compensation of the legislature. Providing that the present com…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/NH-CACR22-2025-2026) - [HB1786: relative to creating a state assessment on non-homestead luxury second homes to…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/NH-HB1786-2025-2026) - [New Hampshire bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/new-hampshire/bills) - [New Hampshire state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/new-hampshire) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/NH-HB244-2025-2026 (as of 2026-10-17).