# New Hampshire HB617: relative to the homestead right.

New Hampshire HB617, relative to the homestead right., is a 2025-2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Melissa A. Litchfield; status signed, last action 2025-08-11 (Signed by Governor Ayotte 08/01/2025; Chapter 282; eff. 01/01/2026); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-17).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/NH-HB617-2025-2026
- 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 HB617
- State: New Hampshire
- Session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
- Title: relative to the homestead right.
- Status: signed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2025-01-16
- Last action: 2025-08-11, Signed by Governor Ayotte 08/01/2025; Chapter 282; eff. 01/01/2026
- Sponsor: Melissa A. Litchfield
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: yes
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 4

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Homeowners gain $1 million collection protection: benefit, high. Beginning January 1, 2026, New Hampshire raises protected home value from $120,000 to $1 million. A single person or married couple gets one exemption, not separate exemptions for each spouse. This protects home value from certain debt collection actions; it is not a cash payment. Before a court-or…
- More homes and medical debts qualify: benefit, high. Beginning January 1, 2026, homestead protection covers ownership interests in mobile homes, housing cooperatives, and condominiums used as dwellings. It also covers manufactured housing and the land beneath it when the homeowner owns that land. For unpaid medical bills, homeowners can claim the pro…
- Some debts bypass homeowners' collection protection: cost, medium. Beginning January 1, 2026, homestead protection does not erase debt; it only shields property from certain collection actions. Exceptions allow tax collection and enforcement of mortgages, construction or repair liens, and liens for forfeited bail or domestic support. Homeowner and condominium asso…
- Home protection requires longer primary residence: mixed, medium. Beginning January 1, 2026, your home must have been your primary residence for the previous 12 months continuously. This requirement limits which homes qualify for homestead protection. Sale proceeds and a replacement primary home stay protected when you reinvest those proceeds within 6 months.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Melissa A. Litchfield

## Actions (23)

- 2025-08-11: Signed by Governor Ayotte 08/01/2025; Chapter 282; eff. 01/01/2026 (House)
- 2025-07-14: Enrolled (in recess of) 06/26/2025 HJ 18 P. 63 (House)
- 2025-07-14: Enrolled Adopted, VV, (In recess 06/26/2025); SJ 18 (Senate)
- 2025-06-26: Conference Committee Report 2025-2791c: Adopted, VV 06/26/2025 HJ 18 P. 18 (House)
- 2025-06-26: Conference Committee Report # 2025-2791c, Adopted, VV; 06/26/2025; SJ 17 (Senate)
- 2025-06-18: Conference Committee Report Filed, # 2025-2791c; 06/26/2025 (Senate)
- 2025-06-17: Conference Committee Meeting: 06/17/2025 10:00 am LOB 302-304 (House)
- 2025-06-11: President Appoints: Senators Lang, Rochefort, Fenton; (In Recess 06/05/2025); SJ 16 (Senate)
- 2025-06-11: Sen. Lang Accedes to House Request for Committee of Conference, MA, VV; (In recess 06/05/2025); SJ 16 (Senate)
- 2025-06-03: Speaker Appoints: Reps. Pauer, J. MacDonald, Litchfield, Girard 05/22/2025 HJ 15 P. 53 (House)
- 2025-06-03: House Non-Concurs with Senate Amendment 2025-1727s and Requests CofC (Rep. S. Smith): MA VV 05/22/2025 HJ 15 P. 53 (House)
- 2025-05-01: Committee Amendment # 2025-1727s, AA, VV; 05/01/2025; SJ 11 (Senate)
- 2025-05-01: Ought to Pass with Amendment #2025-1727s, MA, VV; OT3rdg; 05/01/2025; SJ 11 (Senate)
- 2025-04-24: Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2025-1727s, 05/01/2025; Vote 5-0; CC; SC 19 (Senate)
- 2025-04-02: Hearing: 04/16/2025, Room 100, SH, 09:00 am; SC 16 (Senate)
- 2025-03-11: Introduced 03/06/2025 and Referred to Ways and Means; SJ 7 (Senate)
- 2025-03-06: Ought to Pass with Amendment 2025-0437h: MA RC 216-146 03/06/2025 HJ 7 P. 73 (House)
- 2025-03-06: Amendment # 2025-0437h: AA VV 03/06/2025 HJ 7 P. 73 (House)
- 2025-02-25: Minority Committee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate (House)
- 2025-02-25: Majority Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2025-0437h 02/18/2025 (Vote 11-7; RC) HC 14 P. 26 (House)
- 2025-02-12: Executive Session: 02/18/2025 01:00 pm LOB 201 (House)
- 2025-01-29: Public Hearing: 02/04/2025 01:00 pm LOB 307 (House)
- 2025-01-16: Introduced (in recess of) 01/09/2025 and referred to Municipal and County Government HJ 3 P. 19 (House)

## Bill text

- Enrolled, 2025-07-14: [HTML](https://gc.nh.gov/bill_status/billinfo.aspx?id=610&inflession=2025)
- Introduced, 2025-01-16: [PDF](https://gc.nh.gov/bill_status/pdf.aspx?q=billVersion&id=6821)
- CHAPTERED FINAL VERSION: [PDF](https://gc.nh.gov/bill_status/pdf.aspx?q=billVersion&id=17016)
- Version adopted by both bodies: [PDF](https://gc.nh.gov/bill_status/pdf.aspx?q=billVersion&id=16587)

## 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
- [Enrolled (HTML)](https://gc.nh.gov/bill_status/billinfo.aspx?id=610&inflession=2025)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://gc.nh.gov/bill_status/pdf.aspx?q=billVersion&id=6821)
- [CHAPTERED FINAL VERSION (PDF)](https://gc.nh.gov/bill_status/pdf.aspx?q=billVersion&id=17016)
- [Version adopted by both bodies (PDF)](https://gc.nh.gov/bill_status/pdf.aspx?q=billVersion&id=16587)

## 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)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/NH-HB617-2025-2026 (as of 2026-10-17).