# New Hampshire HB661: relative to the department of health and human services management of social security payments, supplemental security income payments, and veterans benefits for children in foster care.

New Hampshire HB661, relative to the department of health and human services management of social security payments, supplemental security income payments, and veterans benefits for children in foster care., is a 2025-2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Mary Jane Wallner (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-07-16 (Signed by Governor Ayotte 07/10/2026; Chapter 287; eff. I. Sec 1 eff 7/1/2027 II. Sec 2 eff 1/1/2028 III. Sec 3 eff 7/10/2026); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-17).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/NH-HB661-2025-2026
- 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 HB661
- State: New Hampshire
- Session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
- Title: relative to the department of health and human services management of social security payments, supplemental security income payments, and veterans benefits for children in foster care.
- Status: signed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2025-01-21
- Last action: 2026-07-16, Signed by Governor Ayotte 07/10/2026; Chapter 287; eff. I. Sec 1 eff 7/1/2027 II. Sec 2 eff 1/1/2028 III. Sec 3 eff 7/10/2026
- Sponsor: Mary Jane Wallner (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 6
- Touches household money: yes
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 2

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Help foster children get federal benefits: benefit, low. New Hampshire’s health department must check children’s Social Security, Supplemental Security Income, and veterans benefits within 60 days of entering care. It must apply for children who may qualify but receive no benefits, and check yearly for new eligibility. Care includes department custody, g…
- Protect foster children’s benefits and savings: benefit, low. When a court names New Hampshire’s health department to manage a child’s benefits, it cannot use the child’s money to repay care costs. This protects federal benefits, other benefits, savings, and assets from payments to the department or state. Federal benefits can cover unmet needs beyond the dep…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Mary Jane Wallner (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Debra L DeSimone (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Kimberly A Rice
- Cosponsor: Maureen C. Mooney (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Pat Long (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: David Rochefort (Republican), Senate
- Cosponsor: Cindy Rosenwald (Democratic), Senate

## Actions (43)

- 2026-07-16: Signed by Governor Ayotte 07/10/2026; Chapter 287; eff. I. Sec 1 eff 7/1/2027 II. Sec 2 eff 1/1/2028 III. Sec 3 eff 7/10/2026 (House)
- 2026-07-01: Enrolled (in recess of) 06/04/2026 HJ 15 P. 56 (House)
- 2026-06-30: Enrolled Adopted, VV, (In recess 06/04/2026); SJ 15 (Senate)
- 2026-06-22: Enrolled Bill Amendment # 2026-2171e: AA VV 06/04/2026 HJ 15 P. 48 (House)
- 2026-06-19: Enrolled Bill Amendment # 2026-2171e Adopted, VV, (In recess of 06/04/2026); SJ 14 (Senate)
- 2026-06-04: Conference Committee Report 2026-2061c: Adopted, VV 06/04/2026 HJ 15 P. 15 (House)
- 2026-05-29: Conference Committee Report # 2026-2061c, Adopted, VV; 06/04/2026; SJ 14 (Senate)
- 2026-05-27: Conference Committee Report Filed, # 2026-2061c; 06/04/2026 (Senate)
- 2026-05-26: Conference Committee Meeting: 05/26/2026 11:00 am GP 231 (House)
- 2026-05-20: President Appoints: Senators Rochefort, Lang, Rosenwald; (In Recess 05/14/2026); SJ 13 (Senate)
- 2026-05-20: Sen. Rochefort Accedes to House Request for Committee of Conference, MA, VV; (In recess 05/14/2026); SJ 13 (Senate)
- 2026-05-18: Speaker Appoints: Reps. DeSimone, Rice, Nelson, Mooney 05/14/2026 HJ 13 P. 149 (House)
- 2026-05-18: House Non-Concurs with Senate Amendment 2026-1854s and 2026-1425s and Requests CofC (Reps. Weyler, DeSimone): MA VV 05/14/2026 HJ 13 P. 149 (House)
- 2026-05-08: Committee Amendment # 2026-1854s, AA, VV; 05/14/2026; SJ 12 (Senate)
- 2026-05-08: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2026-1854s, MA, VV; OT3rdg; 05/14/2026; SJ 12 (Senate)
- 2026-05-06: Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2026-1854s, 05/14/2026; Vote 7-0; CC; SC 18 (Senate)
- 2026-04-14: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2026-1425s, MA, VV; Refer to Finance Rule 4-5; 04/16/2026; SJ 9 (Senate)
- 2026-04-14: Committee Amendment # 2026-1425s, AA, VV; 04/16/2026; SJ 9 (Senate)
- 2026-04-10: Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2026-1425s, 04/16/2026; Vote 4-0; CC; SC 14A (Senate)
- 2026-03-19: Hearing: 03/25/2026, Room 100, SH, 09:00 am; SC 11 (Senate)
- 2026-03-17: Introduced 03/12/2026 and Referred to Health and Human Services; SJ 7 (Senate)
- 2026-03-11: Ought to Pass with Amendment 2026-0821h: MA DV 309-19 03/11/2026 HJ 7 P. 172 (House)
- 2026-03-11: Amendment # 2026-0821h: AA DV 321-4 03/11/2026 HJ 7 P. 171 (House)
- 2026-03-03: Minority Committee Report: Refer for Interim Study (House)
- 2026-03-03: Majority Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2026-0821h 02/20/2026 (Vote 13-12; RC) HC 10 P. 46 (House)
- 2026-02-17: Executive Session: 02/20/2026 02:30 pm GP 230 (House)
- 2026-02-10: ==CANCELLED== Division III Work Session: 02/20/2026 09:00 am GP 234 (House)
- 2026-02-10: Division III Work Session: 02/13/2026 09:00 am GP 230 (House)
- 2026-02-02: Division III Work Session: 02/09/2026 10:00 am GP 230 (House)
- 2026-01-08: Recommit (Rep. Seaworth): MA VV 01/08/2026 HJ 2 P. 10 (House)
- 2025-11-07: Minority Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2025-3055h (House)
- 2025-11-07: Majority Committee Report: Refer for Interim Study 10/30/2025 (Vote 14-11; RC) HC 51 P. 36 (House)
- 2025-10-14: Executive Session: 10/30/2025 10:00 am GP 230 (House)
- 2025-09-09: Division III Work Session: 09/29/2025 10:00 am GP 230 (House)
- 2025-04-02: Retained in Committee (House)
- 2025-03-26: Executive Session: 04/01/2025 10:00 am LOB 210-211 (House)
- 2025-03-14: Division III Work Session: 03/17/2025 10:00 am LOB 210-211 (House)
- 2025-03-13: Referred to Finance 03/13/2025 HJ 8 P. 3 (House)
- 2025-03-13: Ought to Pass: MA VV 03/13/2025 HJ 8 P. 3 (House)
- 2025-03-05: Committee Report: Ought to Pass 03/04/2025 (Vote 16-0; CC) (House)
- 2025-02-12: Executive Session: 03/04/2025 11:00 am LOB 206-208 (House)
- 2025-01-27: Public Hearing: 02/11/2025 01:00 pm LOB 206-208 (House)
- 2025-01-21: Introduced (in recess of) 01/09/2025 and referred to Children and Family Law HJ 3 P. 21 (House)

## Bill text

- As Amended, 2026-06-19: [PDF](https://gc.nh.gov/bill_status/pdf.aspx?q=billVersion&id=31031)
- Enrolled, 2026-06-19: [HTML](https://gc.nh.gov/bill_status/billinfo.aspx?id=380&inflession=2025)
- Introduced, 2025-01-21: [PDF](https://gc.nh.gov/bill_status/pdf.aspx?q=billVersion&id=7306)
- CHAPTERED FINAL VERSION: [PDF](https://gc.nh.gov/bill_status/pdf.aspx?q=billVersion&id=34134)
- Version adopted by both bodies: [PDF](https://gc.nh.gov/bill_status/pdf.aspx?q=billVersion&id=33568)

## 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=31031)
- [Enrolled (HTML)](https://gc.nh.gov/bill_status/billinfo.aspx?id=380&inflession=2025)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://gc.nh.gov/bill_status/pdf.aspx?q=billVersion&id=7306)
- [CHAPTERED FINAL VERSION (PDF)](https://gc.nh.gov/bill_status/pdf.aspx?q=billVersion&id=34134)
- [Version adopted by both bodies (PDF)](https://gc.nh.gov/bill_status/pdf.aspx?q=billVersion&id=33568)

## 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)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/NH-HB661-2025-2026 (as of 2026-10-17).