Senate Election Law and Municipal Affairs Committee
Jessica Bourque 271-2104
HB 1274-FN-LOCAL, relative to dog licenses.
Hearing Date: March 24, 2026
Time Opened: 10:52 a.m. Time Closed: 10:56 a.m.
Members of the Committee Present: Senators Gray, Lang, Perkins Kwoka and Long
Members of the Committee Absent: Senator Rochefort
Bill Analysis: This bill increases the annual dog licensing fee.
Sponsors:
Rep. Dargie | Rep. Petrigno |
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Who supports the bill: Rep. Dargie, Rep. Bixby, Brodie Deshaies, Dan Healey,
Who opposes the bill: Cory Stone
Summary of testimony presented:
Rep. Paul Dargie, Hillsborough-District 33, Prime Sponsor
- Corrects the dog license bill fees error in HB 1626 that mistakenly lowered the overall dog license fee statewide by $0.25 instead of reallocating $0.25 of the fee to the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory.
- If passed, this bill would restore the dog license fee to its previous level before HB 1626 was enacted.
Rep. Peter Bixby, Strafford-District 13
- Last year, there was an error in HB 1626 where the overall dog license fee was reduced by $0.25 instead of being allocated to a different fund. This bill corrects that mistake.
Dan Healey, NH City and Town Clerks Association
- Supports this bill.
- This is a clean-up bill requested by the City and Town Clerk’s Association.
- Towns are now charging $0.25 less because of the mistake in HB 1626.
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Date Hearing Report completed: March 25, 2026