New Hampshire House Bill HB1513

New Hampshire 2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 12/10/25
• Refer: 12/10/25
• Report DNP: 3/4/26
• Report Pass: 3/4/26

Caption

relative to reporting and transparency reports for the education freedom account program.

Summary

HB 1513 would add new administration, reporting, and transparency requirements to New Hampshire’s Education Freedom Account (EFA) program. It directs the scholarship organization that administers the program to ensure access to all qualifying educational expenses already listed in statute, and it makes failure to provide access to any of those expenses grounds for disqualification from the program. The bill also requires the scholarship organization to respond to information requests from legislative oversight and education entities within 45 business days. The bill further requires the scholarship organization to collect, summarize, and publish EFA spending data by expense category and by education service provider. Those reports must be posted on the organization’s website in a sortable electronic format, with an initial publication deadline tied to the release of state funds and a final annual cumulative report after all funds are distributed. The bill expressly prohibits personally identifiable information from appearing in the public data or reports, while still requiring the organization to provide the Department of Education with eligibility, enrollment, and other compliance-related information. The act would take effect 60 days after passage.

Impact

HB 1513 would amend RSA 194-F by adding a new section governing EFA program administration, reporting, and oversight. It would expand statutory obligations for the scholarship organization, create enforceable transparency and data-sharing duties, and strengthen state oversight by requiring timely access to program information for the Department of Education, the state board, legislative oversight, and advisory bodies. The bill would also affect participating scholarship organizations by conditioning continued participation on offering access to every qualifying expense category in the EFA statute.

Sentiment

Based on the bill’s title, structure, and committee assignment, the measure appears to be framed as an oversight and transparency bill rather than a major policy redesign of the EFA program. No committee transcript or vote record is provided, so there is no direct evidence of support or opposition from hearings or floor action. The available context suggests the bill is intended to increase accountability and public reporting around a program that is likely to attract interest from both supporters of school choice and critics concerned about program administration.

Contention

The main points of contention are likely to be the bill’s expanded reporting burden and the requirement that the scholarship organization provide access to all qualifying expense categories or risk disqualification. Supporters would likely view these provisions as necessary to ensure transparency, uniform access, and legislative oversight. Opponents may argue that the bill imposes rigid administrative requirements, could limit flexibility in program implementation, and may create compliance risks for the scholarship organization. Another likely issue is the balance between public transparency and privacy, since the bill mandates detailed public reporting while also prohibiting personally identifiable information from being disclosed.