Bill Text: NH HB68 | 2025 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Making best interest placements within the same school district mandatory in the absence of a valid reason to deny the placement.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 9-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2024-12-23 - To Be Introduced 01/08/2025 and referred to Education Policy and Administration House Journal 2 [HB68 Detail]

Download: New_Hampshire-2025-HB68-Introduced.html

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HB 68  - AS INTRODUCED

 

 

2025 SESSION

25-0053

02/05

 

HOUSE BILL 68

 

AN ACT making best interest placements within the same school district mandatory in the absence of a valid reason to deny the placement.

 

SPONSORS: Rep. Layon, Rock. 13; Rep. D. McGuire, Merr. 14; Rep. D. Thomas, Rock. 16; Rep. J. Aron, Sull. 4; Rep. Cordelli, Carr. 7; Rep. Thibault, Merr. 25; Sen. Murphy, Dist 16; Sen. Ward, Dist 8; Sen. Sullivan, Dist 18

 

COMMITTEE: Education Policy and Administration

 

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ANALYSIS

 

This bill requires superintendents to approve student requests for reassignment within the same school district, and requires superintendents to provide written reasons to parents for denials of requests.

 

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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

25-0053

02/05

 

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

 

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Five

 

AN ACT making best interest placements within the same school district mandatory in the absence of a valid reason to deny the placement.

 

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

 

1  Change of School or Assignment; Best Interest of Student.  Amend RSA 193:3, I(c) to read as follows:

(c) Prior to or at such meeting, the parent or guardian shall make a specific request that the student be re-assigned by the school board to another public school, public academy, or an approved private school within the district or to a public school, public academy, or an approved private school in another district. If such request is made to re-assign the student to another public school, public academy, or approved private school within the school district, the superintendent shall approve the request unless it fails to meet the requirements under this section.

2  Change of School or Assignment; Finding Not in Best Interest.  Amend RSA 193:3, I(i) to read as follows:

(i)  If the superintendent does not find that it is in the best interest of the student to change the student's school or assignment, the parent or guardian may request a hearing with the school board of residence to determine if the student is experiencing a manifest educational hardship under paragraph II.  Within 10 days following such decision, the superintendent shall provide a written report to the parent or guardian providing the reasons why the request cannot be accommodated.

3  New Paragraph; Failure to Meet Requirements.  Amend RSA 193:3 by inserting after paragraph I the following new paragraph:

I-a.  If the superintendent fails to meet any requirements under this section, the request shall be approved.

4  Effective Date.  This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.