NH House Testimony
All bills

HB1802

House · 2026 sessionBipartisanKilled in House

Training and certification for land use boards

AI

Establishes mandatory annual training, competency testing, and certification requirements for planning board and zoning board of adjustment members, sets minimum membership qualifications, and appropriates funds for implementation.

relative to training, testing, and certification of local land use board members and making an appropriations therefor.

Zoning and PlanningMunicipalitiesAgency Appropriations

Status

Killed in the House — Inexpedient to Legislate · February 5, 2026
  1. ✓Introduced
  2. ✕House
  3. Senate
  4. Governor
  5. Law

Division of testimony

5 submissions
Support 2Oppose 2Neutral 1
Daniel RichardsonNeutralNashua, NHfor MyselfJan 20, 2026

This is absurd ... "65 percent is required to pass ". Either put teeth in qualifications, or kill bill.

Daniel ReganSupportEnfield, NHfor MyselfJan 20, 2026

As a member (2nd year) and current Chair (1st year) of the Enfield Zoning Board I have seen first-hand the need for baseline training of ZBA and Planning Board members. I fully support this bill.

tom lutherOpposeclaremont, NHfor MyselfJan 20, 2026

Greetings from Sullivan County. NO. Committee seats on town boards are already impossible to fill with interested folks. If you burden the process with "certified experts" you will lock out ordinary citizens. The only folks on these boards will have an axe to grind and a pocket to be filled. The purpose of such certification is to ensure regulatory capture, and legislative graft. The fix is plainly in. This is a citizen democracy, not a socialist paradise. Experts won't save you from elitist control, they will ensure it and monetize it.

Tim LenihanOpposeEnfield, NHfor MyselfJan 20, 2026

As a long time member of a Zoning Board who holds a law degree and is very well versed in land regulations, I have seen the value of an individual with a fresh common sense approach. If we add these types of requirements for elected positions then we discourage participation. Why would we put requirements like testing for just one area of Governance? Are we going to make library trustees be certified teachers, or select board members take classes in economics. Who holds these positions should be determined by the voters in local elections.

Melanie KasparianSupportHudson, NHfor MyselfJan 20, 2026

Position recorded without written comment.