Business and Industry Association Ranks Lawmakers for the 2026 Session; Political Winds Shifting
By GARRY RAYNO, InDepthNH.org
From the Business and Industry Association's annual legislative report
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In the report on the completed 2026 session, Democrats voted far more favorably than Republicans on bills the organization selected as key to their agenda. Of the 12 House members who voted 100 percent with the BIA, only one was a Republican; the rest were Democrats.
The organization chose eight bills reflecting its biggest concerns such as expanding child care, housing, energy costs and taxation, and then evaluated House members' votes based on their alignment with these positions. A group of five "job Killer" bills was used to determine those who supported legislation detrimental to business interests.
"Only one of the five bills advanced beyond the first half of the legislative process, and it ultimately failed to gain support in the Senate," said BIA president Michael Skelton. "Their defeat sends an important signal that New Hampshire remains committed to fostering a business climate that encourages investment, job creation, and economic growth."
The organization used three of these bills and five others to compile their ranking of the lawmakers.
- House Bill 1002 would have increased energy costs for large employers heavily invested in solar arrays by dramatically increasing their property taxes. The bill proposed repealing the local option for property tax exemptions for solar energy systems.
- House Bill 1196 addressed housing supply restrictions. New Hampshire's housing shortage remains a significant barrier to workforce growth, and HB 1196 would have eliminated the state Housing Champions Program—a proven incentive structure that aided communities in permitting 2,640 new housing units.