Senate adopts continuing appropriation (HB115) to keep government operating while budget decisions proceed

The New Hampshire Senate adopted House Bill 115, a continuing appropriation intended to keep state government operations funded while final budget steps proceeded.

Senator Bernthal moved the measures that allowed HB115 to be considered and the Senate ultimately approved an amended continuing appropriation after floor debate and two competing amendment proposals. Senator Grama presented a floor amendment (2880) described as a continuing resolution to allow government to continue in the event the larger budget bills failed; the Senate adopted that floor amendment.

Senator Rosenwald offered an alternative floor amendment (2893) aiming to raise the continuing-appropriation funding closer to existing FY25 authorized levels; the chamber voted the Rosenwald amendment down (roll-call result 8-16). Supporters of the adopted continuing resolution said it was a conservative, temporary funding approach that ensured core services would continue while the budget was finalized. Opponents argued the adopted level would leave hundreds of millions cut from planned appropriations and that a higher bridge funding level was fiscally supportable.

The Senate then ordered HB115 to third reading and passed it at the present time to provide continuity of government spending while the conference-report and enrollment processes completed for larger budget bills.